We recognize that news of a dues increase is especially unwelcome at this time. However, SLA cannot maintain critical member services when its operational budget does not keep pace with the cost of delivering services, which is now almost US$600 per member annually.
SLA Bylaws permit the Board to change dues only once every three years, and our dues have not changed in four years--so real income has lagged far behind. As a result, we had a budget shortfall in FY 2009 and had to cut a number of previously budgeted items. Among them were improvements to our Web site, the annual Salary Survey, software upgrades and training, the Faces of SLA Program, 100 Years of SLA in Photos, membership campaigns, the Bretton Woods conference, development of new certificate programs, and enhancements to the Innovation Lab. We also reduced the number of Information Outlook issues.
Staff has seen their numbers cut, their salaries frozen, and professional development funding eliminated; at the same time, they have been required to assume a larger share of the cost of their health insurance and to take on additional responsibilities.
Under these budgetary challenges, SLA has worked hard to deliver critical services to members and respond to the increased needs of members who have lost their jobs in the economic downturn. However, we cannot postpone the need to adjust member dues to keep pace with the cost of doing business.
Why a 15 percent dues increase for most members?
As the chart below illustrates, 2010 dues would be US$188.74 for most members if we adjusted them to keep up with increases in the Consumer Price Index since the last time they were changed:
Year |
CPI* |
Annual Change |
Current Dues |
Dues Adjusted |
2005 |
195.3 |
3.4 |
US$125.00 |
US$160.00 |
2006 |
201.6 |
3.2 |
US$160.00 |
US$165.12 |
2007 |
207.3 |
2.8 |
US$160.00 |
US$169.74 |
2008 |
215.3 |
3.8 |
US$160.00 |
US$176.19 |
2009 |
215.3 |
3.8 |
US$160.00 |
US$182.36 |
2010 |
Estimate |
3.5 |
US$185.00 |
US$188.74 |
*U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Price Index All Urban Consumers - (CPI-U), U.S. city average, All items (ftp://ftp.bls.gov/pub/special.requests/cpi/cpiai.txt)
While membership numbers have been relatively steady, SLA has been doing more with less funding each year.
Why are you creating a new dues tier for those making US$75,000 or more a year?
SLA is a global organization, and there is a dramatic range of incomes among its members. To be equitable to all, and to build the global network that is essential to all information professionals, SLA has tied dues in some way to income. We currently have three income-based tiers: 1) for members making less than US$18,000, 2) for members making between US$18,000 and US$34,999, and 3) for members making US$35,000 and above.
We are adding a fourth dues tier for full members earning US$75,000 and more in this same spirit of equity. According to the 2008 SLA Salary Survey, reported median salaries of special librarians in the U.S. have outstripped cost of living increases as measured by CPI over the past 23 years. The salaries range from US$42,000 to US$108,000. The current mean salary is US$71,812; the median US$66,000; and members making more than US$85,000 make up one-quarter of the current membership. Canadian special librarians have seen similar improvements in their financial position. The current structure, with no dues differentiation for the entire membership segment with incomes of US$35,000 and above, needed to be made more equitable.
Will this new system help unemployed members and members from other countries?
Yes, because it will allow SLA to maintain the US$18,000 and below dues tier introduced in November 2008. This tier was created primarily for members in developing economies, but it also replaced the member benefit for unemployed members (who previously received a one-year discount) and is attractive to new graduates who might not yet be employed.
What we did not anticipate was the extent of the worldwide economic downturn and the number of members who would become unemployed and shift from the US$160.00 dues tier to the US$35.00 dues tier. Currently, more than half (57 percent) of the members who have taken advantage of the lowest dues tier are unemployed, and three-quarters of them work/reside in North America.
Maintaining members who lose their jobs, attracting members who work in countries with developing economies, and bringing in new graduates are all important to SLA's future; however, the new dues tier has had a greater economic impact than anticipated.
What is the Board going to do so my dues don't go up all the time?
Under our current Bylaws, your dues cannot be increased for at least three years. We believe that the new dues structure will help SLA maintain critical services for the foreseeable future. The Finance Committee will do an annual review of the dues structure and fees to keep dues relatively stable in the years ahead.
Will the annual dues allotment that goes to chapters, divisions and caucuses change?
No. Members are a financial asset at the unit level, not a liability, and the allotment is intended to subsidize unit income from event registrations, annual conference activities, sponsorships, advertising, product sales, etc., not as a primary revenue source. Units receive the same allotment for every member on their roster, no matter the dues tier and without regard to whether the unit is a "free" or "paid additional unit" for the member.
Each unit's annual allotment is calculated on the basis of the total number of full members, retired members, organizational members, life members, honorary members and student members on its roster at year-end, 31 December. Chapter allotments are US$14.40 per member; division allotments are US$12.00 per member, and caucus allotments are US$7.20 per member. Each chapter and division receives a minimum of US$1,125.00, providing its prior year's Annual Financial Statement and Annual Report have been accurately completed, approved and audited during the annual association audit in May.
Our student groups also get a flat-fee allotment of US$200.00 per year to assist them in their activities.
What do I get for my membership dues?
Every SLA member enjoys extensive professional development, networking and advocacy opportunities. The cost for member services is fast approaching US$600 per person regardless of how much the member pays in dues (currently US$35 to US$160). The tangible benefits and services that are included for each member include:
Networking
- Searchable online Membership Directory.
- Chapter and division membership, included in membership dues, keeps you connected to the most important people in your profession.
- SLA's discussion lists, wikis, blogs, and other social networking tools put you in touch with a global network of information professionals using the media of your choice.
- SLA's Annual Conference & INFO-EXPO is one of the most content-rich professional gatherings you will find anywhere, and members realize substantial savings.
Learning
- Information Outlook magazine and Information Outlook Online, included in membership.
- SLA professional development opportunities include Click University, SLA's online learning portal that makes continuing education convenient 24/7, no matter where you are or what time it is, with--
- Certificate programs in Competitive Intelligence, Knowledge Management, and U.S. and Canada Copyright Law.
- Free for members Webinars and replays to help you master the latest technical skills and knowledge without leaving your desk.
- Free member access to special e-libraries on leadership, management, and knowledge management.
- Free member access to the online Innovation Laboratory, where you can try out the newest Web 2.0 technologies including technology skills training that consists of nearly 40,000 tutorials on more than 120 software applications for both Macintosh and Windows platforms.
- Even a self-paced program where members can commit just one hour a week to experiment, learn and practice 23 new technology tools for free.
Career and Personal Development
- SLA's Career Center, with special job listings, access to career coaching, and a wealth of other resources.
- Opportunities to get involved in association governance, including committees, councils, task forces and workgroups.
- Annual Leadership Development Institute and online leadership training and resources.
- Competencies for the Information Professional for the 21st Century.
- Vibrant awards and recognition program; opportunities for scholarships and grants.
- Salary survey and calculator.
- Health insurance.
Money-Saving Resources
- Multiview Industry Vendor Search.
- Virtual INFO-EXPO.
- Nexcerpt News Connections.
- Factiva News Connections.
- Free RSS Feed Reader.
- Discounts to major industry conferences and on publications through partnerships that include Information Today, SIIA, Freepint, Mintel, Institute for Competitive Intelligence, EBSCO, and Outsell, American Society of Information Sciences and Technology (ASIS&T), Art Libraries Society of North America (ARLIS/NA), Association of Independent Information Professionals (AIIP), Canadian Association of Law Librarians (CALL), Medical Library Association (MLA), The Society of Competitive Intelligence Professionals (SCIP), Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA), Australian Government Libraries Information Network (AGLIN).
- Discounts on office supplies.
- Discounts on higher education through partnerships that include Drexel University, Kent State University, San Jose State University, Syracuse University and University of Toronto.
Advocacy
SLA is recognized around the world as the authoritative voice of the information profession. Our ongoing research on the value of information professionals brings additional credibility to our well established presence in international forums that affect the information profession.
- SLA's Alignment Project is enabling us to build the tools and language you need to communicate your value in your workplace.
- SLA's Advocacy Program promotes the value of information professionals and the profession.
- SLA works to shape public policies that affect members and advocates for the profession to employers, the public, and others.
CONTACT: Paula Diaz, SLA Membership Director, pdiaz@sla.org or +1.703.647.4926.
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