Membership

OLC Membership

The Ohio Library Council is the statewide professional association that represents the interests of Ohio’s public libraries, their staffs, trustees, and Friends groups. Membership opportunities are available for:

Institutional Members: Public Libraries and Library Trustees

Ohio’s public libraries are encouraged to join the OLC to support its advocacy efforts as well as benefit from the OLC’s numerous resources and services. Directors, fiscal officers, and members of the boards of trustees of Institutional member libraries can benefit from:

  • access to information about state and local library funding, including the Public Library Fund (PLF) and local tax levies;
  • information on legal issues;
  • directions on library administration policies and management procedures;
  • advice on library construction, audit, and financial issues;
  • access to group purchasing programs and group insurance opportunities
  • discounted professional development opportunities for library staff and trustees; and
  • information in the OLC’s This Week and Access e-newsletters and the Trustee Newsletter.

More information and Institutional Membership Form (PDF).

Individual Members

Individual membership in the OLC is open to:

  • any staff member of a library or library organization;
  • students in a school of librarianship, library technology or a library trainee program;
  • former or retired library staff members who are not currently employed by a library-related organization or commercial vendor;
  • self-employed, providing services to libraries;
  • former members of library boards of trustees; and
  • professors, administrators or instructors of library science.

Individual members benefit from access to the OLC’s education and Information as well as opportunities for career growth and networking.

OLC’s membership year is from January 1 – December 31.

New Members* joining between January 1 and June 30 pay full annual membership dues. New Members* joining between July 1 and September 30 pay one-half annual membership dues. New Members* joining after October 1 receive free membership for the remainder of the current year with the payment of full dues for the following year.

*Only applies to individuals who have never been OLC members or who have not been OLC members for five or more consecutive years.

More information and Membership Application Form (PDF).

Friends of the Library Groups

OLC membership is open to Friends group that support Ohio’s public, academic, business, or special libraries or their branches. Friends groups can benefit from the OLC’s information on organizational issues, fundraising, membership recruitment, and forming a new Friends groups, as well as discounted access to workshops and conferences, including those on topics of specific interest to Friends.

More information and Friends Membership Form (PDF).

Other Library Institutions

Membership in the OLC is open to library-related organizations and agencies throughout the state. These institutions have access to the OLC’s information and services and support the association’s goal to improve the service to library patrons throughout the state.

More information and Institutional Membership Form (PDF).

Associate Members (Vendors)

Associate membership in the OLC is open to commercial entities that provide products and services to public libraries. The OLC’s enhanced Associate member program is designed for companies and individuals who want to maintain a connection with public librarians, market their services, and have access to information about the issues and challenges libraries face every day.

More information and Associate Membership Application.