Membership Expectations

Member Benefits Chart

Membership Eligibility

Full Membership: Any of the following organizations who serve a research community and who meet the membership requirements as found in the regulations of the Commissioner of Education section 90.5 (as amended 1/7/94) are eligible for membership: Libraries of institutions of higher education, public library systems, central or co-central libraries of public library systems, public libraries, school library systems, school libraries, other special libraries, for profit and non-profit organizations. Libraries meeting the Commissioner Regulations and which have at least one MLS/MLIS librarian must be Full Members. Hospital libraries are also eligible for membership if they meet standards established under Regulations of the Commissioner 90.17.

A prospective member must either demonstrate how it will bring improved library or information resources to the SCRLC region; or, demonstrate how it will bring improved reference or research services to its community; and is willing to cooperate in meeting the goals of SCRLC. Full members receive all the benefits of membership including voting rights and access to electronic resources (a $100 access fee applies). 

SCRLC Full member libraries have access to all the Council's resources including:

•  Council initiatives and programs including New York Heritage
•  Free interlibrary loan among other SCRLC members
•  Medical Information Services Program to help pay for health-related interlibrary loan materials
•  A wide variety of continuing education opportunities, including workshops and special interest groups, both face-to-face and online
•  Electronic resources
•  Grant opportunities
•  Consulting services/focus groups
• Voting

Full Membership Application

Affiliate Membership: An organization not meeting the Commissioner of Education's requirements but which is sympathetic to the purposes and mission of the Council may become a non-voting affiliate member. A prospective affiliate member must either demonstrate how it will bring improved library or information resources to the SCRLC region; or, demonstrate how it will bring improved reference or research services to its community; and is willing to cooperate in meeting the goals of SCRLC. They may apply for RBDB grants for digitization and participate in AskUs and selected projects. Non-public/school libraries meeting the Commissioner Regulations and which have at least one MLS/MLIS librarian must be Governing Members.

Affiliate Membership Application

Personal Membership: Any individual sympathetic to the purposes and mission of the Council may become a non-voting personal member. Personal members can participate in continuing education activities, committees, special interest groups, and some pilot projects. Note: Library workers who are employed by libraries belonging to SCRLC public library system members and SCRLC school library system members can already take advantage of all the benefits personal membership offers! If you are a librarian, library science student and unaffiliated with any of the SCRLC members, personal membership may be for you!

Personal Membership Application

Membership Dues 

SCRLC Membership runs from July 1 through June 30. As stated in the Membership Expectations policy, “all members are expected to pay their annual dues in a timely manner. Non-payment of dues without good cause shown within four months after the beginning of the fiscal year (July 1) may result in loss of membership benefits. Dues must be current for a member to receive grant funds from SCRLC.”

Dues are determined by a vote of the Full SCRLC members during an annual business meeting. In October 2022, the membership authorized the Board of Trustees to increase dues up to 3% for the fiscal years 2023–2024, 2024–2025, and 2025–2026. While dues were not increased for 2024–2025, the figures below for 2025–2026 reflect a 3% adjustment. The dues structure will be reviewed for FY 2026–2027 through 2028-2029, with a membership vote expected at the October 2025 annual business meeting.