Library Worklife

Support Staff

Special ALA Dues Categories

ALA members voted to pass the special membership category for support staff. The bylaws were amended to include a dues classification for support staff for $35. Members will be able to take advantage of this new dues category on September 1. Adding the Library Support Staff Interests Round Table (LSSIRT) for $10 would bring the total to $45. A task force will be working on marketing and promotion of this new membership category. The regular members classification in the bylaws was changed to read “Includes librarians as well as others employed in library and information services or related activities in positions that: (a) require a master’s degree; or (b) require a state level certification; or (c) are managerial.

LSSIRT Announcement

ALCTS/RUSA/LSSIRT - The ALA Membership Committee and Council approved an extension of the Membership Initiative with ALCTS/RUSA/LSSIRT for a package cost of $59. Members who joined during the initial 3-year trial will continue at the $59 rate for the next three years, plus new members (first time ALA members) may still join under the extension of the program.

ALA Insurance Informational Brief

Contact: John Chrastka

Your ALA membership allows you access to special insurance programs. ALA is now offering its members various types of insurance coverage. Underinsured or uninsured coverage is provided through Marsh Affinity Group Insurance and is available for individuals or families. There are several programs offered to ALA members, depending on their location, including: Customized Major Medical; Short-Term Medical; Dental Insurance; Catastrophic Major Medical; Long-Term Care; Term Life Insurance; and a Disability Income Plan. Plans are available to supplement existing insurance or to provide coverage where none exists. Insurance is only offered within the United States only and plans vary from state to state.

The American Library Association (ALA) has partnered with Marsh Affinity Group Services to offer a variety of medical and life insurance plans for ALA members in the United States. Insurance coverage for individuals and families is now available to all types of personal members of ALA. Regular members, trustees, students, retired, unemployed or self-employed members, working at any level or position in the library world, are eligible to apply for:

Customized Major Medical, which allows the insured to create a personal health plan;
Short-Term Medical, which provides health insurance for temporary needs;
Catastrophic Major Medical, which pays benefits if basic medical insurance runs out;
Dental Insurance, which helps cover the costs of preventative and necessary care;
Long-Term Care, which supplements the costs associated with assisted-living services;
Term Life Insurance, which provides up to $210,000 of coverage; and
Disability Income Plan, which provides income if the insured or his/her family if the insured is unable to work.

Please note that coverage varies by state and may not be available in all states at this time.

“With many library workers under-insured, or not insured at all, ALA has worked to provide affordable, needed insurance coverage for our members,” said J. Linda Williams, chair of the ALA’s Membership Committee and Insurance Benefits Taskforce. “The chance to offer these competitive plans with comprehensive medical, life, and disability coverage will be a real and lasting benefit to ALA members.”

Marsh has set up a dedicated Web site and customer service line to answer questions about the type of coverage available to all ALA members. Visit www.seaburychicago.com/plans/ALA or call the ALA Member Insurance Administrator at 1-800-503-9230 to learn more about this program or to enroll today.