How to Join or Renew a Clayton Library Friends Membership

Updated

You can join Clayton Library Friends (CLF) through the Join Us page on claytonlibraryfriends.org, and you can renew either online via the Membership Renewal page or by mail using the printable membership form linked from that page. Both paths are listed directly on the CLF home page, so you don't need to search for them. Membership records are handled through Wild Apricot membership software, which is the platform behind the site's login and renewal functions.

Joining as a new member

The home page navigation includes a Join Us entry alongside Home, Events, Resources, Newsletter, Acquisitions, Book Sale, Clayton Giving, Volunteer, and About Us. That page is the starting point for new memberships.

Before you begin, have two things ready:

  • Your contact details, including a mailing address if you want to receive anything by mail (the organization lists a PO Box in Houston, TX 77277-1078).
  • A payment method, since membership involves a fee. The site itself does not publish the current dues amount in the material available here, so check the Join Us page for the current rate rather than assuming a figure.

The expected result is a membership record tied to your name and email in the Wild Apricot system, which is what the site's Log in link accesses.

Renewing an existing membership

CLF offers two renewal routes, and the choice depends mainly on whether you want to pay online or by check.

Route Where to start What you do Good fit when
Online renewal Membership Renewal page Follow the on-page renewal steps while logged in You want to renew immediately and pay electronically
Mail renewal Printable membership form linked from the Membership Renewal page Print the form, complete it, and mail it per the form's instructions You prefer paying by check or don't want to use the online system

Online renewal, step by step

  1. Go to claytonlibraryfriends.org and select Log in (top of the page).
  2. Sign in with the email and password associated with your Wild Apricot membership record. If you've forgotten the password, use the login page's recovery option rather than creating a second account.
  3. Open the Membership Renewal page from the main navigation.
  4. Complete the renewal and submit payment.
  5. Verify success by returning to your profile and confirming the membership expiration date has moved forward, and watch for a confirmation email.

Mail renewal, step by step

  1. Open the Membership Renewal page and download the printable membership form.
  2. Fill in your details exactly as they appear on your existing record so the renewal is matched to the right member.
  3. Mail the form and payment to the address printed on it. The organization's general mailing address is PO Box 271078, Houston, TX 77277-1078.
  4. Verify success by checking that your online record shows the new expiration date once processed, or by contacting CLF through the About Us page if you see no change after a reasonable wait.

Common snags

  • Two accounts. If you renew online after previously joining by mail, sign in with the email CLF already has on file. Creating a new login can leave you with duplicate records.
  • Renewal page vs. Join Us page. The Join Us page is for new members; existing members should use Membership Renewal so their original join date and history are preserved.
  • No published dues on the home page. Don't rely on secondhand figures for the current membership rate; the Join Us and Membership Renewal pages are the authoritative source.
  • Mail timing. Mail renewals depend on postal delivery and manual processing, so start earlier than you would for an online renewal if a specific event date matters to you.

While you're a member

Membership connects you to a fairly active calendar. The site lists a CLF Board Meeting on Saturday, October 24, 2026 at 10:00 AM at the Clayton Library, and a CLF November General Meeting on Saturday, November 21, 2026 at 10:30 AM, held as a hybrid session — online via Zoom and in person at the Clayton / Garwood Meeting Room. Past presentations are posted on the CLF YouTube channel, which members can subscribe to for notifications. The organization also maintains a Book Sale section, and its inventory of donated duplicate books is now listed online.

The library itself — the Family History Research Center at the Clayton Library Campus, 5300 Caroline Street, Houston, Texas 77004 — is open for research, with staff available to help locate books, microfilms, periodicals, and databases. CLF also partners with a long list of regional genealogical and historical societies, from the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society to the Texas Research Ramblers, which is worth knowing if you're deciding whether the membership fits your research interests.

If your goal is simply to use the library, note that the research center is a Houston Public Library facility open to researchers; CLF membership is a separate supporting organization. Joining makes most sense if you want to support the library's acquisitions, attend member meetings and presentations, and shop the duplicate book sale.