What Does GPLLA Membership Include?

GPLLA membership gives law librarians and legal information professionals in the greater Philadelphia area access to educational and networking events, a member directory, a job board, the GPLLA Forum, and scholarships and grants for students interested in law librarianship. Membership runs from June 1 to May 31 each year, and the association does not offer dues for a partial year. To confirm current dues, event eligibility, and how to join, use the contact and join links on gplla.org.

Who the membership is for

GPLLA (the Greater Philadelphia Law Library Association) is a regional chapter of the American Association of Law Libraries. Its stated goal is to foster cooperation, communication, and camaraderie among law librarians and other legal information professionals in the greater Philadelphia area, including those working in law firms, academia, and government.

If you work with legal information in that region—or are a student considering law librarianship—the membership resources below are the main reasons to join.

What membership includes

The Members Forum in practice

The Forum is where day-to-day member communication happens. According to the site, you sign up by visiting the Forum (login required) and clicking the "Subscribe to forum" button near the top of the page. Once subscribed, news, member updates, and job postings arrive by email—the site describes this as getting updates "straight to your inbox."

Two practical points follow from that description:

• You need an account first. The Forum sits behind a login, so plan to create or receive your member login before you try to subscribe.
• Expect email volume. Because the Forum carries news, member updates, and job postings together, it is a working communication channel rather than an occasional newsletter. If you only want periodic updates, the site also publishes newsletters (a Winter Newsletter in March and a Spring Newsletter in May appear in the news list).

Newsletters and announcements

The news section is public-facing and lists items such as the Spring and Winter newsletters and institute registration announcements. These are useful for judging whether the association's programming matches your interests before you commit to a membership year.

Timing and cost considerations

• Membership year: June 1 through May 31. If you join mid-year, you still pay for the full year—the site states that dues for a partial year membership are not available. Joining shortly before June 1 therefore means renewing soon after.
• Dues amount: The site excerpt does not state a dues figure. Check the "Join us/Renew" page or email [email protected] for the current amount.
• Scholarships and grants: These are described as offered to students interested in law librarianship. The site does not list amounts, deadlines, or application steps in the available material, so ask the association directly if you are a student relying on this benefit.

How to join or get answers

1. Go to gplla.org and use the "Join us/Renew" link in the navigation.
2. If you have questions about dues, the membership year, or eligibility, contact [email protected].
3. After joining, log in and subscribe to the Forum so you receive news, member updates, and job postings.
4. For technical problems with the site or Forum, the site directs users to its Webmaster contact.

The site runs on Wild Apricot membership software, which is why member login and forum subscription are handled through the same account area.

Is it worth joining?

Join if you are a law librarian or legal information professional in the greater Philadelphia area and want local networking, continuing education, a job board, and a direct line to peers through the Forum. The full-year dues structure matters most if you are considering joining late in the membership year. If you are a student, ask about the scholarship and grant process before joining, since the public pages do not spell out the details.