Will CALL Lower Student Membership Fees?

The Canadian Association of Law Libraries has had reduced membership fees for students for quite some time, offering the same 30% reduction that the Association gives its retired members. At the upcoming conference in Moncton, there will be a special resolution at the AGM to take those reductions further. Members will be voting to lower student dues to a nominal flat fee of $15.00, plus the appropriate taxes.

The Student SIG, Membership Committee, and the CALL Executive should all be commended for bringing such a simple change forward. Students are not only the base of future membership, but a group that often brings much more than their membership fees to the table. This is a group that (when tapped) offers volunteer time, energy and fresh ideas.

At $15, membership would effectively be free for students; with the nominal fee being just enough of a deterrent for students who might "join for the sake of joining." The student who is exploring his or her range of career possibilities, and has even the smallest interest in law librarianship, would see the financial barrier to entry as minimal.

This seems like a smart move. I hope it goes through.