The Board of Directors of the Special Libraries Association (SLA) announced the decision to dissolve the association on 27 May 2025. After 116 years, SLA no longer had the funds to continue to operate. On 23 May 2025, it announced it was seeking a merger with the Association for Information Science and Technology
In the midst of all this uncertainty, SLA still managed to host its annual conference on the University of Pittsburgh campus in June, with delegates mainly from the U.S. but also from other countries, such as Canada, India, Japan, and the UK. Information Today published a conference review on its Newsbreaks page.
SLA president-elect Heather Kotula explained, in her opening remarks at the conference, that part of the dissolution announcement involved looking for another association with which to merge to forestall a bankruptcy declaration. ASIS&T was interested. Both organizations announced on May 23, 2025 that their boards had unanimously agreed to begin discussions aimed at creating a combined association. ASIS&T executive director, Lydia Middleton, spoke eloquently at a Town Hall meeting in Pittsburgh about how she envisioned the benefits of a merger. The proposed merger reflects a shared commitment to strengthening the future of the information professions, delivering expanded value to members, and addressing challenges like declining membership numbers and the evolving landscape of information science.
Not as old as SLA, which was founded in 1910, ASIS&T started out as the American Documentation Institute in 1937. In 1968 it became the American Society for Information Science and changed name again in 2000 to American Society for Information Science and Technology. The latest name, Association for Information Science and Technology, was adopted in 2013 to reflect a growing international membership.
The merger of SLA and ASIS&T is not a done deal. The voting by members of both associations is happening this month. The vote by ASIS&T members is scheduled from 28 July to 18 August 18. SLA members, in accordance with New York State law, vote on 14 August. A final decision will be announced soon after voting ends.
IFLA is as international as an association can be
SLA and ASIS&T both tout their commitment to being international associations. But no library association is as global as IFLA, the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions. As implied in its name, IFLA is primarily an association of associations and institutions, although it does support individual, personal memberships. SLA was once an IFLA member but due to financial constraints, dropped out several years ago. Should the SLA/ASIS&T merger go through, the combined organization is going to look into joining IFLA, according to the ASIS&T website.
IFLA went through a few rough years, surviving a leadership crisis and an annual congress cancellation. It now seems back on course, holding its World Library & Information Congress (WLIC) in Astana Kazakhstan this month. WLIC is scheduled for Busan, South Korea in August 2026.
Value propositions of international library associations
Library associations attract members for a variety of reasons. It could be simply to show support for the profession. On a less high-minded note, associations offer professional development and educational opportunities, camaraderie fostered by in-person events, the chance to learn and practice leadership skills, and the ability to contribute to the further development of librarianship worldwide. International associations add value by exposing members to cultures and library practices different from what they experience in their home countries and encourages innovative approaches to library practices and services.
IFLA is particularly proficient at contributing to other international organisations, particularly WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization) and standards setting bodies. Some recent initiatives include the IFLA Professional Statement on Universal Bibliographic Control (UBC), IFLA’s Statement on Copyright and Artificial Intelligence, Guidelines for Libraries Supporting Displaced Persons, Guidelines for Inclusive Library Services for Persons with Print Disabilities, and Guidelines for Continuing Professional Development: Principles and Best Practice.
Library associations, whether international, national or local, face financial constraints. Not every librarian sees value in belonging to a professional association. It’s true that technology, particularly social media, has made the networking value proposition of association less valuable as people can network effectively outside the association. However, they still serve a valuable purpose, particularly on the global stage.
A merged SLA/ASIS&T will be stronger than the two would be as separate entities and promise to bring an increased international focus for information professionals.