Frequently Asked Questions

Selecting the Type of Membership Best Suited to Your Needs

Who should have a personal membership?
Personal memberships are designed for those who wish to support the efforts of FOLUSA and stay informed of issues and trends on a national level. Personal members receive News Update and have access to two toolkits, one on starting a Friends group and a second on starting a School Media Center Friends group. If you are the president of a Friends group or a library wishing to start a Friends group, you are best served by a Friends Group, Library, or All-in-One membership.

What is the difference between a Friends Group and Library membership?
In a word, nothing! Both types of members receive the exact same benefits, however, the rates for Friends groups are based on group size and the rates for libraries are based on budget. Some have both a library and a Friends group membership, others have only one or the other. For those with both, consider upgrading to an All-in-One membership with even more benefits!

Can I share the newsletter with the other members of my Friends board?
Yes, you can pass around your copy of News Update to share with other members of your Friends board, however, News Update is a copyrighted publication and cannot be photocopied. You may purchase additional subscriptions for your Friends board members (up to 4 at the rate of $20 per subscription per year).

Can a Friends Group member purchase a newsletter for the library, library director, or Trustees?
A Friends Group membership provides benefits and resources only for the group, not the library or Trustees.

Can a Library member purchase a newsletter for its Friends?
A Library membership provides resources only for the library, not the Friends. While you may purchase additional newsletters for your library staff, if you are interested in sharing benefits with your Friends, you should consider an All-in-One membership.

We have branch Friends groups, can I share the log-in or print out and share the resources or special offer information in the Friends Zone?
Your membership covers only the main group for which the membership was purchased. Branch Friends groups may purchase their own membership.

If I can’t share the log-in or special offer details, can I just just place the order myself for our branches?
Like your Friends group, FOLUSA is a membership based organization. The dues collected from our members helps us provide services and resources to help you. Each membership is valid only for the Friends group or library branch for which it was purchased.

I can't find the All-in-One or Associate memberships I've heard about. Can you help?
In anticipation of our upcoming merge with the Association for Library Trustees and Advocates (ALTA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), we are no longer offering the All-in-One membership. More information about membership types in the new Assocation of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations (ALTAFF) will be available soon.

Help! My question wasn’t answered!
Please give us a call at (800) 936-5872 or send an email to friends@folusa.org. Please include the name of your organization and your zip (or membership number if available) and your question or concern. A member of our staff will be happy to assist.