the price of ALA membership
Posted on | September 20, 2004 | 6 Comments
I always have to renew my ALA membership in October, because I joined ALA as a student member a month after I started library school. Every time I renew, I fill out the form to change the “area of work”, “type of responsibility” and “type of library”, because even though I have been out of library school and updating my membership information for 4 years, ALA still classifies me as a student. They somehow manage to charge me the base rate of $100 instead of the cheaper student rate. Funny how that works.
I always get sticker shock, because by the time I add in all the sections I belong to, I have a bill of $195.00. Let’s see what I could buy with $195.00:
The entire run of Mars, plus the bonus volume, and three volumes of Magic Knight Rayearth. That’s 19 volumes of manga!
21 skeins of Koigu Premium Painters’ Palette Merino. That’s a bunch of lovely yarn!
The first season of Farscape boxed dvd set, Angel season 4, and the second dvd in the R.O.D tv series. That’s 17 dvds packed with quality entertainment!
Maybe I’ll drop one of my sections and buy a dvd insead….hmmmm. That might justify my ordering of the Star Wars dvd set. I can’t help it, Star Wars is like an insidious addictive drug. Damn you, George Lucas! I’m going to sacrifice some of my professionial development as a librarian to own a dvd where Han Solo still doesn’t shoot first!!!!!!
Comments
6 Responses to “the price of ALA membership”
September 20th, 2004 @ 9:03 pm
Dude, Lucas has made even more changes to the DVDs. Check it out.
As someone who buys her DVDs with money made from the publishing industry, I don’t have a problem with people refining their work, as in book editions and such. The thing is, with books, at least first editions are still avaliable. If Lucas doesn’t do something to preserve the original films, they’ll be lost when people’s VHS tapes wear out.
In other words: HATE.
September 20th, 2004 @ 9:04 pm
(Though I do have to admit, the “improved” Jabba looks a lot better than the “Special Edition” Jabba. But he shouldn’t even be there! AAAAARGH!
Clearly, I need beer.)
September 21st, 2004 @ 12:14 am
1) Remember, Chris gave Kate an original print of Star Wars as a wedding present, so at least ONE untainted copy is in private hands.
2) ALA costs $195? What do they think they are, the American Chemical Society? And do they send you life insurance and credit card offers? How about propaganda that says why membership is oh-so-much-better use of your money than buying DVDs?
September 21st, 2004 @ 2:30 am
I think I’m going to drop out of the Rusa section of ALA (Reference and User Services Association). That’s $45.00 I’d save right there!
September 23rd, 2004 @ 12:54 pm
ALA membership charges are disgusting. I almost choked when I paid my dues earlier this month, and I”m only in one group (AASL). They know what we get paid as librarians…Why do they charge us so much? ANd it’s not like American Libraries is a particularly good magazine anyways.
September 23rd, 2004 @ 7:16 pm
Very true, and I almost never have the time to read all the professional magazines I get sent. I really need to balance my checkbook and figure out if I’m paying my dues this month or next month