Dues...

So I added up the dues for all the professional associations I've joined or renewed membership for in the past year: $154.  Some of that's probably going to  have to get pared down next year.  I was thinking about this last night when I was again lamenting that I don't get ACRL's publications at home, since I really like them and read them at work (but can't access all their articles online).  ACRL would be $55 more dollars though, and I really don't think I can swing that.  So I was looking at where that $154 went:

American Library Association (ALA): $39, since, well, I fall into that income bracket.  Includes a publication and discounts on things like conferences... that I can't afford to go to right now.  I'd like to get more involved at some point.

New Members Round Table (NMRT): $10.  A round table of ALA.  I don't think I'm getting a print publication from them.  I'm on their mailing list, but so far nothing really useful has cropped up on it.  They offer services like resume reviewing and conference mentoring, but I haven't used them at all.

Reference and User Services Association (RUSA): $30.  A division of ALA.  I love their publication (Reference & User Services Quarterly), and since I do reference, I switched to this division from the public libraries division this year.

Eastern New York Chapter of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ENY/ACRL): $15.  A regional association.  I've been to one of their conferences.

Capital District Library Council (CDLC): $15.  Another regional association.  I just recently joined this because I want on their mailing list.  I use their job listings a lot - actually, I found my current job there.

SUNY Library Association (SUNYLA): $10, but $25 to renew.  This group deals with specific issues facing SUNY libraries and librarians.  I would love to go to their conference this summer; it's only $40 to register, but the travel costs would probably be too prohibitive.  I might be able to stay with my brother, but I would probably wig out traveling NYC's public transit alone.

New York State Library Association (NYLA): $35.  I may have spent $5 to join an additional division.  I don't read their publication much, but I do read through their mailing list.  I've been to one of their conferences, since they are sometimes close enough to drive to.  I've volunteered there helping collate conference packets.

So what am I not renewing next year?  Probably NMRT; maybe one or more of SUNYLA, ENY/ACRL, or CDLC, once I see how useful CDLC's mailing list is (or isn't).  I have to join ALA to join RUSA, and I really want to keep getting their publication, which would be $65 a year on its own.  ALA/RUSA would just be $69.  NYLA is too easy to be more active with to get rid of, and their conferences are more affordable for me than ALA's; they also have some continuing education programs at their conference that I'd like to try the next time they're close enough for me to go.