Institutional Membership for
Christian Academic Libraries
Stretch Your Library Budget. Strengthen Mission-Aligned Resources.
The Christian Library Consortium (CLC) provides institutional membership that equips Christian colleges and seminaries with exclusive vendor discounts, collaborative resource sharing, and institutional library support.
Why Join the CLC?
Maximize Your Library Budget
Stretch your budget with exclusive discounts on books, e-resources, supplies, software/systems, and services. Save on resources your library needs every day, from trusted book suppliers to cutting-edge digital tools.
Collaborative Resource Sharing
Join OCLC’s Christian Library Network to share resources with other CLC members.* Reciprocal interlibrary loan services expand the range of materials available to your users. Lending between CLN libraries strengthens collections and supports the academic mission of all member institutions. *Must have current access to OCLC Worldshare ILL.
Institutional Library Support
Strengthen your library’s contribution to your institution through:
✓ ACL Conference savings for one non-ACL member
✓ Support for ABHE and TRACS accreditation standards
✓ The ACL Research Award to highlight student research and your library’s impact
Is CLC Right for Your Library?
The Christian Library Consortium (CLC) supports Christian higher ed institutions of all sizes—from libraries serving an FTE of 6 to universities with over 75,000 students.
Not sure if CLC is right for your library? Consider the following:
- Are you looking for ways to stretch your library budget?
- Do you serve a small or mid-sized Christian institution with limited resources?
- Would vendor discounts on books, databases, and supplies make a difference for your library?
- Are you working to meet accreditation standards (e.g., ABHE or TRACS)?
- Are you looking for ways to invest wisely in library services while staying mission-aligned?
- Could a discounted conference rate help a non-ACL member from your library participate in valuable training?
Curious who else is part of the Consortium?
Check out our current member list to see the sister institutions already taking advantage of CLC membership.
Still have questions?
- General membership inquiries: [email protected]
- Vendor offer or discount questions: [email protected]
Did you know?
About half of our CLC member libraries serve institutions with an FTE of 500 or less, making CLC an excellent fit for both small colleges and large universities.
Popular CLC Offers
Who Can Join the Christian Library Consortium (CLC)?
Any Christian academic institution of higher education who has at least one full individual ACL member.
Membership Period
Institutional membership in CLC runs July 1 through June 30. There is no grace period with CLC memberships. CLC applications and payments must be completed before taking advantage of current CLC offers.
Full Individual ACL Member Requirement
A full ACL individual member is an academic librarian or one who is enrolled in library school but also serves in a librarian role at an academic library. ACL’s definition of full membership is based on the librarian role or function within an academic institution, rather than specific educational qualifications or degrees.
CLC Institutional Member List
An institution may share a single CLC membership only in the scenario detailed in the FAQ. Nearly 200 libraries are represented in the CLC intuitional membership. See what institutions take part in our cost-saving consortium.
CLC Annual Membership Dues
How to Join the Christian Library Consortium
Becoming a CLC Institutional Member is straightforward. Follow the steps below to enroll and begin accessing member benefits.
Step 1: Confirm Eligibility
Your institution must have at least one active Full Individual ACL Member in order to participate in CLC institutional membership.
Step 2: Gather the Information Needed for Your Application
Before starting the application, please have the following ready:
- Most recent spring FTE enrollment count
- Primary contact name and email (Library Director or Dean)
- Secondary contact name and email (Additional contact for CLC information)
- Payment method (credit card, check, or ACH)
Having this information prepared will allow you to complete the application quickly and accurately.
Step 3: Submit the Institutional Application
Complete the online CLC Institutional Membership application form and select your preferred payment method.
If you do not see your institution in the Organization Name dropdown, that likely means that your institution does not have a current full individual ACL member. Please contact [email protected] to verify your institution’s status and confirm eligibility.
Step 4: Complete Payment
Membership is activated only after payment is received.
- Credit Card: There is a 3.5% processing fee added; Payment is processed immediately and membership is activated right away.
- Check or ACH: An automatic email invoice is sent with Net 30 payment terms upon submitting the application. Membership becomes active once payment is received and recorded.
To avoid delays in accessing vendor discounts and consortium benefits, please allow adequate time for institutional payment processing.
Full ACL Individual Member
A full ACL individual member is an academic librarian or one who is enrolled in library school but also serves in a librarian role at an academic library. ACL’s definition of full membership is based on the librarian role or function within an academic institution, rather than specific educational qualifications or degrees.
Membership Timeline
CLC institutional membership follows a July 1 through June 30 cycle.
Renewal notices are distributed beginning in May. Institutions should complete payment by June 30 to maintain uninterrupted access to discounts and services.
Read how libraries have benefited from their CLC Membership:
CLC Team Members
Beth Purtee
CLC Team Coordinator
Trevecca Nazarene University
Pam Greenlee
Member-at-Large
Olivet Nazarene University
Scott Lloyd
Member-at-Large
Mount St. Joseph University
Rebekah Hsu
Member-at-Large
New Saint Andrews College
David Purdy
Member-at-Large
Crandall University
Barbara Winters
Member-at-Large
Bethlehem College & Seminary