Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL)

What Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) does

The Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) is a nonprofit professional association founded in 1940 and headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, operating as the largest division of the American Library Association. It represents more than 8,000 individuals and libraries in the academic and research library community across the United States, providing professional development, scholarly publishing, standards and frameworks, advocacy, and community convening for college, university, and research librarians.

ACRL's product portfolio spans events (the biennial ACRL Conference, with ACRL 2027 scheduled for Portland, Oregon; RoadShows delivered on campuses; and the Immersion Program), digital learning (online courses and live webcasts), assessment and benchmarking tools (Project Outcome, the TATIL information literacy assessment, and Benchmark: Library Metrics and Trends), scholarly publications (the peer-reviewed College & Research Libraries journal, books, and digital resources distributed through the ALA Store), advisory services (ACRL Consulting), and a job/career platform (ALA JobList). Its underlying technology is a portfolio of association-style web platforms (eLearning, Project Outcome, Benchmark, ALA JobList, ACRL Insider blog) rather than a unified software stack; there is no disclosed AI/ML capability, proprietary data moat, or technology acquisition program.

Revenue is generated through four primary streams: recurring individual and institutional membership dues sold through the ALA Membership Portal; subscription and catalog sales of publications and journals; one-time conference and event registration fees; and registration fees for professional development courses and workshops. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is accessed via the ALA membership portal. Marketing and distribution run through a community-led, event-driven go-to-market combining the ACRL Insider blog, organic social (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter/X, YouTube), email newsletters, conferences, and direct field sales for RoadShows and consulting engagements.

Name

Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL)

Legal name

Association of College and Research Libraries

Website

https://acrl.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1940

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ACRL is the largest division of the American Library Association, serving more than 8,000 academic and research library professionals across U.S. higher education through membership, conferences, professional development, publications, and assessment tools.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Association Services for Academic and Research Libraries

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Book Publishers (513130), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAEAGAB

Academic & Research Library Operations (College/University Libraries)

Education/Education Facilities & Support Services/Library, Media Center & Learning Space Operations

SECONDARYEDAEAGAL

Library User Services & Information Support (Reference, Research Help, Instruction Support)

Education/Education Facilities & Support Services/Library, Media Center & Learning Space Operations

SECONDARYTHAHACAE

Academic & Education Conference Organizers

Travel & Hospitality/MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences & Exhibitions)/Professional Conference Organizers (PCOs) & Meeting Planners

Keywords

• Professional association services
• Library professional development
• Scholarly publishing
• Information literacy assessment
• Library benchmarking tools

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Individual and institutional membership fees provide core operational funding. Members receive access to publications, professional development, and association resources.
2. Publications and Journals: Sale of books, digital resources, and subscriptions to journals including College & Research Libraries. Revenue from publication catalog sales.
3. Conference and Event Revenue: Registration fees for annual conferences (ACRL 2027) and professional development events including RoadShows workshops.
4. Professional Development Courses: Online courses, webcasts, Immersion Program, and other educational offerings with registration fees.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

ACRL is the largest division of the American Library Association and serves academic and research libraries through a portfolio of professional development programs (annual conference, RoadShows workshops, Immersion Program, online courses, webcasts), scholarly publications (College & Research Libraries journal, books, white papers), standards and frameworks, advocacy, consulting services, and proprietary assessment/benchmarking tools (Project Outcome, TATIL, Benchmark). The organization represents more than 8,000 individuals and libraries and convenes the academic librarian community through sections, committees, interest groups, and chapters.

Product overview

ACRL operates as a division of the American Library Association representing over 8,000 individuals and libraries. The organization offers a unified platform of professional development and publishing products including annual conferences (ACRL 2027), RoadShows workshops, Immersion Program, online courses, and webcasts. Its product portfolio includes assessment tools (Project Outcome, TATIL), publications (books, College & Research Libraries journal), and benchmarking services (Benchmark: Library Metrics and Trends). The association also provides consulting services and hosts the ACRL Insider news platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ACRL 2027 Conference Annual flagship conference bringing together academic and research library professionals for networking, presentations, roundtables, lightning talks, poster sessions, and professional development. For ACRL members and academic/research librarians.
• ACRL RoadShows

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• American Library AssociationcoreOthersACRL is the largest division of the American Library Association. ALA provides organizational infrastructure including membership systems, advocacy platforms, events infrastructure, and administrative support. ACRL operates as an autonomous division with its own leadership, programs, and member services while benefiting from ALA's scale and resources.
• WileyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerACRL's research and publishing initiative through Choice (an ACRL publishing program) partnered with Wiley to publish a report on transformative agreements in scholarly publishing.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Coalition for Networked Information (CNI): Membership-based organization focused on the transformative use of networked information technology in academic institutions. Comparable in serving academic library and IT leaders with advocacy and community programs, but at a smaller scale and narrower technology focus.
• Internet Archive: Non-profit digital library offering preservation and access services relevant to academic and research communities. Comparable in non-profit mission serving library users, but operates as a digital repository rather than a professional association.

Others

• OCLC: Library cooperative providing shared cataloging, resource sharing, and library services technology to academic and public libraries globally. Comparable in serving academic libraries with tools and benchmarking (e.g., OCLC membership reports), but as a technology/services vendor rather than a membership association.
• LYRASIS: Non-profit technology and content services consortium serving libraries, archives, and museums. Comparable in mission and non-profit structure serving academic institutions, but operates as a services/hosting provider rather than an association.

Regional players

• Society of College, National and University Libraries (SCONUL): UK-based association representing university and research libraries. Closely comparable mission, membership model, and product mix (advocacy, professional development, publications, benchmarking) but serves a UK/Ireland constituency rather than competing in ACRL's US market.
• Canadian Association of Research Libraries (CARL): Canadian association for academic and research libraries. Comparable in providing advocacy, professional development, and consortial services to academic libraries, but operates primarily in Canada rather than in the US.

Direct peers

• Special Libraries Association (SLA): Membership association for librarians and information professionals working in corporate, government, and specialized settings. Comparable membership, professional development, and publishing model, though focused on special/corporate libraries rather than academic ones.
• EDUCAUSE: Membership association serving higher education IT and library technology professionals. Directly comparable to ACRL in serving academic institutions with professional development, publications, conferences, and community-driven standards (e.g., information literacy, digital learning).

Broad incumbents

• American Library Association (ALA): Parent organization of ACRL and the largest library association in the US. Directly comparable as a membership-based professional association for librarians, but operates a broader remit across public, school, and academic libraries rather than specializing in the academic/research segment.
• International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA): Global umbrella body for library associations. Comparable as a membership-based association offering standards, advocacy, and professional development for libraries, but at a global scale and without ACRL's academic-research specialization.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ALA_ACRL
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/ALAACRL
• Facebookfacebook.com/ala.acrl
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/alaacrl
• Instagraminstagram.com/ala_acrl

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL)