Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL)
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.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1940
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
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.
Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) firmographics
Firmographics- 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
Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) industry classification
Industry- 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 primary industry
- Academic & Research Library Operations (College/University Libraries) (EDAEAGAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Library User Services & Information Support (Reference, Research Help, Instruction Support) (EDAEAGAL), Academic & Education Conference Organizers (THAHACAE)
Keywords
Where Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Membership Dues: Individual and institutional membership fees provide core operational funding. Members receive access to publications, professional development, and association resources.
- Publications and Journals: Sale of books, digital resources, and subscriptions to journals including College & Research Libraries. Revenue from publication catalog sales.
- Conference and Event Revenue: Registration fees for annual conferences (ACRL 2027) and professional development events including RoadShows workshops.
- 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
Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) product offering
Product offeringCore 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
Companies that use Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL)
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- American Library AssociationcoreACRL 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.
- WileyminorACRL'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
Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging 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
Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) social profiles
Digital presenceAssociation of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&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)
What does Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) do?
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.
Is Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) a public or private company?
Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) founded?
Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) was founded in 1940. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) based?
Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Membership Dues are the primary driver. The others are publications and Journals, conference and Event Revenue and professional Development Courses.
Who are Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL)'s main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Coalition for Networked Information (CNI) and Internet Archive. Others are OCLC and LYRASIS. Regional players are Society of College, National and University Libraries (SCONUL) and Canadian Association of Research Libraries (CARL). Direct peers are Special Libraries Association (SLA) and EDUCAUSE. Broad incumbents are American Library Association (ALA) and International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA).
Does Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) have an API?
No public API is recorded for Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL).
What industry is Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) in?
Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL)'s product category is Professional Association Services for Academic and Research Libraries. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAEAGAB, Academic & Research Library Operations (College/University Libraries), with a secondary code of EDAEAGAL, Library User Services & Information Support (Reference, Research Help, Instruction Support). Its NAICS code is 813910 and its SIC code is 8600.