ITEM

What ITEM does

The Minnesota Library Association (MLA) is a nonprofit professional association founded on December 29, 1891, headquartered at 8615 Eagle Creek Circle, Savage, MN. MLA serves more than 600 members across Minnesota, including library staff from public, academic, school, special, multitype, and institutional libraries, as well as library trustees, Friends of the library, and corporate supporters. Its core mission is advocacy, professional development, and networking for the state's library community, organized through three divisions (ARLD, ITEM, PLD), six sections (CYP, MILE, MLTA, RASS, TSS), and six round tables (DORT, IRT, LGBTQIA+RT, RART, SRLRT, SRT), supported by seven committees.

MLA operates three principal revenue streams: individual and institutional membership dues ($30–$345 depending on salary or organizational budget tier), conference registration fees ($250–$500 for full attendance), and career center job posting fees ($100 per posting for non-members, free for members). The organization is governed by an elected volunteer Board of Directors with day-to-day infrastructure outsourced to a professional management company, and an Executive Director (Tammy Schoenberg). MLA is a chapter of the American Library Association and has formal relationships with State Library Services (Minnesota Department of Education), Minitex, the Minnesota Library Foundation, ACRL/ARLD, and ITEM (joined as a division in 2022).

The association's underlying technology stack is standard association-management-software (YourMembership platform) rather than proprietary technology; no APIs, AI features, or developer-facing integrations are disclosed. Marketing and member engagement operate through organic social channels (Facebook, LinkedIn, Bluesky, Pinterest, X, Flickr), a monthly Roundup newsletter, the MLA website, and recurring in-person and virtual events including the annual conference, MILE leadership retreat, ARLD Day, and ITEM Summer Recharge. MLA's competitive position is anchored in its 130+ year brand, its chapter status with ALA, and its multi-subunit organizational complexity that competitors would struggle to replicate quickly.

Name

ITEM

Legal name

Minnesota Library Association

Website

https://mnlibraryassociation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1891

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Minnesota Library Association is a 130+ year-old nonprofit professional association serving more than 600 members across Minnesota's public, academic, school, and special libraries through advocacy, professional development, and networking.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Association Services

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392), Business Associations (813910), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Libraries, Archives & Special Collections (BPAGAHAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Libraries & Information Services (BPAIACAO), Public Library Operations & Community Branch Management (EDAEAGAC)

Keywords

• Professional association services
• Library professional development
• Education technology membership
• School library services
• Professional networking events

Headquarters

HQ city

Savage

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Primary funding source. Individual membership dues range from $30-$230 based on salary tier. Institutional membership dues range from $30-$345 based on organizational budget. Membership includes division affiliation and access to all sections and round tables at no additional cost.
2. Conference Registration Fees: Revenue from annual MLA conference registrations. Members receive discounted rates compared to non-members. Full conference 2-day registration ranges from $250-$350 for members, $375-$500 for non-members depending on early-bird timing.
3. Career Center Job Postings: Job posting fees: Free for members, $100 for non-members. Members can post jobs for free and access the member directory and job listings.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

ITEM is a professional division of the Minnesota Library Association (MLA) that supports school library media specialists, technology coordinators, and technology integrationists across Minnesota. It delivers member benefits including an annual "ITEM Summer Recharge" professional development event, seven regional chapters for localized networking, leadership opportunities, and advocacy on behalf of the school library and educational technology profession. Membership in ITEM is available free of charge to current MLA members.

Product overview

ITEM (Information & Technology Educators of Minnesota) is a professional membership organization and division of the Minnesota Library Association that provides leadership and service by promoting professional growth, facilitating collaboration among its members, establishing standards, and advocating for 21st century learners. The organization operates through a membership services core offering, supplemented by annual events like the ITEM Summer Recharge professional development program, and seven regional chapters that provide localized networking and support across Minnesota. ITEM focuses on serving school library media specialists, technology coordinators, technology integrationists, and educators interested in information and technology applications to learning.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Academic and Research Libraries Division (ARLD): Forum for and advocate of academic and research librarians and library personnel.
• Information & Technology Educators of Minnesota (ITEM)
• Public Libraries Division (PLD)
• Children and Young People's Section (CYP)
• MLA Institute for Leadership Excellence (MILE)
• Minnesota Libraries Trustees and Advocates (MLTA)
• Reference and Adult Services Section (RASS)
• Technical Services Section (TSS)
• Diversity and Outreach Round Table (DORT)
• Instruction Round Table (IRT)
• LGBTQIA+ Round Table
• Reader's Advisory Round Table (RART)
• Small and Rural Libraries Round Table (SRLRT)
• Student Round Table (SRT)

Products and services

• ITEM Membership
• ITEM Summer Recharge
• ITEM Regional Chapters

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Information & Technology Educators of Minnesota (ITEM)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022ITEM joined the Minnesota Library Association as a new division in 2022. This allows both organizations to streamline legislative efforts and provide stronger membership support. ITEM serves school library media specialists, technology coordinators, and technology integrationists.
• American Library Association (ALA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMLA is a chapter of the American Library Association. MLA elects one Board member to act as Chapter Councilor to represent the interests of MLA to ALA and vice versa. Members of ACRL living in Minnesota are automatically members of ARLD, as ARLD is the Minnesota chapter of ACRL.
• MinitexminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMinitex is an information and resource sharing program of the Minnesota Office of Higher Education and the University of Minnesota Libraries. They serve as an ex-officio member on the Legislative Committee and provide professional development resources.
• State Library Services (Minnesota Department of Education)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState Library Services is a division of the Minnesota Department of Education that partners with libraries to achieve equity and excellence. They serve as ex-officio members on the MLA Legislative Committee.
• Minnesota Library FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTax-deductible donations may be made through the nonprofit Minnesota Library Foundation. The Foundation also supports the MLA through silent auctions at conferences.
• Minnesota Historical SocietyminorOthersThe Minnesota Historical Society archives MLA's association records.
• Council of Regional Public Library System Administrators (CRPLSA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCRPLSA coordinates efforts to advocate for libraries. Representatives serve on the MLA Legislative Committee.
• Multi-county/Multi-type Library Cooperatives (MCMT)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMCMT cooperatives provide links between academic, public, school, and special libraries. Representatives serve on the MLA Legislative Committee.
• Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerARLD is the Minnesota chapter of ACRL. Members of ACRL who live in Minnesota are automatically members of ARLD.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Special Libraries Association (SLA): International professional association for special librarians serving corporate, government, and academic special libraries. While not state-scoped, it competes with MLA for the same library-professional membership dollars and offers overlapping continuing education and advocacy.
• American Library Association (ALA): The national umbrella association for U.S. libraries and library professionals. ALA is the parent body of which MLA is a chapter, providing comparable membership, advocacy, conference, and publishing services but at national scale with overlapping value proposition.

Emerging players

• Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC): ALA division focused on children's library services, directly comparable to MLA's Children and Young People's Section (CYP). Overlaps in audience (youth-services librarians) and offering (continuing education, awards, publications).

Direct peers

• Texas Library Association (TLA): Texas's statewide professional association for library workers with tiered membership, a major annual conference, divisions, and legislative advocacy. Same operating model as MLA, scaled to Texas's larger library workforce.
• Ohio Library Council: Ohio's statewide library association providing membership, advocacy, and professional development services to library staff and trustees. Direct functional peer to MLA, with a comparable dues-plus-conference-plus-lobbying operating model.
• Illinois Library Association (ILA): Illinois's statewide library professional association offering a near-identical value proposition to MLA: tiered individual/institutional memberships, annual conference, advocacy, and division structure for public, academic, school, and special librarians.
• California Library Association (CLA): Statewide professional association for California library workers with membership, conference, advocacy, and division offerings. Highly comparable operating model and member structure to MLA, scaled to a much larger state.
• New York Library Association (NYLA): New York state's professional library association, the most direct functional peer to MLA: state-scoped membership organization offering dues, annual conferences, divisions, advocacy, and continuing education to library professionals in a single state.
• Pennsylvania Library Association (PaLA): Pennsylvania's statewide library association offering membership, annual conference, advocacy, and continuing education to library professionals and trustees. Operates the same member-based professional association model as MLA.

Others

• Information & Technology Educators of Minnesota (ITEM): Now a division within MLA rather than an independent entity, ITEM serves school library media specialists and technology educators. Listed as an ecosystem participant to show the absorbed entity; not an independent external peer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/MinnesotaLibraryAssociation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mnitem
• Pinterestpinterest.com/mnlibraries

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

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 ITEM