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Membership Categories

Membership

Membership categories have been established on the basis that the Association is essentially a professional organization for librarians and those engaged in information work.

Full Members 

  1. Honorary Fellows
    • Honorary Fellows, who have, in the opinion of the Council, rendered outstanding service to librarianship or information work or to the Association and who are elected to this honour by a unanimous vote of the Council to be ratified by a two-thirds majority vote of any General Meeting. Honorary Fellows are given a Certificate and granted permission to use the initials HFHKLA (Honorary Fellow of the Hong Kong Library Association) after their names and will be granted free membership for life.
    • List of Honorary Fellows
      • Dr. Kan Lai Bing
      • Dr. Ferguson, Anthony Walter
      • Dr. Storey, Colin
      • Ms. Tuet Sun Fan, Alima
  2. Fellows
    • Fellows, who fulfil the following requirements, will be accepted to the register and given a Certificate granting permission to use the initials FHKLA (Fellow of the Hong Kong Library Association) after their names, provided membership is continuous and current:
      1. have had not less than 10 years’ experience in the profession since qualifying with the appropriate professional body exercising authority in the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand or such other jurisdiction as the Council may determine, and have attained a status considered by the Council as being suitable to the higher grade of membership;
        AND
      2. have worked in Hong Kong in the profession for a minimum of 3 years, have been a full member of the Association for a minimum of 3 years, and who have served on the Council or its sub-committees for at least 2 years;
        AND
      3. have been proposed and seconded in writing by full members to have Fellowship conferred by a majority decision of the Council.
    • The list of HKLA Fellows
  3. Professional Members
    • Professional Members, who fulfill the following requirements will be accepted to the register and are granted permission to use the initials MHKLA (Member of the Hong Kong Library Association) after their names, provided membership is continuous and current:
      1. have acquired a qualification in librarianship or information studies recognized by the relevant official professional association of the country in which that qualification is validated. The qualification must be recognized by the Council as at a professional level of library or information work.
        OR
      2. have completed formal education in librarianship or information studies and have obtained an academic qualification in library or information studies which is recognized by the Council and at the level of Bachelor’s degree or higher.
        OR
      3. in the case of Associate Members, have obtained a Bachelor’s degree AND have completed five years of full-time practice in library or information work recognized by the Council AND have been registered as Associate Members of the Association for at least three consecutive years immediately prior to application for Professional Membership.
        OR
      4. in the case of Associate Members, have registered as Registered Teachers validated by the Government of Hong Kong AND have completed five years of full-time practice in library or information work recognized by the Council AND have been registered as Associate Members of the Association for at least three consecutive years immediately prior to application for Professional Membership.
    • Teachers Librarians who have
      1. completed and awarded the HKUSPACE Diploma in Teacher Librarianship; and
      2. Completed a Bachelor’s degree or higher; and
      3. Completed at least two years of full-time practice in library or information work recognized by the Council.

Associate Members 

  • Associate members, who are employed or otherwise actively engaged in any aspect of library/information related work, e.g. graduates without library qualifications. Associate members who have gained the required academic qualification and work experience may also apply to change to Professional Membership (please use the Membership Renewal Form for application for change of membership type).
  • Associate members will not be eligible to vote or stand for office. Associate members are granted permission to use the initials AHKLA (Associate of the Hong Kong Library Association) after their names, provided membership is continuous and current.

Corresponding Members 

  • Corresponding Members, shall be any persons who having at one time been eligible for personal members, are no longer residents in Hong Kong or otherwise not actively engaged in libraries or information centers or related work as approved by the Council. Such persons shall be entitled to be the same rights and privileges as personal members, except that they may not vote, be elected to the Council or hold office.(added 2001)

Student Members 

  • Student Members, who are currently enrolled in certificate programmes for library assistants, diploma programmes in librarianship or other programmes in librarianship or information studies. Student members will not be eligible to vote or stand for office. (Rev. 2000.)

Institutional Members 

  • Institutional Members, which are libraries, societies. corporate bodies or organizations which maintain or are interested in libraries or information services. Each such institution may appoint one of its staff members as a representative to attend Association meetings. Such representatives will not be eligible to vote or stand for office.

The only practical difference between the above categories of membership is that one must be a full member in order to be eligible to vote or stand for office in the Association.