To help libraries maximize their budgets, ACL created the Christian Library Consortium (CLC) to provide group discounts and resource sharing for Christian colleges, universities, and seminaries.

JOIN or RENEW CLC MEMBERSHIP

Institutional membership in the CLC provides…

Ability to stretch your library budget with significant cost savings on popular library services and products

An annual opportunity to highlight your library & scholarship at your institution with the ACL Research Award

Library resource sharing through OCLC’s Christian Library Network

The ability to send one non-ACL member from your library to the ACL Annual Conference at the member rate ($90 savings)

Support for accreditation by strengthening mission-aligned learning resources that meet ABHE and TRACS standards

CLC Monthly Update
Current CLC Offers
CLC Suggestion Form

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 a 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

Popular CLC Offers

  • EBSCO

    Religious eBook Collections Timeline:   Three new customized collections of EBSCO eBooks in Biblical Studies, Pastoral Ministry/Missions, and Mental Health.

  • Christian Periodical Index

    Timeline:   15% discount available for The Christian Periodical Index® (CPI®) through EBSCO. CPI is a comprehensive electronic index to journal articles and book reviews from across the evangelical Christian perspective.

  • Theological Journal Library

    Timeline:   10% discount available for access to a library of 41 full-text conservative, evangelical theological journals.

  • Theological Research Exchange Network (TREN)

    Timeline:   Discount available for access to a library of over 25,000 theological thesis/dissertation titles representing research from as many as 152 different institutions. Subscription model available.

  • OCLC WorldShare Management Services (WMS)

    Timeline:   A consortial discount of 20% is available for new subscriptions.  The discount increases based on the number of participating libraries.

  • Springshare

    Timeline:   A consortial discount of 15% is available for new subscriptions to LibGuides or LibGuides CMS. Additional discounts may be possible based on the number of participating libraries. A 5% consortial discount is available on new subscriptions to most all other Springshare products.

  • Perlego

    Timeline:   Perlego is an online learning library of over one million books. Theology titles are well-represented from publishers including Zondervan, Eerdmans, Baker, and IVP. Each Perlego license grants an individual student unlimited access to all the titles on the Perlego platform.

Is institutional membership in the CLC is a good fit 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. 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.

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.

Want to learn more?
Request a recording of our recent information session to hear how CLC works and the value other members have found in being part of the Consortium.
Email us at [email protected] for access.

Still have questions? We’d love to help: General membership inquiries: [email protected]; Vendor offer or discount questions: [email protected]

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 Leidenfrost
Member-at-Large
New Saint Andrews College

David Purdy
Member-at-Large
Crandall University

CLC Membership FAQ

Can we share a CLC membership with a sister organization?
Each institution that wishes to become a member of CLC must purchase its own membership. However, an institution may share a single CLC membership in the case of an institutional parent/child relationship. This could include main branch or satellite campuses under a single administration or institutions that share budgets and resources. In all instances of institutions in parent/child relationships wishing to share a CLC membership, the following will apply: The parent institution will initiate the request for membership and be listed as the CLC member. The parent institution will also be responsible for contracts and decisions for the unit, and will initiate all requests for purchasing CLC consortia resources (such as databases, e-resources, etc.). Additionally, only one institution name can be associated with one CLC membership.
How do I know if our institution has been a previous CLC member?
Please contact the ACL Home Office ([email protected] or 937-766-2255) for more details. We’re happy to look up your institutional history for you.
What is the difference between individual ACL membership and institutional membership in the Christian Library Consortium (CLC)?
A membership in the Association of Christian Librarians (ACL) is for a an individual member regardless of if they are currently employed or not. A membership in the Christian Library Consortium (CLC) is for a Christian institution of higher education that has a current ACL member on staff.
I am leaving my institution, but I am the full ACL member at my library required for our CLC membership. What should we do? 
Please fill out this google form with any employment or contact information changes. Your individual ACL membership stays with YOU with any employment changes. A full ACL individual member must join before the next renewal season for your library to qualify for CLC membership renewal.
What is the OCLC Christian Library Network and how does our library sign up to participate?
You can learn more about CLN here. If you did not opt in during the CLC membership renewal process, please email [email protected] to participate.

Join the CLC membership today!

Start saving your library precious budget dollars through CLC membership.
Join CLC