The Society Circle was formed in 2003 to serve as the Society's fundraising organization.

Anyone who donates to ARLIS/NA is automatically part of the Society’s giving circle. Society Circle members directly support the mission of ARLIS/NA through their contributions. A list of donation levels and benefits is on the Donate Now page.

Donations help support all areas of ARLIS/NA, including special travel awards for the annual conference. Society Circle members have supported these awards since the Circle's founding in 2003.

Impact of Awards

The year I received the Internship Award (2001) was the first time it was awarded. The committee had worked so hard to get the award established and there was so much excitement about it - the experience gave me a strong sense that ARLIS/NA was an organization of people highly committed to the future of ARLIS/NA and art librarianship as a whole. The internship experience gave me excellent concrete experience to put on my resume. I also received mentoring from librarians at the University of Texas, Austin where my internship was hosted, as well as from members of the internship award committee. As someone new to the art library profession, it made a big impact. Through the ARLIS/NA members I encountered, I saw a very positive facet of the organization that I have tried to replicate throughout my career and through my ARLIS/NA activities. The whole experience inspired me to actively participate in the organization. I was subsequently asked to serve on the committee for the internship award, which gave me a foothold into ARLIS/NA. I learned how to network and became more confident in volunteering for ARLIS/NA projects. Later on, I was nominated to serve as an ARLIS/NA Executive Board member and served as its President – so I think we can safely say this award really helped jump-start my dream career!

- Heather Gendron: Internship Award 2001, 2016 ARLIS/NA President

Read more stories from those supported by the funds of Society Circle members.

The Circle supports the following special and conference related activities: 

• Conference Speakers Fund

• Internship Fund

The fund goes to support the Wolfgang M. Freitag Internship Award which provides financial support for students preparing for a career in art or architecture librarianship, or visual resources curatorship.

The internship aims to represent the multifaceted nature of the field by providing internship opportunities to students currently enrolled in, or having completed within the last 12 months, a graduate program in library/information science, art history, architectural history, architecture, studio art, or museum studies. The grant supports a 150 hour internship in an art library or visual resources collection.

• Alternative Voices Speakers Fund

The Alternative Voices Speakers Fund was established in 2008 to bring a diversity of voices to the ARLIS/NA annual conference by encouraging the participation of non-ARLIS/NA speakers from traditionally underrepresented racial or ethnic groups. The fund supports attendance costs and a small honorarium for recommended speakers who self-identify with one or more traditionally underrepresented racial or ethnic groups. All donations to the fund will count towards your Society Circle membership.

• Travel Grant Fund

Funding opportunities for members and non-members who wish to attend the ARLIS/NA annual conference.

2016-2017 Society Circle Members

(September 2016 - August 2017)

Founder's Circle

President's Circle

Patron's Circle

Member's Circle

Contributor's Circle

Past Founder's Circle Members

Conference Reception

One benefit for higher-level supporters of the Society’s giving circle is a reception at the conference. Its purpose is to entice members to donate at a higher level as well as celebrate their major contribution to the Society.

This event is not paid for by ARLIS/NA but is an event wholly donated to the Society by the individual or institution hosting the reception. These events are behind the scenes tours of the homes of art collectors or special tours of institutions that are not available to the general public, and are a unique benefit to contributing to the bottom line of the Society.

Consider increasing your contribution to attend one of these once in a lifetime receptions.