Keeping a Membership List

Chapters and SIGs will want to keep a list of current members for various purposes.  Perhaps most importantly, a list of current members and their e-mail addresses will allow for basic communication and the ability to send announcements to a Chapter or SIG.    

The primary method for maintaining a current member list is through coordinating with ACBS via the website dashboard (see how do we use the membership interface).  Only designated Chapter and SIG adminstrators will have access, as this responsibility is typically delegated to one or several individuals.  The ACBS list may be thought of as a "master" list, as it only includes active members who are up to date with their dues (although there is a grace period that is given).  Since being a member of ACBS is a prequisite requirement for being a member of any Chapter or SIG, administrators keeping a membership list will need to stay up to date.

The current list of members at any time can be exported as an excel file which then can be used by Chapters and SIGs.  Then, this information can be used in maintaining a membership list.  For example, email addresses could be entered into Mailchimp, a popular and free resource for sending emails. Membership lists may only be used for official Chapter or SIG business, and may not be shared with or sold to any third party.

The maintaining of a membership list may become more complicated, however, as a chapter grows.  Members may not keep up to date with membership dues and therefore "disappear" from the ACBS master list.  In this case, Chapter or SIG members can be encouraged to renew their annual ACBS dues or be removed from the member list.  Some Chapters will keep a "mailing list" which includes such individuals who are no longer active members, but who may want to be informed about local ACBS events.  

When new individuals join ACBS, they have the option of expressing an interest in joining their local Chapter, as well as any of the SIGs.  These new individuals will be designated as new on the dashboard so that adminstrators can clearly differentiate members who may be on their membership lists from new members asking to be added.   In addition, Chapters and SIGs may recruit new members through events or networking.  However, these new members must first join ACBS, if they are not already a member, which can be verified through the membership interface and dashboard.