GSLIS encourages student membership in professional organizations by reimbursing up to $35 of the first year membership. This would cover, for instance, a joint membership in ALA and RILA. (See advantages of ALA Student Membership).
Funds for student reimbursement are taken from the Lucille Chernack Professional Development Fund, established in 2006 in honor of Graduate of the Year Lucille Chernack, for her unwavering commitment to professional action.
Our student chapters of ALA and SLA are open to all GSLIS students, and are linked to state and national organizations. For instance, GSLIS can nominate one student each year to attend the American Library Association conference for a reduced rate under the Student-to-Staff program. See results of the 2011 national ALA Student Chapters Survey.
Here are some organizations of interest - state, regional, and national: