BISG Announces New Dues Levels and Bylaws Changes

We’ve got some exciting updates from our July board meeting—changes that make it easier (and more affordable) to be part of BISG.

Lower Dues for Individuals
Starting now, individual membership is just $360 a year (down from $636). If you’ve already renewed, don’t worry—you’ll see the new rate when your current membership ends.

Welcoming Agents to BISG
For the first time, individual agents can join BISG at a special rate of $180 a year. Agents play an important part in rights-related conversations—as well as in working groups for topics like ISNI—and to this point BISG was unable to offer those agents a path to membership. The new dues level is now available for qualified agents.

These individual memberships are designed for people working independently, often as consultants. If you’re currently an individual member but part of a larger organization, we’ll help you find the right dues level when it’s time to renew. (We’ll be reaching out to all individual members in the next few weeks to explain the change.)

Looking Ahead
Beginning January 1, 2026, all dues will increase by 3%—our first adjustment since 2022, and only the second since 2014. Membership dues account for most of the money budgeted each year for BISG. We’re working to rebalance our reliance on membership income by increasing our focus on non-dues revenue, but those shifts take time. Details on the new dues levels will be announced in September. Renewal invoices dated January 1, 2026 or later will see the impact of the new rates.

Bylaws Updates

Members will now be invoiced 60-days before renewal and have 30-days after the renewal date to pay before membership is canceled.

We’ve clarified the process for board nominations. A nominating committee (formed by the board) considers all applicants before recommending a slate to membership for a vote at the annual meeting. The language in the updated bylaws reflects what BISG has been doing since 2018. The amended bylaws took effect after the vote, and membership will be asked to ratify the changes at the next annual meeting in April 2026.

Shaping BISG’s Content Strategy

Over the next few months, the board will be taking a deep dive into our content—how we create it, who it serves, and how it supports both our members and the wider industry. Since 2017, we’ve hosted 500+ committee meetings and 250 webinars, building an unmatched library of insights on the publishing supply chain.

The board asked the staff to generate information around BISG’s current content development efforts, with the goal of considering and answering four questions by January:

• What are the purposes of BISG content?
• Are there purposes that are better served (or only served) by not charging a fee for access? How do we make that distinction?
• For content which is freely provided to members, is the purpose to increase the value of membership or to encourage nonmembers to join?
• Do we have the right mix of formats and delivery vehicles to meet our revenue and membership goals?

Our content offerings provide a unique, comprehensive view of current and anticipated supply-chain issues affecting the book industry. Finding the right way to surface the value of this information, while also serving the industry and recognizing the commitment members have made to BISG, will be led and informed by the board’s conversations.

Your voice matters in these conversations. If you have ideas, questions, or feedback, please drop me a note at brian@bisg.org. I’d love to hear from you.