Networking: Joining WNBA-SF provides valuable contacts and connections that can be beneficial at all stages of your career and makes you part of a dynamic local and national network of publishing professionals: writers (both published and aspiring), publishers, editors, agents, librarians, coaches and booksellers.  Members Showcase: Members of WNBA-SF have the opportunity to feature their published books on the website. The books listed on this page have been authored or edited by WNBA members, or otherwise feature members as contributors.  Professional growth: WNBA-SF sponsored programs and workshops provide opportunities for leadership and service.  Personal growth: self-development through quality programs, events, and activities which are both educational and fun.  Subscription to The WNBA-SF BookWorm: our chapter newsletter includes industry news, profiles of members, announcements, classes, member news, program reviews and summaries.  Chapter Membership Directory: This networking tool, available only for member use online and in print, lists names, addresses, and professional affiliations of all active members. The print edition also contains the Resource Directory, names and services of our membership  Resource Directory: Member business owners and freelancers may list their services on our Web site.  Membership in National WNBA: Connect with WNBA members in eight other cities across the country. Attend WNBA-related programs and events at the national meetings of the BEA, ALA, and MLA.  National Marketing Strategy: establish a National presence through linking your web site to National and connecting with people across the country  WNBA-SF and National database: current members receive information to access the members-only area of the web sites which contains valuable contact information and resources. All members will have an opportunity to display their published book on a dedicated WNBA bookshelf located at Bookshop West Portal . As our sponsoring Bookstore, Bookshop West Portal supports WNBA Authors and events.

Membership
WNBA has four categories of membership:

• Active Members are chapter members who live in close proximity to a chapter city and can attend meetings;
• Network Members are individuals who do not live in a city with a WNBA chapter;
• Sustaining Members are corporations or individuals that support WNBA financially and are recruited by chapter presidents, national officers, and others; and,
• Honorary Members may be named by a chapter from time to time. Chapters may establish additional membership categories for local use.

Active Membership
Active membership is at the chapter level. Annual contributions are paid to and established by the chapter. Active members are eligible to attend all chapter programs, serve on committees, be elected to local and national offices, and receive The Bookwoman. The chapter determines other chapter benefits.

Network Membership
Network membership is open to anyone who does not live in a city with a WNBA chapter. Network members may elect to affiliate with any WNBA chapter and are entitled to all rights and privileges accorded to active chapter members and to any additional benefits extended by that chapter to its members. More information on the Network membership may be found in the Network Membership section of this site.

Sustaining Membership
Sustaining membership is open to firms, individuals, or organizations that support the goals and activities of WNBA. Sustaining members are eligible to attend all national WNBA functions, nominate women candidates for the WNBA Award, and receive The Bookwoman. Contributions are on a sliding scale based on annual sales:

• Up to $10 million or not-for-profit: $500
• $10 million - $100 million: $1,500
• $100 million - $250 million: $2,000
• Over $250 million: $2,500 or more

If you are interested in becoming a Sustaining member, please contact the WNBA National President listed on the Officers page.

Honorary Member
The designation and privileges of Honorary membership is made at the chapter level.

Network Membership Benefits

Welcome to WNBA! If you live in a city without a chapter of the Women’s National Book Association, you can join the chapter of your choice as a Network member. Membership entitles you to benefit personally and professionally by connecting with other WNBA members in the following ways:

Education

• Learn about trends and issues in the book industry and literary world
• Listen online to streaming audio of New York publishing panels
• Receive The Bookwoman, WNBA’s national newsletter, three times a year
• Receive your chapter’s newsletter

Connection

• Network with WNBA professionals via the online National Directory
• Attend WNBA events anywhere in the country
• Access your chapter’s and national’s Members Only sections of the WNBA Web sites
• Vote in all WNBA national elections
• Nominate a bookwoman for the WNBA Award

Promotion

Two of these benefits merit special attention:

New York Publishing Panels. Streaming audio of a number of the New York City chapter’s programs is now available to all WNBA members. These programs, in which panels of professionals discuss hot topics, are available on the NYC chapter Web site. You can listen to and download a written copy of the panel discussions, including the question-and-answer sessions. A recent program available on this audio stream is: “Young Literary Agents on Publishing: Changing the Industry One Book at a Time. The information contained in any one of these programs alone is worth the price of the annual Network membership dues.

National Membership Directory. This new password-protected Directory is available online in the For Members Only section of the national Web site: www.wnba-books.org. This Directory enables members to contact and network with each other, one of the prime benefits of membership in WNBA.

To join WNBA, simply print the application form linked below, complete it, and send it with your check to the chapter of your choice. A list of the chapter addresses is included in the application form PDF.

WNBA Chapters

Boston Chapter History [http://www.wnbaboston.org]
In 1954, a group of women publishers, booksellers, writers, reviewers, and librarians founded the Boston Chapter of WNBA. Within five years the chapter successfully campaigned for children's literature courses at a local college and, under the aegis of grande dame Alice Dixon Bond, book editor for the Boston Herald, launched the Book and Author Luncheon series. For a quarter of a century, book lovers looked forward to this spring encounter with prominent authors. In its heyday, the luncheon series drew some 1000 attendees, enabling WNBA/Boston to support Boston museums, public broadcasting, and the Boston Public Library for its retrospective children's book collection.
More Chapter History ...

Dallas Chapter History [http://www.wnba-dallas.org]
The Women's National Book Association Dallas Chapter was formed in 1993 by Maureen Pastine, director of Central University Libraries, Southern Methodist University (SMU), Judy Searles, director of the Friends of the SMU Libraries, and Gail Glick, independent bookseller and librarian at the Dallas Public Library. Twenty-eight people attended the first meeting on August 4, 1993.
More Chapter History ...

Detroit Chapter History [http://wnba-books.org/detroit]
The Detroit Chapter of the Women’s National Book Association was organized in 1966 largely through the efforts of Marilyn Abel, then of Wayne State University Press. Ms. Abel had attended an informal gathering, along with other interested women, during a conference of the American Library Association in Detroit in 1965. An initial meeting (for information purposes) was held January 19, 1966 in the Explorer’s Room of the main Detroit Public Library. Victoria Johnson, WNBA National President, spoke to the group about the history of WNBA and about organizing a chapter. An organizing meeting was held on May 4, 1966 on the campus of Wayne State University. Nineteen women were present. Ms. Abel presided, bylaws were adopted, and officers elected. Marian Young of the Detroit Public Library was elected the first chapter president. During the first year the chapter grew to a membership of thirty-eight.
More Chapter History ...

Los Angeles Chapter
The Los Angeles chapter of the Women's National Book Association was founded in 1975 by Lee K. Levy, a member of the New York Chapter who had moved to Los Angeles. Lee became the first president and served from 1975 to 1977. Under her aegis the chapter prospered and developed into a true support group for women in the book world. Sylvia Cross, the second president, served from 1977 to 1979 and later became national president. She was responsible for developing procedure manuals for national officers. Since then the chapter has had many talented leaders, one of whom-Sue MacLaurin-also went on to become national president.
More Chapter History ...

Nashville Chapter [http://www.wnbanashville.org]
On April 15, 1955, forty-five Nashville bookwomen gathered at the Highland Crest Restaurant. Edith Patterson Meyer, juvenile editor at Abingdon Press, and Ann Richter, chair of WNBA's National Expansion Committee, provided the program. After Ann Richter talked about the organization, sharing interesting anecdotes from the New York Chapter, the Nashville group voted to form a chapter, the fourth nationally. In May, Kate Ellen Gruver, juvenile editor at Broadman Press, was elected president.
More Chapter History ...

New York Chapter [http://www.wnba-nyc.org]
In the fall of 1917, fifteen women booksellers who had been excluded from membership in the all-male Bookseller’s League and from attending the league’s annual convention, met in Sherwood’s Book Store at 19 John Street in downtown New York. They met again on November 13 of that year with thirty-five women present and formed a permanent organization, the Women’s National Book Association (WNBA), and elected its first president, Pauline Sherwood. WNBA’s unique characteristic was a membership open to women in all facets of the world of books—publishers, booksellers, librarians, authors, illustrators, agents, book production people—the only criterion being that part of their income must come from books.
More Chapter History ...

San Francisco Chapter [http://www.wnba-sfchapter.org]
The San Francisco Chapter of WNBA brings together women and men with diverse backgrounds in the literary world to exchange ideas and resources, build relationships, and support the local literary community. Founded in 1968 by Effie Lee Morris, then coordinator of Children’s Services for the San Francisco Main Public Library, membership has ranged from sixty to one hundred. Our members are writers, booksellers, agents, editors, publishers, publicists, librarians, graphic designers, career coaches, marketing specialists, conference planners, aspiring authors and avid readers. Active members in our early history, whom we remember fondly, include Virginia McKenzie, Peggy Sarasohn, Helen Luce, Eleanor Smith, Jean-Marie Lee. Our activities concern professional development, literacy projects, book donations for children to the San Francisco Hall of Justice Teddy Bear Room along with various day care centers; for adults to prisons and Women's groups. Our vision is to support women in the book industry and to create a local literary community within the San Francisco Bay Area.
More Chapter History ...

Washington D.C. Chapter [http://www.wnba-books.org/wash]