Associate Membership
Canadian not-for-profit, degree-granting post-secondary institutions, as well as research and GLAM (gallery, library, archive, museum) institutions are eligible to apply for associate membership with CRKN. With our 2025–2029 Strategic Plan in place, we welcome all types of research and heritage institutions to enrich our membership.
CRKN has two types of associate membership:
Content Licensing Program
This option is for institutions that wish to participate in CRKN’s commercial content licensing program. These Associate Members take part in collective licensing negotiations, access licensed publisher content, and benefit from CRKN's open access initiatives, without access to heritage program services.
Heritage Program
This option is for heritage-focused organizations—such as libraries, archives, museums, galleries, and related institutions—that do not participate in commercial content licensing. These Associate Members join CRKN to access member pricing and services for digitization, preservation, and access, and to engage in CRKN’s heritage program and community, without access to licensed publisher content.
Benefits of Associate Membership
National Research Community
Associate Members join a pan-Canadian network committed to open scholarship, shared stewardship, and the long-term sustainability of research and heritage infrastructure.
Collective Licensing & Pricing
Associate Members participating in CRKN’s content licensing program are represented by a collective negotiating body serving over 80 Canadian institutions. This coordinated approach supports sustainable pricing and ensures that negotiations with publishers reflect the needs of the Canadian research community.
To learn more about the publishers whose content we negotiate and license for our members, please visit the Publishers section of our website:
https://www.crkn-rcdr.ca/en/publishers
Digitization & Preservation
Associate Members participating in the Heritage program receive priority member rates and services for digitization, preservation, and hosting, supporting long-term access to research and heritage materials.
Community of Practice
Associate Members gain access to CRKN’s member listservs and member-only website content, supporting collaboration, knowledge sharing, and engagement across the research and heritage sectors.
Governance & Leadership
Associate Members may participate in CRKN governance through committees and task groups, contributing to shared decision-making and sector leadership.
Events & Professional Learning
Associate Members benefit from priority member rates for CRKN’s annual conference and other events that support professional development and sector-wide collaboration.
Content Licensing Program | Associate Membership Application
Step 1: Prospective Associate Members are invited to contact CRKN at info@crkn.ca to discuss membership opportunities, including the licenses in which they are interested. CRKN’s Model License will be sent for review by the applicant.
Step 2: Prospective Associate Members submit an application form along with supporting information to CRKN.
CRKN Associate Membership Application
Step 3: Associate membership applications are reviewed by the Executive Committee and Board of Directors, at which point additional questions regarding the operations and interests of the applicant may be raised.
Step 4: Membership is approved by a vote of the institutional membership at CRKN’s Annual General Meeting in October.
Required documents and information:
- CRKN Associate Membership Application
- A statement of interest indicating how membership in CRKN aligns with the applicant’s institutional and research priorities
- Information about the institution’s sources of financing and the size of its operating and library budget
- Information about current library holdings and library staff, including who will be responsible for administering CRKN licenses within the applicant’s institution and the institution’s capacity to administer online licenses
- Information about the institution’s technical infrastructure that supports online access to licensed content
- Current enrolment figures (FTE students, both full and part-time), if applicable
- A listing of the number of academic staff, both full and part-time
- A report of current dollar value of sponsored research, from all sources
- A list of other licensing consortia of which the applicant is a member
Heritage Program | Associate Membership Application
Aimed at: Library, Archive, Heritage, Museum and Gallery organizations
Step 1: Prospective Associate Members are invited to contact CRKN at info@crkn.ca to discuss membership opportunities and membership fees.
Step 2: Prospective Associate Members submit an application form along with supporting information to CRKN.
CRKN Associate Membership Application
Step 3: Associate membership applications are reviewed and approved by the Executive Committee and Board of Directors, at which point additional questions regarding the operations and interests of the applicant may be raised.
Step 4: Membership is approved by the Board of Directors.
Required documents and information:
- CRKN Associate Membership Application
- A statement of interest that includes how membership in CRKN aligns with the applicant's institutional priorities and recent projects or initiatives related to CRKN's priorities.
Associate Membership Fees
CRKN's associate membership fees are consistent with our practice for institutional memberships and dependent on the size of the organization.
Annual Membership Fees for Associate Members Participating in CRKN's Content Licensing Program
Associate Members participating in CRKN's content licensing program pay an annual membership fee equal to or more than the lowest membership fee applied to CRKN's Institutional Members. This annual fee may be increased based on inflation annually. In addition, Associate Members will be levied a 5% surcharge on each invoice for new licenses in which they elect to participate, with a minimum charge of $250, up to a maximum of $1,000 per license.
Associate Membership Fees for Associate Members Participating in CRKN's Heritage Program
Associate membership fees for Associate Members participating in CRKN's heritage program are based on full-time equivalent staff numbers, as a guideline for assessing organizational size. Annual membership fees are eligible for annual increases based on inflation.