With more and more non-British glaciologists attending its readings and submitting papers for publication, the name was changed to the "Glaciological Society" in 1962 and finally the Society acquired its present name in 1971.

The Society has branches in different parts of the world, providing a further opportunity for those sharing a common interest to meet and exchange information: The Society honours glaciologists who have contributed significantly to the science of glaciology.

At a Council meeting in Obergurgl, Austria in late 1962, the concept of an award for excellence in the discipline of glaciology took shape: not a gold medal but a hexagonal crystal of high-quality glass named the Seligman Crystal, after the Society's founder, Gerald Seligman.

[2] Awardees include: Honorary Membership is the oldest of the Society's awards.

(Prior to that date, a few eminent persons had been made Honorary Members on an informal and ad hoc basis.).