ILA membership is open to any person or organization, though most of its members are primarily librarians, library staff, and trustees.

The association has five full-time staff members and is governed by a sixteen-member executive board, made up of elected officers.

Throughout the year, the Illinois Library Association monitors legislative activity at the state and national level, preparing for both challenges and opportunities.

[1] In countering legislation that restricts intellectual freedom, the profession advocates for a future of free and open access to information.

[4] The Illinois Library Association E-Newsletter is an email newsletter intended to alert and inform the ILA membership about issues and events that are considered significant by the general media.