It also serves corporations, institutions, students, composers, scholars and others whose work and interests lie in the music librarianship field.
In 2011, MLA officially merged with the International Association of Music Libraries, Archives and Documentation Centres (IAML).
Costs vary depending on the type of membership (institutional, associate, student, retired, etc.).
Publications include: The MLA website offers a wide range of services and resources to members and non-members alike: employment and education information, awards and grants, copyright guidelines, and resources concerning the field.
Its founding was spearheaded by Eva Judd O'Meara (1884–1979) and Carleton Sprague Smith (1905–1994) of the New York Public Library.