The Ex Libris Association, founded in 1986, is the Canadian national association of people who have spent an important part of their working life in libraries, archives, museums, publishing houses, and adjunct fields, and who are attracted to current or historical issues related to those institutions as well as to issues concerning the personal interests of their fellow members. Our objectives, our constitution, our executive and other committees, and our history all reflect our long-standing and ongoing concern for issues related to information services.

As times change, our goals have broadened to exploit new technologies and to address important new issues, such as reconciliation and recognition of Indigenous peoples. We are a government-recognized nonprofit organization. ELA is a member of the Canadian Federation of Library Associations–La Fédération canadienne des associations de bibliothèques (CFLA-FCAB), which is the united, national voice of Canada’s library community.

More details available on the ELA activities main page

• ELA's Annual General Meeting;
• ELA sponsors the W. Kaye Lamb award for excellence in library services to seniors and an Indigenous Student Bursary for studies in librarianship or archives;
• ELA organizes tours of interest to the membership on a regular basis;
• ELA organizes virtual and in-person presentations of interest to members;
• ELA participates in library advocacy on a national basis and addresses issues of current interest;
• ELA maintains its website, an electronic Listserv for its members, and a Facebook page;
• ELA publishes Occasional papers authored by its members and provides opportunities to publish in its newsletter.
• ELA produces Biographies of Canadian Librarians and Archivists and historical publications on Canadian library and information studies.

ELAN is ELA’s newsletter of articles, reminiscences, pictures, and news. ELAN is published. twice a year.

• ELAN has a complete list of issues available for viewing in PDF since 1987;
• thanks to the work of Jean Wheeler and Agatha Barc, there is a master index to ELAN's issues [PDF] covering the years 1987 to 2016;
• ELAN volunteers: there are opportunities to contribute articles and book reviews.