The ASA was founded in 1934. During its formative years, membership was restricted to organisations based in the UK. These days however, as the Directory of Members shows, the ASA is very much an international body with a wide range of members from all over the world: in recent years, members have joined from Pakistan, India, Thailand and South Africa, reflecting the global nature of the scholarly and professional information supply chain in the 21st century.
In 2001, the association extended its remit (and its name) to include the growing number of intermediary organisations working in the scholarly information sector. This change reflects the significant changes in the industry in the past 10 years or so, as existing businesses grow and new businesses form to service the rapidly evolving marketplace.
These days, the ASA is the leading trade association for information service providers in the scholarly and professional sector and, in an increasingly competitive market, the business benefits of being a member are significant. ASA members guarantee quality assurance, expertise and unparalleled service in the supply of scholary and professional content, making them the natural choice for publishers and librarians the world over.