Role Of Associations Changing As Internet Age Advances

In an article about the changing role of associations in the US in the digital age, NPR (5/26) reports, "Everybody has heard of the American Bar Association, the National Education Association and the American Lung Association. But there are scads of others - thousands in the United States - including the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters, the National Candle Association and the National Gay Pilots Association." The article explores the traditional role of associations as "a clearinghouse for its members," adding, "but in this age of teleconferencing and social networking, the game has changed. Through Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and other websites, professionals stay in touch with each other - and with advances in their fields - around the clock. If they have a special problem, they no longer need to call the association and be connected to someone else with a similar problem - they can just go to the Internet for a solution."