After three years of planning, we've started implementing a new arXiv Membership Mode in January 2013. We are pleased to report that we currently have 173 members representing 22 countries. 

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To help with arxiv's support and governance, the membership program aims to engage libraries and research laboratories worldwide that represent arXiv's heaviest institutional users. Each member institution pledges a five-year initial funding commitment to support arXiv. arXiv's sustainability plan is founded on arXiv's operating principles and presents a business model for generating revenues. Cornell University Library (CUL), the Simons Foundation, and a global collective of institutional members support arXiv financially. The financial model for 2013-2017 entails three sources of revenues:

• CUL provides a cash subsidy of $75,000 per year in support of arXiv's operational costs and an in-kind contribution of all indirect costs, which currently represents 37% of total operating expenses.
• The Simons Foundation contributes $50,000 per year in recognition of CUL's stewardship of arXiv. In addition, the Foundation matches $300,000 per year of the funds generated through arXiv membership fees.
• Each member institution pledges a five-year funding commitment to support arXiv. Based on institutional usage ranking, the annual fees are set in four tiers from $1,500-$3,000. In 2013, Cornell raises $315,000 per year through membership fees from 173 institutions.

We are grateful for Simons Foundation's support. The gift aims to encourage long-term community support by lowering arXiv membership fees, making participation affordable to a broader range of institutions. This support helps ensure that the ultimate responsibility for sustaining arXiv remains with the research communities and institutors that benefit from the service most directly.