Foothills Library Association

FLA By-Laws

Members
Dues of members
Rights of members
Offices
Election of officers
General duties of the executive board
Duties of officers
Meetings
Finance
Special interest groups
Ad hoc committees
Custody and use of the seal of the association
Dissolution
Amendment to the by-laws

1. MEMBERS

1.1 Any individual, institution or organization actively interested in the objects of the Association and complying with the requirements as to dues set forth in these Bylaws may become a member of this Association:

a) An Individual Member shall be a person who at the time of qualification is active or interested in library or bibliographic work, or teaching in the profession.

b) An Institutional Member shall be a library or institution interested in the objects of this Association. The authorized representative of an Institutional Member shall be any person designated in writing by the Institution at the time of payment of dues.

c) An Honorary Life Member. The elected and appointed officers, known as the Executive Board, may by a two thirds majority vote award the status of Honorary Life Member to any individual member of the Association or other individual who has made a sub stantial and recognizable long-standing contribution to libraries and library service in the Province of Alberta. Presentation of the award shall take place at the Annual General Meeting. Honorary Life Members shall have all the rights and privileges of individual members. Payment of membership fees is waived for Honorary Life Members.

1.2 Application for membership shall be in such form as may be prescribed by the Executive Board.

2. DUES OF MEMBERS

2.1 The annual membership dues of the Association shall be set by the Board subject to ratification at the next Annual General Meeting. Any such changes in membership dues will take effect the following fiscal year.

2.2 Dues are payable within the first two months of each membership year (September 1 to August 31 of the following year) and become delinquent thereafter.

2.3 Members who have forfeited their membership through non-payment of dues may be reinstated upon payment of dues for the current year.

3. RIGHTS OF MEMBERS

3.1 Only individual members are eligible to hold office.

3.2 Individual members and institutional members' representatives may be appointed to committees.

3.3 Individual members and institutional members' representatives are eligible to vote.

3.4 Every member shall receive the official newsletter of the Association and an annual Membership Directory.

3.5 Membership will cease upon nonpayment of membership dues. Further, an institutional membership will cease upon dissolution of that institution.

3.6 An individual or institutional member shall cease to be a member of the Association upon delivering a written resignation to the Association, to be effective on the date of receipt. In the case of a resignation, refund of dues will not be granted.

4. OFFICES

4.1 The Association shall be governed by an elected Executive Board consisting of: President, Vice-President/President Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, Membership Director, Newsletter Editor, Assistant Newsletter Editor, Job Line Coordinator, Assistant Job Line Coordinator, Webmaster and Member-at-Large.

4.2 The term of office shall be one year or two years dependent upon the nature of the position. Individuals named to the positions of Vice-president/President Elect, Newsletter Editor and Job Line Coordinator shall serve a two year term, with Editors and Coordinators functioning as Assistants in the first year of that term. All other positions shall be for a one year term.

5. ELECTION OF OFFICERS

5.1 The President shall be responsible for soliciting nominations and preparing a slate of candidates for the elected positions, prior to the Annual General Meeting.

5.2 Elections will normally be conducted by a mail ballot,

5.3 The six nominees who receive the most votes will be elected to the Executive Board.

5.4 The Executive Board will advise, based on election results, experience and other relevant factors, the positions to be held by the new Executive. These assignments need not be final and may be rescinded, but only at the first meeting of the new Executive Board.

5.5 A vacancy which occurs in the office of the President shall be filled for the balance of the respective term by the Vice-president A vacancy in any other office shall be filled for the balance of the respective term by a replacement appointed by a majority vote of the Executive Board.

6. GENERAL DUTIES OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD

6.1 The Executive Board shall transact the business of the Association in meetings held at intervals between annual general meetings.

6.2 The Executive Board shall meet at least once every month during the period August to May, at such time and place as determined by the Executive Board. There shall be no voting by proxy.

6.3 No member of the Executive Board shall be paid any remuneration or honorarium for duties or functions performed or powers exercised as member of the Executive Board of the Association.

6.4 Programme development for the year shall be the responsibility of the entire Executive Board, under the direction of the President.

6.5 All Executive members shall perform such other related duties as may be assigned by the President or the Board.

7. DUTIES OF OFFICERS

7.1 THE PRESIDENT - shall preside at all meetings of the Association and of the Executive Board, and work to achieve the objectives of the Association. The President shall be the official representative of the Association to other bodies. The President shall be the chief coordinator of all the Associations activities. The President shall prepare an Annual Report for presentation at the Annual General Meeting and for publication in the Association newsletter.

7.2 THE VICE-PRESIDENT/PRESIDENT ELECT - shall perform all of the duties of the President during any temporary absence or disability of the President. The Vice- President/President Elect shall normally take charge of all publicity, other than the sending of notices of programs to members. The Vice-president/President Elect shall remind members of the Executive Board of forthcoming meetings and shall draw up agendas for these meetings. The Vice-president/President Elect shall be responsible for recruiting volunteers to assist the Executive. The Vice-president/President Elect shall act as liaison between the Association and other library and information science related organizations to promote communication and minimize programme conflicts.

7.3 THE SECRETARY - shall keep the minutes of all meetings of the Association and provide soon after each meeting, a copy of minutes of each meeting to every member of the Executive Board. The Secretary shall have custody of all books, and papers relative to the current transaction of the Association and which are not in the charge of any other member of the Executive Board.

7.4 THE TREASURER - shall keep all accounts of receipts and disbursements of the Association and report them at every meeting of the Executive Board. The Treasurer shall pay all bills approved by the Executive Board. The Treasurer shall prepare an Annual Report for presentation at the Annual General Meeting and for publication in the Association newsletter.

7.5 THE SECRETARY/TREASURER. If required, the offices of Secretary and Treasurer can be held by one individual who will carry out the duties of each office.

7.6 MEMBERSHIP DIRECTOR - Shall keep membership records of all current and new members and regularly report receipt of all membership dues and allied disbursements to the Treasurer at every meeting of the Executive Board. The Membership Director is also responsible for the preparation and distribution of an annual membership directory. The Membership Director shall prepare an Annual Report for presentation at the Annual General Meeting and for publication in the Association newsletter.

7.7 JOB LINE COORDINATORS - shall be responsible for maintaining an informal register of local library related positions currently available.

7.8 NEWSLETTER EDITORS - shall organize a committee to produce and distribute the Association's newsletter at least four times during the membership year.

7.9 WEBMASTER - shall be responsible for maintaining and updating the Association's web site, with the exception of the Jobline.

7.10 MEMBER AT LARGE - shall be responsible for carrying out other responsibilities which the Executive Board may assign.

8. MEETINGS

8.1 The Association's copy of Robert's Rules of order shall govern all Meetings of Members and of the Executive Board, provided they do not conflict with the Societies Act or these By-laws.

8.2 There shall be an Annual General Meeting of the Association during May or June of the fiscal year.

8.3 Members shall receive at least 21 days' written notice of the Annual General Meeting.

8.4 Special meetings of the members may be called at any time by the Executive Board or, by petition of not less than 25 individual members none of whom shall be a member of the Executive Board.

8.5 Special meetings of the Executive Board may be called at any time by a majority of the Executive Board.

8.6 At least 21 days prior to the date fixed for holding a special meeting of the general membership, written notice of the meeting shall be mailed to each individual authorized/eligible to attend, and the notice shall include: date, time, place and purpose of such meeting. The notice may be signed and dispatched by any representative of the group requesting the special meeting.

8.7 RESOLUTIONS - At the Annual General Meeting a voting member may offer a complex motion introducing a new item of business only if written copies have been distributed at or before the meeting to each voting member present or by unanimous consent of voting members present.

8.8 QUORUMS - 15 members in good staning shall constitute a quorum at any Meeting of Members. If within half an hour from the time appointed for the meeting a quorum is not present, the meeting shall stand adjourned to such time and place as may be deter mined by the members present, and, if at that meeting a quorum is not present within half an hour from the time appointed for the meeting, the members present shall be a quorum.

9. FINANCE

9.1 The Association's fiscal year will be from O1 May to 3O April of the following year.

9.2 Programme fees shall be non-refundable unless the Executive Board shall have exempted a particular programme and set the specific terms and conditions of fee refund relating thereto.

9.3 Borrowing Powers - For the purpose of carrying out its objectives, the Association may borrow or raise or secure the payment of money in such a manner it thinks fit, and in particular by the issue of debentures.

9.4 Audit of Accounts and Inspection of Books - The accounts of the Association shall be audited annually by an Auditor appointed by the Executive Board and the Auditor so appointed shall report on the state of the accounts at the succeeding Annual Genera l Meeting. For the purpose of audit, the following shall be examined: cheque book, deposit book and bank statements receipted bills for all expenditures cash book, ledger and other books or papers pertaining to the receipt and disbursement of funds.

9.5 Any member of the Association who wishes to inspect the current year's books of accounts of the Association must serve for this purpose, at least seven clear days written notice to the Secretary of the Association. The Secretary shall make arrangements, in consultation with the President and the Treasurer, as to time and place for inspection of the Association's books and records and duly notify this member. The Executive Board or any member thereof is not obligated to provide copies or photocopies of the records or books of account sought to be examined.

10. SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS

10.1 Special Interest Groups may be established by the Executive Board upon request of ten or more members interested in a subject or activity related to libraries and not within the scope of an existing Special Interest Group or the Association.

10.2 All Special Interest Group members shall be members of the Association.

10.3 The Executive shall approve the name of each Special Interest Group.

10.4 Special Interest Groups shall:

a) at the time of the planning of the Association's programmes, submit to the Treasurer an outline of the proposed programmes and related finances for the year.
b) file all Interest Group records with the Secretary.
c) report to the Board as required.
d) prepare annual reports for presentation at the Annual General Meeting.
e) send one representative to attend the Association's monthly Executive Board meetings, where appropriate.

11. AD HOC COMMITTEES

11.1 The Executive Board may from time to time strike Ad Hoc Committees to carry out specific duties. These Committees will normally be discharged when their tasks are completed.

12. CUSTODY AND USE OF THE SEAL OF THE ASSOCIATION

12.1 The Executive Board may adopt a seal which shall be the common seal of the Association.

12.2 Responsibility for its custody and use from time to time shall be determined by the Executive Board.

13. DISSOLUTION

13.1 Should the Association choose to dissolve itself, the Executive Board shall have the complete discretion over the distribution of any remaining funds to charities or library associations of its choice.

14. AMENDMENT TO THE BY-LAWS

14.1 By-laws may be rescinded, altered or added to only by a special resolution of the Association.

14.2 Any proposed amendment of the by-laws must be included in the call of the meeting at which it is to be considered and a two-thirds vote is required.

Revised June 11, 2003