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Bylaws
IOWA LIBRARY ASSOCIATION CHAPTER
OF THE
ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES
ARTICLE I
Name
The name of this organization will be the Iowa Library Association Chapter of the Association of College and Research Libraries (hereinafter referred to as the Chapter), an affiliate of the national Association of College and Research Libraries (hereinafter referred to as ACRL), and a Subdivision of the Iowa Library Association (hereinafter referred to as ILA). The Chapter’s acronym for all official purposes will be ILA/ACRL.
ARTICLE II
Purpose
The purpose of the Chapter is to represent the common interests of the libraries and library staff in higher education and independent research libraries. The Chapter seeks to enhance library service, user education, and staff development in these libraries.
ARTICLE III
Membership
Section 1. Qualifications
Any person who is a personal member of ILA is eligible for membership. Any personal member of ILA who designates the Chapter as a Subdivision membership and pays dues is a member of the Chapter. Each paid member will have one vote.
Section 2. Dues
Dues are levied by ILA on all members. Dues for the Chapter will be determined annually by the Executive Board and changes presented to the membership for its approval at the Annual Business Meeting. They may be adopted by a majority vote of the members present or through a mail ballot and take effect the following calendar year. The membership will be given at least 30 days written notice of the proposed change in the Chapter dues structure.
ARTICLE IV
Meetings
Section 1. Frequency
There will be an Annual Business Meeting each year held during ILA’s annual conference. The Chapter may hold other meetings as necessary at the request of the President. The membership will be given at least 30 days written notice of any additional meetings specifying time, place, and purpose.
Section 2. Quorum
These meetings will be convened upon the presence of a quorum of ten percent of the members.
ARTICLE V
Officers
Section 1. Officers
There will be three officers of the Chapter: a President, a Vice-President/President-Elect, and a Secretary/Treasurer. All officers must be members of the Iowa ACRL Chapter; the President and Vice-President/President-Elect must also be members of the ACRL subdivision of ALA or the chapter may have a delegate who is a member of the executive board of the chapter and also a member of ACRL.
Section 2. Duties
A. The President will:
i. Preside at all meetings of the Chapter;
ii. Serve as Chapter liaison to ACRL;
iii. Subject to Executive Board approval, appoint a delegate to the ACRL Chapters Council who will serve as a non-voting ex officio member of the Executive Board;
iv. Subject to Executive Board approval, appoint an ACRL chapter Government Relations Representative who will serve as a non-voting ex officio member of the Executive Board
v. Subject to Executive Board approval, appoint an ILA Annual Conference Liaison who will serve as a member of the Executive Board for term of two years and represent ILA/ACRL interests during conference planning.
vi. Subject to Executive Board approval, appoint officers to fill temporarily any vacancy which occurs between elections, (See Article VI, Section 2, vi);
vii. Subject to Executive Board approval. appoint members to fill vacancies on committees as necessary,
viii. Submit an annual budget request each year to ACRL in accordance with ACRL guidelines;
ix. Attend the Annual Planning Session of ILA to plan for the following year’s activities in accordance with ILA policies;
x. Submit an annual report at the end of the term of office to the Executive Officers of ACRL in accordance with ACRL policies;
xi. Submit reports as required by ILA policies and bylaws;
xii. Maintain an archival copy of Chapter documents for which this position is responsible. (See Article IX);
xiii. Execute the wishes of the membership or Executive Board as expressed in the motions and resolutions passed at any business or Executive Board meeting;
xiv. In consultation with the Executive Board of the Chapter, act upon all issues requiring action prior to the next regularly scheduled business meeting;
xv. Authorize payment of all Chapter funds up to the amount specified in the Chapter budget in accordance with ILA policies. Unbudgeted expenditures will be subject to Executive Board approval. (See Article VI, Section 2, iv).
B. The Vice-President/President-Elect will:
i. Preside at meetings in the absence of the President;
ii. Assume the position of President upon the conclusion of the term of office of the President;
iii. Serve as chair of Membership Committee and appoint Membership Committee members for the coming year, as prescribed in Article VIII, Section 1, B, i and ii;
iv. Appoint chairs of standing committees (except the Membership Committee) for the coming year in consultation with the Membership Committee and subject to the approval of the Executive Board. (See Article VI, Section 2, iii);
C. The Secretary/Treasurer will:
i. Record the minutes of all business and Executive Board meetings, and produce them for review at the next meeting;
ii. Report at the Annual Business Meeting and at Executive Board meetings on the financial status of the Chapter;
iii. Maintain an archival copy of all Chapter documents for which this position is responsible. (See Article IX);
iv. Collect all archival documents from officers and committee chairs and deposit these in the archival depository before leaving office in accordance with Article IX;
v. Deposit a copy of all Chapter reports, program and meeting notices, and other records of Chapter activities with the Executive Officers of ILA and ACRL in accordance with the policies of each organization;
vi. Perform such other duties as may be assigned to the office by the President, membership, or Executive Board.
Section 3. Vacancies
A vacancy in the office of President will be filled for the unexpired term by automatic advance of the Vice-President/President-Elect. The Vice-President/President-Elect will complete the unexpired term of the President and then serve his or her own year as President. A vacancy in the office of Vice-President/President-Elect or Secretary/Treasurer will be filled as prescribed in Article V, Section 2, A, v. A vacancy in the office of Past President will not be filled.
ARTICLE VI
Executive Board
Section 1. Membership
The Executive Board will consist of the officers of the Chapter, the immediate Past President, the chairs of the standing committees, the ILA Annual Conference Liaison, and two at-large members. The ACRL Chapter Government Relations Representative and ACRL Chapters Council Representative will serve as non-voting ex officio members of the Executive Board.
Section 2. Duties
i. The policies and programs of the Chapter will be determined by the Executive Board, in accordance with all ILA general, financial, and meeting policies. The Board will manage the affairs of the Chapter, subject to its Bylaws, except when a Business Meeting is in session;
ii. Propose dues for the Chapter annually and present proposed dues changes to the membership 30 days in advance for its approval at the Annual Business Meeting or by mail ballot (See Article III, Section 2);
iii. Approve appointments of standing committee chairs made by the Vice-President/President-Elect as chair of the Membership Committee (See Article V, Section 2, B, iv);
iv. Approve the Chapter budget and unbudgeted expenditures. (See Article V, Section 2, A, xiv and Article V, Section 2, B, vi);
v. Authorize the creation of ad hoc committees and determine their charge and budget. (See Article VIII, Section 2);
vi. Approve temporary appointments of officers to fill any vacancy which occurs between elections. (See Article V, Section 2, A, v);
vii. In the case of a tie vote in elections, determine the successful candidate by majority vote. (See Article VII, Section 6);
viii. Direct the dissolution of the Chapter if needed (See Article X);
ix. Approve all appointments made by President. (See Article V, Section 2,A, iii-vi).
Section 3. Term
The officers and the two at-large members of the Executive Board take office January 1 following their election. (See Article VII, Section 1 and Article VII, Section 2).
Section 4. Meetings
The Executive Board will meet at least once a year at a time and place determined by the President. The President or three members of the Executive Board may call additional Board meetings. At least five days’ notice of meetings should be given to all Board members.
Section 5. Quorum
A majority will constitute a quorum of the Executive Board.
Section 6. Vacancies
Vacancies in a position of at-large member of the Executive Board will be filled at the next election if the vacancy occurs during the first year of office. If a vacancy occurs during the second year of office, the position will not be filled.
ARTICLE VII
Nominations and Elections
Section 1. Officers
The Vice-President/President-Elect will be elected annually. The Vice-President/President-Elect cannot serve consecutive terms. The Secretary/Treasurer may be re-appointed for a second one-year term if willing and with the approval of the Executive Board. At times when no eligible candidate for re-appointment exists, the Secretary/Treasurer will be elected annually.
Section 2. Executive Board
The two at-large Executive Board members will be elected for two-year terms. Terms will expire in alternate years, with one member being elected each year for a two-year term. Elected Executive Board members cannot serve successive terms.
Section 3. Nominations
The Membership Committee will nominate at least one candidate for each elected position. No person will serve as an officer of the Chapter unless they are a member of the Chapter. No person will serve as a member of the Executive Board unless they are a member of the Chapter. If a member of the Membership Committee becomes a candidate for election, they must resign from that committee. The Membership Committee will verify the qualifications of all candidates for office.
Section 4. Membership Committee Report
The Membership Committee will issue a written report of its nominations to the Chapter membership according to subdivision policies and with ample time for nomination by petition.
Section 5. Nomination by Petition
Any other nominations signed by not fewer than five percent of the total Chapter membership and presented during the Annual Business Meeting will be included in the official election ballot. Nominations must be accompanied by written consent of the nominee and must meet the qualifications specified in Article VII, Section 3. Write-in votes will not be tallied.
Section 6. Elections
Chapter elections will be held electronically and are in compliance with ILA subdivision policies as outlined in the ILA Organizational Manual. Paper notices will be sent to members without email addresses. Paper ballots must be mailed to voters upon request.
Notice of the elections and instructions for casting ballots will be sent to the Chapter membership within one week following the Annual Business Meeting of the Chapter. The Membership Committee will have charge of the election and will ensure that the member list is updated. Each ballot message is to state the voting period and include information about how the winners’ results will be announced.
For each position, the candidate receiving the largest number of votes will be elected. In the case of a tie vote, the successful candidate will be determined by majority vote of the Executive Board (See Article VI, Section 2, vii). Results will be communicated to the Chapter Executive Board immediately after they have been tabulated and to the membership in the next issue of the Chapter newsletter.
ARTICLE VIII
Committees
Section 1. Standing Committees
There will be five standing committees: the Spring Conference Program Committee, the Awards Committee, the Membership Committee, the Professional Development Committee, and the Electronic Communications Committee. Committee members must be members of the Chapter.
Members will be appointed by the Membership Committee (except those on the Membership Committee) and the Chapter notified of the appointments. Members shall be appointed for a period of two years, for terms January 1-December 31 except for the Spring Planning Committee which shall be appointed from July 1 to June 31. Committee chairs are appointed by the Vice-President/President-Elect (except the Membership Committee) in consultation with the Membership Committee, subject to the approval of the Executive Board. (See Article V, Section 2, B, iv and Article VI, Section 2, iii).
Committee vacancies are filled by the President. (See Article V, Section 2, A, vi). The President may appoint additional committee members for a one-year term if circumstances demand. The terms on committees will be staggered, with some members continuing from the previous year. Committee members may serve no more than two consecutive terms on a given committee. Committee membership should be limited to one committee at a time. Committee chairs serve a one year term but may serve successive terms as Chair of the same committee with the approval of the Executive Board. In the case of a tie vote, the vote of the President will prevail.
A. The Spring Conference Program Committee will:
i. Be chaired by a Chair appointed by the Vice-President/President-Elect, in consultation with the Membership Committee;
ii. Consist of at least four members, including the Chair, appointed by the Membership Committee.
iii. Plan and publicize the Chapter’s Spring Conferences, including invitation and selection of contributed paper sessions.
B. The Membership Committee will:
i. Be chaired by the Vice-President/President-Elect;
ii. Consist of at least four members, including the chair. New members are appointed by the Vice-President/President-Elect;
iii. Publicize committee vacancies, seek out people in the Chapter to serve on committees every year, and appoint members to committees;
iv. Notify the Chapter membership of appointments to committees;
v Fulfill responsibilities for nomination and election of officers as outlined in Article VII Section 3.
vii. Identify potential new Chapter members in the state;vii. Provide membership information as necessary;
viii. Encourage Chapter membership and activity.
C. The Awards Committee will:
i. Be chaired by the immediate Past President;
ii. Consist of at least four members including the chair, appointed by the Membership Committee.
iii. Designate and publicize awards every year, the nature of which to be determined by the committee, in consultation with the President and/or Executive Board. The amount of the awards should not exceed the amount specified in the Chapter budget;
iv. Consult with the President and/or Executive Board to determine the number of awards to be offered.
v. Notify award winners of their responsibility to report to the Electronic Communications Committee Chair.
D. The Professional Development Committee will:
i. Be led by a Chair appointed by the Vice-President/President-Elect, in consultation with the Membership Committee;
ii. Consist of at least four members including the chair, appointed by the Membership Committee. Attention should be paid to representing different professional areas of librarianship on the committee so as to recognize the variety that exists within our profession;
iii. Assess the professional development needs of members of the chapter;
iv. Communicate opportunities for professional development available through internal and external organizations to the membership;
v. Liaise with Spring Conference Committee and the ILA Annual Conference Liaison to ensure comprehensive professional development opportunities are offered throughout the year without duplication.
E. The Electronic Communications Committee will:
i. Be chaired by a Chair appointed by the Vice-President/President-Elect, in consultation with the Membership Committee;
ii. Consist of at least four members, including the chair, appointed by the Membership Committee;
iii. Develop and maintain the electronic products of the Chapter and post them to the ILA/ACRL web page;
iv. In cooperation with the other standing committees, develop editorial guidelines for the content of electronic information products;
v. Distribute Chapter information electronically as directed by the President and Executive Board.
Section 2. Ad Hoc Committees
From time-to-time, there may be created by the Executive Board, its members appointed by the President, an ad hoc committee to fill a temporary need. The Executive Board will determine the charge and budget of the ad hoc committee. (See Article VI, Section 2, v). Such a committee may exist for a period of up to two years but no longer. If the work of the committee has not been completed in that length of time, it will be disbanded, and a new committee may be appointed by the President, subject to the approval of the Executive Board. (See Article VI, Section 2, v).
ARTICLE IX
Archives
The University of Iowa Libraries is the archival depository for both the ILA and the Chapter. Chapter documents will be deposited annually in the University of Iowa Libraries Special Collections Department. The Secretary/Treasurer of the Chapter is responsible for this action. Before Chapter documents are submitted to the Secretary/Treasurer for archival deposit, working copies will be made as needed and given to new officers and committee chairs for the following year.
ARTICLE X
Dissolution
Upon dissolution of the Chapter, the ILA/ACRL Executive Board will, after paying or making provision for the payment of all liabilities of the Chapter, transfer all assets of the Chapter to the ILA. (See Article VI, Section 2, viii).
ARTICLE XI
Amendments
These bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the membership present at any business meeting of the Chapter, a quorum being present, or by electronic ballot. For an electronic ballot, thirty-five percent of the voting membership will constitute a quorum and a two-thirds majority of those voting will decide the issue. The Chapter e-mail list will be available from the ILA Office prior to the vote. Paper ballots will be sent to members without email addresses, or upon request.
The proposed changes will have been posted on the ILA/ACRL web page or submitted in writing to the membership by the Secretary/Treasurer at least 30 days before the vote. Once posted, the amendment may not be modified. The listserv and newsletter will serve as the vehicles by which members are alerted to bylaw changes. Amendments will take effect immediately unless otherwise noted.
If by electronic ballot, each amendment notice message is to state the voting period, the number of responses required for a quorum, the percentage of approvals required for election/passage and information about how the results will be announced.
ARTICLE XII
Parliamentary Authority
The parliamentary authority to be used in conducting the meetings and all other business of the Chapter will be the latest revised edition of Henry M. Robert’s Rules of Order, insofar as it is not contrary to these bylaws or to the bylaws of ILA and ACRL.
Revision History
November 2022
2021
February 2020
June 2018
October 2017
October 2015
March 2014
October 13th, 2011
October 22, 2009
2007
2003/2004
2002
1998
1992