Academic & Special Libraries Section | By LawsARTICLE I. NAME. Section 1. The name of this Section shall be the Academic and Special Library Section (ASLS) of the New York Library Association (NYLA). ARTICLE II. PURPOSE. Section 1. The objectives of this Section shall be to represent the interests and concerns of academic and special libraries to the New York Library Association; to serve as a channel for academic and special libraries to work in support of the objectives of the New York Library Association; to provide a general forum for all academic and special libraries in New York State; and to provide means for further education, professional development and improvement of academic and special libraries in New York State. ARTICLE III. MEMBERSHIP. Section 1. Any member of the New York Library Association interested in promoting the objectives specified in Article II is eligible for membership in this Section upon selection of that Sectional membership in the membership registration form and on payment of stated dues. ARTICLE IV. AFFILIATION WITH NEW YORK LIBRARY ASSOCIATION (NYLA). Section 1. ASLS shall be a Section of the New York Library Association. Election, fiscal year, and terms of office shall coincide with those of NYLA. Section 2. The financial records and funds of the Section shall be maintained by NYLA’s financial officer. ARTICLE V. OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS. Section 1. The officers of the Section shall be a President, a Vice President (President Elect), a Secretary, a Treasurer, Past President, two directors, and a NYLA Council Liaison. These officers shall perform the duties prescribed by these bylaws and the Section manual, and by the parliamentary authority adopted by the Section. Section 2. The Vice President (President Elect) shall be elected annually and shall take office immediately following the annual NYLA conference or November 15, whichever comes first. This person serves for three years; in the first year as Vice President (President Elect), in the second as President, and in the third as Past President. As Vice-President, the incumbent will serve as ASLS Program Chair; as Past President, ASLS Nominating Committee Chair described in Article VII. As President, the incumbent will represent ASLS on the NYLA Governance Committee. Section 3. The Secretary shall be elected for a two-year term and shall take office at the NYLA annual conference or November 15, whichever comes first. The Secretary will serve as the Chair of the ASLS Communication Committee described in Article VII. Section 4. The Treasurer shall be elected for a two-year term and shall take office at the NYLA annual conference or November 15, whichever comes first. The Treasurer will represent ASLS on the NYLA Sponsorship/Fundraising Committee. Section 5. Each Director shall be elected for a two-year term, one elected each year, and shall take office at the NYLA annual conference or November 15, whichever comes first. One Director will serve as Chair of the ASLS Legislative Committee, the other Director will serve as Chair of the ASLS Membership Committee described in Article VII. Section 6. The NYLA Council Liaison shall be elected for a three-year term, and shall take office at the NYLA annual conference or November 15, whichever comes first. The NYLA Council Liaison will represent ASLS as a voting member of NYLA Council. Section 7. In the case of the office of President becoming vacant, the Vice President (President Elect) will serve as President until the conclusion of the term for which that person was elected President. Section 8. The Executive Board will fill all other vacancies in office and individuals so appointed will serve for the unexpired term only. Section 9. No member shall hold more than one office at a time and no member shall be eligible to serve more than two consecutive terms in the same office. Section 10. Officers/Directors who fail to attend two meetings without excuse from the President of the Section may be replaced. Power to replace rests with the Executive Board as outlined in this article. ARTICLE VI. EXECUTIVE BOARD. Section 1. The Executive Board shall consist of the officers named in Article V, Section 1. Section 2. The Executive Board shall formulate and carry out the policies of the Section and act for the Section during intervals between annual Section membership meetings. Section 3. The Executive Board shall meet at the request of the President, or at the request of the majority of the Executive Board. Section 4. The Executive Board may submit proposals for consideration and approval to the membership of the Section via electronic referenda. A 2/3 vote of the members voting shall be necessary for approval of the proposal(s). Section 5. A majority of the Executive Board shall constitute a quorum. Approval in writing by a majority of the Executive Board shall have the force of a vote. ARTICLE VII. COMMITTEES. Section 1. ASLS Committees will be chaired by Executive Board officers as described in Article V. With the exception of the Program Committee, each chairperson will either work independently or form a committee to carry out the charge. Committee chairs will be responsible for appointing ASLS members, subject to Executive Board approval, to serve on NYLA committees. ASLS members serving on NYLA committees but not the Executive Board may attend ASLS Board meetings as non-voting members. The President may appoint ASLS members, subject to Executive Board approval, to serve on other NYLA committees not listed in Article VII. a. Membership. To stimulate and retain membership in the Section and in the Association and to represent the Section to the NYLA Membership Committee. A Director will serve as Chair of the ASLS Membership Committee.
b. Legislative. To advise the Section on current or pending legislation and to represent the Section to the NYLA Legislative Committee. A Director will serve as Chair of the ASLS Legislative Committee.
c. Communications. To gather and disseminate information of interest to the Section through official NYLA publications and social media, and to represent the Section to the NYLA Communications Committee. The Secretary will serve as the Chair of the ASLS Communication Committee.
d. Nominating. To prepare a slate of candidates for officers and directors in the Section as prescribed in Article IX below.The Nominating Committee shall be chaired by the Past President.
e. Program. To plan and coordinate Sectional programs for the NYLA Annual Conference, and to represent the Section to the NYLA Continuing Education Committee. The program committee shall be chaired by the Vice President (President Elect), who will appoint an ASLS member, subject to Executive Board approval, to serve as NYLA Continuing Education Committee representative.
Section 2. Special Committees (ad hoc) may be appointed by the President subject to approval by the Executive Board. A special committee shall vote for a committee chair, who will report back to the Executive Board. A special committee shall be dissolved after completion of its charge. Section 3. If a vacancy occurs in the position of a special committee chair between meetings of the Executive Board, the President shall appoint a new chair subject to Executive Board approval. Section 4. All special committee chairs shall submit a written or verbal report to the Section membership at the annual meeting. ARTICLE VIII. MEETINGS. Section 1. The Section will meet annually at the time and place of the NYLA Annual Conference. The meeting may be held in person and/or virtually. Section 2. The Section may hold additional meetings during the year as approved by the Executive Board. The meeting may be held in person and/or virtually. ARTICLE IX. NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS. Section 1. The Nominating Committee shall prepare a slate of candidates for each office and directorship as specified in Article V. The Section election timeline will align with the NYLA Council Nominations and Election timeline pursuant to Article V of the NYLA Bylaws. Nominees must be members of the Section in good standing and must have signified acceptance of the nomination in writing to the Nominating Committee. Section 2. The slate will be approved by a majority vote of the nominating committee. The nominations shall be submitted to members of the Section. Section 3. Additional nominations, submitted after the slate is presented to the members, will be subject to approval from the Nominating Committee. Section 4. The ballot shall be transmitted to the members of the Section in conjunction with the ballot for the NYLA general election. Section 5. The members of the Section shall be notified of the results of the election via official ASLS electronic communication, such as a listserv. ARTICLE X. MANUAL. Section 1. There shall be a Section Board manual outlining duties and procedures for officers, directors, committees, etc., to be revised every two years on years ending in an even number. ARTICLE XI. PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY. Section 1. The latest edition of Robert's Rules of Order shall be the parliamentary authority on all matters not covered by these laws. In the event of a conflict between the bylaws of the Section and those of NYLA, the bylaws of NYLA shall be controlling. ARTICLE XII. AMENDMENTS. Section 1. After approval by a majority of the Executive Board, a copy of the proposed amendment will be sent electronically to the membership of the Section at least three weeks before the date set for final action. The bylaws then may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the members present and voting at a general meeting of the Section, or in the absence of a general meeting, by a two-thirds vote of those members voting electronically. Revised 11/23 |