CINCINNATI HEALTH SCIENCES LIBRARIES ASSOCIATION

BYLAWS 

1998 Revision 

·        ARTICLE I                      Name

 The name of this society shall be the Cincinnati Area Health Sciences Libraries Association (CAHSLA).

·        ARTICLE II                     Objectives 

The objectives of the Association shall be:

A.     To promote better services to the clientele of members’ libraries;

B.     To provide professional and educational interchange among members;

C.     To promote cooperation within the membership;

D.     To promote reciprocity of services among members’ institutions;

E.      To encourage joint action on mutual concerns;

F.      To promote wider knowledge and understanding of the role of health-related libraries;

G.     To sponsor activities and publications consistent with the goals of the Association.
 

·        ARTICLE III                   Membership

A.     Eligibility

1.      General Membership:  Any individual interested in health information shall be eligible for membership.

2.      Life Membership:  Upon retirement, any ten-year CAHSLA member shall be declared a Life Member, and will receive all mailings of the Association with full privileges.

B.     Duties and Privileges

1.      Each general member shall pay dues as established by the Executive Committee and approved by the membership.

2.      General memberships are to be renewed each October with dues payable by the end of the calendar year.

3.      All eligible members have the same duties, rights and privileges, including voting.
 

·        ARTICLE IV       Offices

A.     The officers of the Association shall be a President, a Vice-President/President-Elect, a Secretary, a Treasurer, and an immediate Past-President.

B.     Election and Tenure

1.      All members in good standing are eligible to hold elected office.

2.      Nominations are conducted as stated in Article VI.  Nominations shall be made in the spring of each year.  When the slate is presented, additional nominations will be accepted from the floor.  Elections are to be held by mail ballot.  A simple majority of the membership will determine the results, with installation of the new officers at the final meeting of the year.  The new officers will assume their duties at the conclusion of that meeting. 

3.      The term of office shall be 12 months from assumption of office.  All appointments made by the Executive committee, as provided in Article VI, Section A2(b), shall expire when the new Executive Committee assumes office.

C.     Vacancies

The Executive Committee shall appoint a member to complete a vacant term of office.  Officers thus appointed shall immediately enter upon their duties and shall hold office until installation of new officers.

D.     Duties of Officers

1.      The President:

a.       Presides at all meeting of the Association and the Executive Committee;

b.      Calls special meeting at his/her discretion;

c.       Prepares agendas of meetings in consultation with the Program Chairman;

d.      Appoints all committee chairpersons except as provided elsewhere in this document;

e.       Reports for the Executive Committee on the general state of the Association; the text of this report shall be published in the newsletter of the organization along with the other annual reports of officers, which the President has gathered together;

f.        Serves as the Association’s representative to other associations except as provided elsewhere in this document;

g.       Performs such other duties as customarily pertain to the Office of President.

2.      The Vice-President/President-Elect:

a.       Automatically assumes the office of President for the following term;

b.      Assists the President and, in case of the absence or disability of the President, shall temporarily assume and perform the duties of the presidency;

c.       Is responsible for programs, and chairs the Program Committee;

d.      Consults with the President on agendas for meetings;

e.       Submits a written annual report of the Program Committee’s activities to the President.

3.      The Secretary:

a.       Keeps and distributes minutes of all meeting of the Association;

b.      Keeps a written attendance record of meetings;

c.       Undertakes all correspondence as requested by the President;

d.      Submits a written annual report to the president.

4.      The Treasurer:

a.       Maintains financial records of the Association;

b.      Is responsible for membership records, and chairs Membership Committee;

c.       Collects and dispenses all fees and dues;

d.      Presents a financial report at all meetings;

e.       Determines quorum at general meetings upon request of the President;

f.        Submits a written annual financial report to the President.

5.      Past President:

a.       Serves on the Executive Committee to provide a bridge between the previous year and the current association year;

b.      Chairs the Nominations and Elections Committee, and selects two other members, with the approval of the Executive Committee;

c.       Chairs the committee to review the Bylaws (even years), and the Procedures (odd years);

d.      Sends the reports from Nominations and Elections Committee and the Bylaws/Procedures Committee to Archives.
 

·        ARTICLE V                     Meetings

A.     There shall be at least five general meetings between September 1 and June 30.

B.     Adequate written notice of all general meetings shall be given.

C.     Special meetings may be called by the Executive Committee or by at least 20% of the members of the Association at any time and place upon which they agree.

D.     Quorum: for any meeting of this Association, a quorum shall consist of 40% of the members of the Association.  All decisions requiring a vote shall be made by a simple majority of those present.
 

·        ARTICLE VI                   Committees

A.     Executive Committee

1.      The Executive Committee shall consist of the President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, immediate Past President, and chairs of all standing committees.  The President shall chair the Executive Committee, and may invite other people to attend meetings of the Executive Committee, as needed.

2.      The responsibilities of the Executive Committee shall be:

a.       To approve meeting arrangements submitted by the Program Committee;

b.      To determine the need for additional standing or ad-hoc committees, and to appoint chairpersons;

c.       To appoint representatives to other associations as needed, except as provided elsewhere in this document;

d.      To recommend the dues structure;

e.       To approve expenditures and budget activities under the provisions of the Operating Policies and Procedures of the Association.

3.      The Executive Committee shall meet prior to any meeting where business of the Association shall be transacted, at the call of the President, or at the request of a member of the Executive Committee.  At least two-thirds of the membership of the Committee shall be present to convene a meeting.

B.     Nominations and Elections Committee

1.      The Nominations and Elections Committee shall consist of the immediate Past President as chair, who shall select other members form the membership, with the approval of the Executive Committee.  The Committee shall be convened at least three months prior to the election of officers.

2.      The responsibilities of the Committee shall be:

a.       To solicit nominations from the membership and select a slate of nominees for elective terms of office;

b.      To prepare the slate and inform the membership of the nominees, at least three weeks prior to election;

c.       To prepare and mail ballots to members as determined by the Membership Committee;

d.      To receive the ballots, tally the votes, and announce the results of the election.

C.     Membership Committee

1.      The chair shall be the Treasurer of the Association, who shall select with the approval of the Executive Committee, other members from the membership, as needed.

2.      The responsibilities of the Membership Committee shall be:

a.       To recruit members;

b.      To produce a membership brochure;

c.       To maintain membership records;

d.      To produce a membership list.

D.     Program Committee

1.      The Program Committee shall consist of at least three members.  The chair shall be the Vice-President/President-Elect of the Association, who shall select the other members, with the approval of the Executive Committee.

2.      Duties of the Program Committee shall be:

a.       To plan at least five general Association meetings each year; at least one of these meeting shall be an educational meeting;

b.      To issue notices of meetings in a timely manner.

E.      Archives Committee

1.      The Archives Committee Chair shall be appointed by the President.  The Chair may select one or more members of the Association to form a committee, if desired.

2.      The Archives Committee is responsible for organizing, updating and maintaining the Archives of the Association.

F.      Networking Committee

1.      The Networking Committee shall consist of all CAHSLA representatives to other organizations.  The chair shall be appointed by the President.

2.      The duties of the Committee are:

a.       To attend meetings of designated organizations and represent CAHSLA;

b.      To prepare and submit written and oral reports to the Executive Committee and the membership.

G.     Newsletter Committee

1.      The Newsletter Committee shall consist of an Editor or Editors appointed by the Executive Committee.

2.      The Newsletter Committee is responsible for writing, publishing, and distributing the newsletter according to an established schedule.
 

·        ARTICLE VII                  Parliamentary Authority

A.     Rules:  The rules contained in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern the Association in all cases except when inconsistent with the Bylaws.

B.     Parliamentarian:  A parliamentarian may be appointed by the President if the President desires this assistance.
 

·        ARTICLE VIII                Amendment of Bylaws

These Bylaws may be amended or rescinded by a simple majority of the membership by mail ballot.  The Bylaws shall be reviewed every two years.  The Chair of the Bylaws Revision Committee shall be the immediate Past-President, who shall select the other members of the committee, with the approval of the Executive Committee.

Revised 1992

Reviewed 1994

Revised 1998

Bylaws Committee for Revision/Review 1998

Val Purvis

Jane Thompson

Penny Philpot, Chair, ex officio

Cincinnati Area Health Sciences Libraries Association