| Constitution
Article I. Name |
Bylaws
Article I. Membership |
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Article I. Membership Section 1. Classifications of Membership. Membership of the Association will consist of:A. Active membership: Any person employed by a North Dakota library or otherwise actively engaged in promoting North Dakota library interests will, upon payment of specified dues, be entitled to active membership in the Association with the right to vote and hold office. Active membership includes various types of special interest categories with varying dues structures. B. Associate membership: Any person not employed by a North Dakota library nor actively engaged in promoting North Dakota library interests but interested in promoting the purposes of the Association may, upon payment of specified dues, become a nonvoting member of the Association. Associate members can not hold office. C. Institutional membership: Any library or organization interested in or concerned with the work of libraries or librarianship may, upon payment of specified dues, become a nonvoting member of the Association. Institutional members can not hold office. D. Honorary membership: Honorary membership may be conferred upon a person or institution for meritorious contributions to library development or for high attainment in the field of librarianship by a three-fourths vote of those present at an annual meeting. Honorary members will not be required to pay dues and are not eligible to vote or hold office. Length of membership will be determined by the Executive Board. Section 2. Dues Annual dues are payable at the beginning of each calendar year. Privileges begin upon receipt of payment and expire Dec. 31 of the same year. A. Dues structure: 1. Active Membership - $35
2. Associate Membership - $20 3. Institutional Membership - $35 to a maximum of $200
B. The Executive Board will review the dues structure annually. When directed by the Executive Board, the Finance Committee will recommend changes to the dues structure. C. All proposals for changing the dues structure will be submitted
in writing to the Consitution, Bylaws, and Policies Committee, who will conduct a mail vote.
Proposed dues changes will be presented in writing to the membership at least one month
before voting. Passage will require a majority of those voting.
ARTICLE II - MEETINGS All meetings of any board, committee, or other body of the Association at which Association business is discussed or at which any formal action is taken are open. Section 1. Annual Membership Meeting A. The annual meeting of the Association will be held at such time and place as determined by the Executive Board. Thirty days' notice must be given all members of the Association. B. Proposed resolutions must be submitted in writing by the announced deadline as determined by the President. During association business meetings, (e.g. general sessions), resolutions must be read aloud; the reading may take place just prior to the vote. Section 2. Special Meetings Special meetings may be held at the call of the president, upon approval
of the Executive Board, provided that two weeks’ notice be given to all
of the Association. A quorum for any special membership meeting will be
based on twenty-five percent of the Association membership registered at
the last annual conference.
ARTICLE III - NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS Section 1. Nominations The president will appoint a three-member Nominations and Elections Committee. A. The Nominations and Elections Committee proposes a minimum of two NDLA members for each of the NDLA offices of president-elect, secretary, and treasurer and reports nominations to the Executive Board. The Executive Board approves the nominations prior to the printing of the ballot. B. The Nominations and Elections Committee proposes
a minimum of two NDLA members to run as representatives for each affiliated
organization and reports nominations to the Executive Board. The Executive
Board approves the nominations prior to the printing of the ballot. Terms
of office for affiliation representatives are as specified in the Policies
Handbook.
The Nominations and Election Committee assumes responsibility for working out election details as specified in the Policies Handbook. A. All elections of NDLA officers, affiliation representatives and officers of sections and roundtables will be conducted by mail ballot. The Nominations and Elections Committee prepares the official mail ballot coordinating it with section and roundtable chairs. The ballots, which will provide for write-in votes, will be mailed to the voting membership at least thirty days prior to the annual conference. B. A majority vote of all returned mailed election
ballots determines election results. The Nominations and Elections Committee
determines and reports the results of the balloting to the Executive Board
which validates election results and in disputes regarding elections serves
as the final arbiter.
ARTICLE IV - OFFICERS Section 1. Term A. Officers are elected for a one-year term and assume their duties at the close of the annual meeting following their election. Incoming and outgoing Executive Board members will meet together immediately after the close of the annual meeting and the new officers will assume their duties. They serve until the close of the next annualmeeting. B. The exception is the treasurer, who serves for
a calendar year. The incoming treasurer will serve an orientation period
with the presiding treasurer following the annual meeting until the term
begins.
A. The president serves as the official spokesperson for the Association; presides at all meetings of the Association and the Executive Board; serves as the Association’s representative on all committees as required by North Dakota statute; performs all other duties as provided for in these Bylaws or as assigned by the Executive Board and assumes all other responsibilities that are in accordance with the parliamentary procedure adopted by the Association. B. The president-elect, at the request of the president and the Executive Board or during the president’s absence or inability to act, will exercise the authority of the president; acts as the official spokesperson under the direction of the president; coordinates program planning for the annual conference and carries out such other duties as assigned by the president, Executive Board or as provided for in these Bylaws. C. The secretary will record and distribute minutes of all Association and Executive Board meetings; maintains official records for the Association and performs other duties as assigned by the president or the Executive Board. D. The treasurer is responsible for the Association’s
financial records, dues, other income and pays Association debts; provides
quarterly and annual reports of Association financial status for Executive
Board approval; serves on the Membership Committee, the Finance Committee
and performs other duties as assigned by the president or the Executive
Board.
Vacancies in office will be filled for the duration of
an unexpired term by appointment made by the Executive Board, except the
office of president which will be filled by the president-elect.
A. Elected officers of the Association may be removed from office for just cause. A two-thirds majority vote of the Executive Board is required to authorize a mail ballot to the membership seeking removal of an officer(s). Officers being considered for removal cannot vote during removal procedures. An affirmative vote of two-thirds majority of the votes returned removes an officer upon validation of election results. B. Just cause is defined as any willful violation
of the provisions of the NDLA Constitution or Bylaws, violation of statutory
law which tarnished the reputation of the Association, or incapacity in
executing the responsibilities of office.
ARTICLE V - Executive Board Section 1. Voting Members If a voting member of the Board is unable to attend an
Executive Board meeting, that member may designate a proxy with full privileges
of the office.
Responsibilities include: A. Approve the annual budget;
A Board meeting may be held at the call of the president or a majority of the Board members. Section 4. Reimbursement of Expenses Actual expenses incurred in transacting or furthering
of Association business may be reimbursable as specified in the Policies
Handbook. Reimbursement is never to exceed total actual expenses.
ARTICLE VI - COMMITTEES All committees are as specified in the Policies Handbook. Section 1. Appointments Standing committee chairs are appointed by the president
and serve a term concurrently with that of the president. The president
has the authority to establish additional committees as needed.
All committee chairs submit an annual written report to
the president prior to the annual meeting and written reports at meetings
of the Executive Board.
Committees required for the ongoing functioning of the
Association include Constitution/Bylaws and Policies, Finance, Membership,
and Nominations and Elections.
ARTICLE VII - SECTIONS AND ROUNDTABLES
Members of the sections and roundtables will be current
members of NDLA. A section or roundtable may prescribe any additional qualifications
for membership and engage in activities appropriate to its interest which
do not conflict with the provisions of the NDLA Constitution and these
Bylaws.
Sections of the Association may be established to represent
members interested in the same type of library or trusteeship. Roundtables
may be established to represent members interested in a specific library
activity.
A. A petition to the Executive Board for the establishment of a section or roundtable will state the purpose and need of the proposed section or roundtable. The petition will be signed by ten current NDLA members who become charter members of the section or roundtable. Sections and round-tables have voting representation on the Executive Board two years after their petition has been approved. B. Both sections and roundtables require a chair and a chair-elect. Other officers will be elected as deemed appropriate. Section and roundtable chairs are responsible for providing the NDLA Nominations and Elections Committee with a slate of candidates for vacant offices. Elections will be conducted by mail ballot in accordance with the provisions outlined in these Bylaws (Article III, Sec. 2). Section 4. Discontinuation By a majority vote of the Executive Board at two consecutive
Board meetings, a section or roundtable may be discontinued.
Section and roundtable bylaws revisions are approved by
the Executive Board after following procedures as specified in the Policies
Handbook.
ARTICLE VIII - AFFILIATIONS
The Association will maintain memberships in the following affiliated organizations and will discharge the duties and exercise the rights and privileges which pertain to these memberships. A. The American Library Association (ALA). The North Dakota member of the Council of the American Library Association will be elected in the same manner as the officers of the Association in accordance with the term and rules provided by ALA. B. The Mountain Plains Library Association (MPLA). The North Dakota representative to MPLA will be elected in the same manner as the officers of the Association in accordance with the term and rules provided by MPLA. Section 2. Duties A. Representatives to affiliated organizations will assume their duties at the close of the annual meeting following their election. B. The duties of the NDLA representative to affiliated organizations will be to represent NDLA at organization meetings and to report on these meetings at the annual NDLA meeting, in the official NDLA publication, and as otherwise required by the NDLA Executive Board. Section 3. Affiliation Process A. Upon the recommendation of the Executive Board and an affirmative vote of two-thirds majority of mailed membership ballots returned, NDLA may affiliate with other associations/organizations. B. Petitions from organizations or groups wishing to affiliate with NDLA will be presented to the membership at the annual meeting. A majority of two-thirds of the registered members present will be necessary for ratification. C. The Association may disaffiliate with an organization upon recommendation of the Executive Board and an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the mailed membership ballots returned. Section 4. Vacancies Vacancies in office will be filled for the duration of
an unexpired term by an appointment made by the Executive Board.
Adopted September 25, 1998, at Grand Forks NDLA conference.
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