Constitution and Bylaws of the
Suffolk County Library Association

Constitution

Article I          Name

Section 1.        This organization shall be known as the Suffolk County Library Association.

Article II         Purpose

The purpose of the Suffolk County Library Association shall be to sponsor, aid and promote library service throughout Suffolk County.

Article III       Membership

Section 1.       

Any individual, institution, or organization interested in the purpose of the Association may become a member upon payment of the dues.

Section 2.       

Life membership may be conferred upon any individual who has made an outstanding contribution to library service upon Board recommendation, followed by a majority vote of members present taken at any regular or special meeting of the Association. Life members shall be non-dues paying with voting privileges.

Section 3.       

The Suffolk Cooperative Library System shall be entitled to a non-voting representative on the Board of Directors.

Section 4.       

Duly elected Government Representatives having constituency in Suffolk County, will be given Honorary membership for the duration of their terms.  This Honorary membership will not include voting privileges.

Article IV        Organization

                       
Section 1.       

The Association shall be structured to include divisions representing types of library, service, or interest.

Section 2.       

Application for establishment of divisions shall be made to the Board of Directors in accordance with the Bylaws.

Article V         Officers

Section 1.       

The officers of the Association shall be President, Vice President/President Elect, Secretary, and Treasurer.

Section 2.       

Officers shall assume office on January 1.  The term of offices shall be for one calendar year except the office of Treasurer, which shall be for two calendar years.  Officers may not serve more than two consecutive terms in any individual office.

Section 3.       

Officers shall perform the duties of their respective offices as outlined in the Bylaws, and such other duties as approved by the Board of Directors.

Section 4.       

Vacancies in the office shall be filled for the period of their unexpired term by appointment by the Board with the exception that should the vacancy occur in the Office of the President, the Vice-President/President Elect will succeed.

Article VI        Administration

Section 1.       

Administration of the affairs of the Association shall be vested in a Board of Directors which shall consist of the officers of the Association, the immediate past President, Presidents of the Divisions, and four Members-at-Large elected by membership. Two Members-at-Large shall be elected each year to serve a two-year term. )  Members-at-large may not serve more than two consecutive terms without taking a complete term off before running for re-election.

Section 2.       

There shall be at least four regular Board meetings during the year, all of which shall be open to the membership.  Special meetings may be called by the President or on request by a majority of the members of the Board.

Section 3.       

Any member of the Board of Directors who shall absent himself or herself from three consecutive Board meetings without excuse accepted as satisfactory by the Board shall be deemed to have resigned. The President shall so inform that member.  Non-elective members shall be replaced by appointment of the President.  Elective members shall be replaced by appointment of the Board.

Section 4.       

The President shall appoint Committees as needed, subject to the approval of the Board of Directors.

Section 5.       

Voting members of the Board of Directors shall include the Association Officers, the Members-at-Large, the immediate Past President, and the President or official representative of each Division.  Non-voting members of the Board of Directors shall include all Committee Chairpersons and liaisons representing other professional organizations.

Article VII      Membership Meetings

Section 1.       

The Association shall hold one annual membership meeting which may, but need not be, held in conjunction with the annual dinner meeting.  

Section 2.       

Special meetings may be called by the President, a majority of the Board of Directors, or by written request of 5% of the members of the Association.

Article VIII     Voting

Section 1.       

Each individual and lifetime member shall be entitled to one vote.

Section 2.       

Questions requiring membership decision may be referred for vote by written notice and ballot providing that ten days are given for reply and no fewer that 5% of the members respond.

Section 3.       

20% of the voting members shall constitute a quorum at a duly called Association meeting.

Section 4.        A majority shall constitute a quorum at a duly called Board of Directors meeting.

Section 5.       

In all voting, a majority of votes cast prevails except in case of amendments to the Constitution.

Article IX        Provisions For Bylaws

                       
Section 1.       

Bylaws may be adopted, amended, or rescinded by majority vote of the members present and voting at any regular meeting of the Association or by majority vote of those responding to a mail ballot, and providing that 5% of the members respond, and providing that written notice of the proposed change is sent to the entire membership at least 10 days prior to the date of the meeting or ballot return.

Article X         Parliamentary Authority

Section 1.       

Business shall be transacted in accordance with the latest edition of Robert’s Rules of Order unless otherwise specified in the Constitution and Bylaws of the Association.

Article XI        Amendements

Section 1.        This constitution may be amended by a 2/3 vote of the members present and voting at any regular meeting of the Association or by a 2/3 vote of the members responding to a mail ballot, and providing that written notice of the proposed change is sent to the entire membership at least 10 days prior to the date of the meeting or ballot return.

CONSTITUTION AMENDED           October 2005

Suffolk County Library Association

Bylaws 

Article I          Nominations and Elections

Section 1.       

The President shall appoint, no later than May 1, with the approval of the Executive Board, a Nominating Committee Chairperson.

Section 2.       

The Nominating Committee shall present a slate of at least two candidates for each of the elective offices of Vice President/President Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, and Members-at-Large, subject to the approval of the Board of Directors.  The Board of Directors shall approve the slate no later than July 1.

Section 3.       

The Nominating Committee shall send to the entire membership the names of the candidates eight weeks prior to the Annual Meeting.

Section 4.       

Nominations for all positions may also be made by petition signed by ten members in good standing, filed with the Chairperson of the Nominating Committee six weeks before the date of the Annual Meeting.

Section 5.       

Names of the Candidates for office will be sent to the entire membership four weeks before the Annual Meeting with a written ballot to be returned prior to the Annual Meeting.

Section 6.       

The Nominating Committee shall conduct the election.

Section 7.       

In the event of a tie vote for any Association office, the voting members of the current Board of Directors shall cast written ballots for one of the two candidates for that office.

Article II         Responsibilities of Officers

Section 1.       

The President shall preside at all meetings of the Association and Board of Directors, appoint all Committee Chairpersons with the approval of the Board of Directors, be empowered to sign contracts for the Association as approved by the Board and serve as an ex-officio member of all committees.

Section 2.       

The Vice President/President Elect shall be second in line of authority and shall act for the President as required.

Section 3        

The Secretary shall conduct correspondence as directed by the Board/President, be responsible for minutes of all Board and Association meetings, distribute copies of the minutes to Board members and notify Board members of the date, time, and place of the next meeting prior to that meeting.  The Board may, at its discretion, use the services of a paid secretary to perform duties directed by the Board.

Section 4.       

The Treasurer shall safeguard Association money by establishing one or more accounts for its funds and pay all bills after approval by the Board.  There shall be three signatures of record: i.e., President, Vice President/President Elect, and Treasurer.  Checks may be signed by any one of the aforementioned, upon approval of the Board.  The Treasurer shall also keep Association records, provide a full report of income and expense for each Board meeting, and provide other financial reports as required by the President or the Board.

Article III       Membership Dues

Section 1.       

All changes proposed for the current membership dues structure must be approved by the Board of Directors and submitted to the membership for adoption.

Article IV        Formation of Divisions

Section 1.       

Members of the Association who wish to form a new Division must present a signed petition and a statement of purpose for the proposed Division to the Board of Directors for approval.

Section 2.       

Upon approval by the Board of Directors, the members of the new Division shall hold elections for Division Officers and shall, within six months after formation, submit a proposed set of Division Bylaws to the Board of Directors for approval.

                       
BYLAWS AMENDED: September 2001