Bylaws
Bylaws of the New York-New Jersey Chapter of the Medical Library Association
ARTICLE I. NAME AND BOUNDARIES
Section 1. Name
The name of this organization shall be the “New York-New Jersey Chapter of the Medical Library Association, Inc.”
Section 2. Boundaries
The boundaries of this Chapter shall be those counties south of and including Sullivan, Ulster, and Dutchess in the State of New York and all counties in the State of New Jersey.
ARTICLE II. PURPOSEThe purpose of the New York-New Jersey Chapter of the Medical Library Association, Inc. shall be to provide leadership to its members in defining and developing the profession of health sciences librarianship and health sciences information through advocacy, recruitment, networking, professional development, communication, and recognition of professional accomplishments.
ARTICLE III. MEMBERSHIPSection 1. Members
A. Membership shall be open to persons who are engaged or interested in library or information services in the health sciences or allied fields. Both members and non-members of the Medical Library Association (MLA) may belong to the Chapter.
B. Members for ten (10) consecutive years immediately prior to retirement for reasons of health or age may request Emeritus Member status. They share all rights and privileges and are not required to pay dues.
Section 2. Rights and Privileges
A. Voting Members of this Chapter shall consist of all members, except that only Voting Members of the Medical Library Association shall be qualified to move or to vote on recommendations to the Chapter Council regarding MLA policies or actions; to vote on the selection of a candidate for the MLA Nominating Committee; or to vote on the selection of the Chapter’s Representative and Alternate Representative to the Chapter Council.
B. Officers of the Chapter must be Voting Members of the Medical Library Association.
Section 3. Dues
A. Dues shall be determined by a majority vote of those present and eligible to vote at the annual business meeting of the Chapter. Any changes in the dues amount will become effective the calendar year following acceptance. Chapter dues shall not exceed MLA membership dues for Regular Members.
B. Chapter dues shall be assessed on joining the Chapter and thereafter on receipt of an invoice from the Chapter on an annual basis at the beginning of the fiscal year.
C. If dues are unpaid by ninety (90) days after the beginning of the fiscal year, the dues shall be considered in arrears and without further notice the member shall be suspended from all rights and privileges.
ARTICLE IV. MEETINGSSection 1. Regular Meetings
There shall be one (1) regular meeting each fiscal year which shall be called the Annual Meeting and which shall include the Chapter’s annual business meeting. Additional meetings may be held. All meetings shall be held at a time and place convenient for members.
Section 2. Notice
Notice of all regular and special meetings shall be disseminated to the membership at least thirty (30) days in advance of the meeting date.
Section 3. Quorum
At all regular and special meetings the presence of 10% of the voting members shall constitute a quorum.
ARTICLE V. OFFICERSSection 1. Officers and Term of Office
A. The elective officers of the Chapter shall be the Chair, the Vice Chair/Chair-Elect, the Secretary, the Treasurer, the Treasurer-Elect, the Immediate Past Chair, the Chapter Council Representative, the Alternate Chapter Council Representative, and four (4) members of the Executive Board.
B. The officers shall be nominated and elected as provided by Article V, Section 3 of these Bylaws. Each officer shall take office at the close of the Annual Meeting of the Chapter, except that the terms of the Chapter Council Representative and the Alternate Chapter Council. Representative shall begin at the close of the Annual Meeting of the Medical Library Association. Each officer shall serve until a successor shall have been duly chosen and qualified, or until the office is resigned.
C. No officer may serve consecutive terms in the same office, but may be re-nominated for the office after a period of four (4) years.
Section 2. Duties
A. Chair
The Chair shall hold office for a term of one (1) year. The Chair shall preside over all meetings; represent the Chapter at all times and on all occasions not in conflict with any other officer’s defined duties and responsibilities; and perform all duties pertaining to the office. The Chair shall submit an Annual Report to MLA Headquarters by the date requested and shall submit annually to the Executive Board nominations for members of all non-elective standing committees and a Parliamentarian. The Chair shall be an ex-officio member of all committees except the Nominating Committee.
B. Vice Chair/Chair-Elect
The Vice Chair shall be Chair-Elect and hold office for a term of one (1) year. In the absence of or at the request of the Chair, the Vice Chair shall perform the duties and exercise the functions of the Chair.
C. Immediate Past Chair
The Immediate Past Chair shall hold office for a term of one (1) year and shall serve on the Executive Board.
D. Secretary
The term of office of the Secretary shall be two (2) years. The Secretary shall record Minutes of the meetings of the Executive Board and Chapter meetings. The Secretary shall conduct the official correspondence and shall retain copies of all letters and communications received and written on behalf of the Chapter. The Secretary shall perform any related duties assigned by the Executive Board.
E. Treasurer
The term of office of the Treasurer shall be two (2) years. The Treasurer shall be responsible for all monies and funds belonging to the Chapter and shall be Chair of the Fiscal Policy Committee.
F. Treasurer-Elect.
The term of office of Treasurer-Elect shall be for one (1) year. The Treasurer-Elect shall assist the Treasurer in his or her duties, shall serve as Treasurer whenever the Treasurer is unable to do so, and shall perform any related duties assigned by the Executive Board. The Treasurer-Elect shall be a member of the Fiscal Policy Committee. The Treasurer-Elect shall assume the office of Treasurer without the need for election at the end of one (1) year of service on the Executive Board as Treasurer-Elect.
G. Chapter Council Representative
The term of office of Chapter Council Representative shall be three (3) years beginning at the close of the Annual Meeting of the Medical Library Association. The Chapter Council Representative shall represent the Chapter on the MLA Chapter Council by attending the meetings of the Council; shall transmit to the Council recommendations that have been approved by the Chapter; and shall communicate Council business to the officers and membership of this Chapter.
H. Alternate Chapter Council Representative
The term of office of Alternate Chapter Council Representative shall be three (3) years beginning at the close of the annual meeting of the Medical Library Association. The Alternate Chapter Council Representative shall attend the meetings of the Chapter Council; shall serve as Representative whenever the Representative is unable to do so; and shall assume the office of Representative and serve out the unexpired term should the Representative become unable to complete the term of office.
I. Member of the Executive Board
The term of office of Member shall be two (2) years. The Members represent the interests of the membership at large on the Executive Board.
Section 3. Nominations and Elections
A. The Nominating Committee shall prepare annually a slate of at least one, but more are preferred, nominee(s) for Chair-Elect and for each elective officer whose term expires. Provisions may also be made for other forms of nomination, such as by petition.
B. Ballots shall be distributed to the voting membership by the Nominating Committee at least thirty (30) days prior to the Chapter’s Annual Meeting and shall be received by the Chapter Nominating Committee by the date previously announced for counting ballots. Candidates shall be declared elected upon receiving a majority of the votes cast. Where there are more than two candidates, a plurality shall elect. This deadline shall be prior to the last Chapter business meeting of the fiscal year and shall conform to the required date for submittal of results to MLA headquarters.
C. The Nominating Committee shall present a written report of the election results to the Chapter Chair. The Chair of the Nominating Committee shall report the names of the candidates elected, but not the tallies. The Nominating Committee Chair shall likewise inform the Chapter Secretary and Web Page Chair of the election results, again, without including the tallies. The elected slate of officers shall be posted on communication vehicles commonly in use by the Chapter.
Section 4. Vacancies
A. A vacancy arising in the office of Chair shall be filled by the Vice Chair/Chair-Elect, who shall cease to be Vice Chair/Chair-Elect; shall serve out the unexpired term of the Chair; and shall continue as Chair for the succeeding term to which he or she was elected.
B. A vacancy arising in the office of Treasurer shall be filled by the Treasurer-Elect, who shall cease to be Treasurer-Elect; shall serve out the unexpired term of the Treasurer; and shall continue as Treasurer for the succeeding term to which he or she was elected.
C A vacancy arising in the office of Representative of Chapter Council shall be filled by the Alternate Representative, who shall cease to be Alternate Representative and shall serve out the unexpired term of the Representative.
D. The Executive Board shall appoint a member to fill any other vacancy in an elected office, that member to serve until the next election.
Section 5. Candidate for the MLA Nominating Committee
A. The name of one (1) Voting Member of the Medical Library Association, chosen by the Nominating Committee and approved by the membership of this Chapter, shall be submitted each year to the Chapter Council as a potential candidate for membership on the MLA Nominating Committee. This submission shall be made to the Council before its final assembly at the MLA Annual Meeting. The potential candidate shall prepare a biographical statement and a signed statement of willingness-to-serve if elected as a member of the MLA Nominating Committee.
B. No person shall consent to being a potential candidate or a candidate for membership on the MLA Nominating Committee who is already such a potential candidate or candidate from some other unit of the Medical Library Association. No candidate for membership on the MLA Nominating Committee shall also be a candidate for an elective office of the Medical Library Association, or vice versa.
C. No one shall serve on the MLA Nominating Committee as a voting member for more than one term during a period of five (5) years.
ARTICLE VI. EXECUTIVE BOARDSection 1. Membership
The Executive Board shall consist of the elected officers and the Parliamentarian, who serves as an ex-officio, non-voting member.
Section 2. Duties
The Executive Board shall have general supervision of the affairs of the Chapter between its business meetings; fix the time and place of meetings; make recommendations to the membership; and shall perform such other duties as are specified in these Bylaws and by the parliamentary authority adopted by the organization.
Section 3. Quorum
At all meetings of the Executive Board, the presence of six (6) members shall constitute a quorum.
ARTICLE VII. COMMITTEESSection 1. Standing Committees
Non-elective standing committees shall consist of Advocacy, Archives, Bylaws, Fiscal Policy, Networking, Professional Development, Professional Recognition, Recruitment, and Strategic Planning. Other Standing Committees may be established by the Executive Board subject to approval by the membership through amendment of these Bylaws. Neither the Chair nor the Chair-Elect shall serve on or appoint members to the Nominating Committee. The Nominating Committee shall choose its own Chair. The Nominating Committee shall consist of five (5) members, two (2) members to be elected during even-numbered years and three (3) members to be elected during odd-numbered years. Each shall serve a term of two (2) years.
Section 2. Special Committees
The Chapter Chair shall appoint such other committees as are necessary with the advice and consent of the Executive Board.
Section 3. Committee Chairs
The Chairs of all committees shall be Voting Members of the MLA.
Section 4. Committee Responsibilities
The work of all non-elective committees shall be under the charge of the Executive Board. Each committee shall submit an annual report of its activities to the Chapter Chair prior to the compilation of the Annual Chapter Report for submission to MLA headquarters.
ARTICLE VIII. FINANCESection 1. Fiscal Year
The fiscal year of this Chapter shall be the calendar year.
Section 2. Financial Obligation
No member is authorized to incur any financial obligation without the approval of the Executive Board.
Section 3. Audit
The Executive Board shall select as auditor a qualified person who is not a Chapter member. The financial records of the Chapter shall be audited annually and the results reported to the membership.
Section 4. Liabilities and Obligations
In the event of dissolution of the Chapter, the assets of the Chapter, after satisfaction of all just liabilities and obligations thereof, shall be distributed to the Medical Library Association.
ARTICLE IX. PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITYSection 1. Rules
The rules contained in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern the chapter in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these Bylaws and any special rules of order the Chapter may adopt.
Section 2. Parliamentarian
A Parliamentarian shall be appointed by the Chair to serve a term concurrent with that of the Chair. This person may be reappointed to serve additional terms. The Parliamentarian shall serve as an ex-officio member of the Bylaws Committee.
ARTICLE X. AMENDMENT OF BYLAWSThese bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds vote, provided that the amendment has been submitted in writing to the membership at least thirty (30) days prior to the vote being taken. [Refer to the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order.]
December 14, 1981
Amended October, 1982
Amended October, 1983
Amended November 1, 1985
Amended October 31, 1986
Amended October 23, 1987
Amended November 2, 1988
Amended November 2, 1989
Revised November 15, 1990
Amended October 26, 1992
Amended October 18, 1993
Amended September 11, 1994
Revised/Amended October 23, 1995
Revised October 28, 1997
Amended October 19, 1999
Amended October 4, 2004
Amended September 30, 2005
Corrected August 8, 2010
Amended October 6, 2010
Amended August 15, 2016
Last updated August 16, 2016
©2016 NY-NJ Chapter of the Medical Library Association