Health Sciences Library Association of Louisiana

HEALTH SCIENCES LIBRARY ASSOCIATION OF LOUISIANA BYLAWS

I. NAME OF ASSOCIATION.

The Association shall be known as the Health Sciences Library Association of Louisiana, hereinafter known as the Association. The Association may also be known by the acronym HSLAL. The parliamentary authority for the Association shall be the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised. These rules shall govern the Association in all cases where they are applicable and consistent with these Bylaws and any special rules of order adopted by the Association.

II. PURPOSE OF ASSOCIATION.

The purpose of the Association is to encourage and promote cooperation and communication among the librarians and library managers of health science institutions in the state of Louisiana. To this end, the Association is dedicated to the support of and the furtherance of programs which enhance the objectives of health sciences librarianship.

III. OBJECTIVES OF ASSOCIATION.

The objectives of the Association are to:

A. Promote the professional standing and recognition of librarians and library managers as important members of the health care delivery process;

B. Promote the use of and the recognition of the necessity of adequately supported libraries in health care institutions; and,

C. Promote programs of continuing education for members of the Association to improve the delivery of information in the health care process.

IV. MEMBERSHIP OF ASSOCIATION.

Membership in the Association is open to all persons interested in health sciences librarianship.

V. DUES OF ASSOCIATION.

The dues of the Association shall be assessed annually. The assessment shall be made on an annual, calendar-year basis. Dues shall be determined by a majority vote of members in a mail ballot. Notification of any proposed change in dues structure must be made to members by mail no less than thirty (30) days prior to the Annual Fall Meeting. The proposed change will be put to a preliminary ballot at the Annual Fall Meeting. If approved by a majority vote of members attending the Annual Fall Meeting, the proposed change must be confirmed by a majority vote in a mail ballot of the HSLAL membership. If confirmed, the dues change will become effective in the next calendar year. [Students enrolled in Library and Information Science programs will be granted complimentary membership upon graduation]
Section deleted 4/02

VI. OFFICERS OF ASSOCIATION

Officers of the Association must be working in a health sciences related institution in the state of Louisiana and must have been members of the Association a minimum of two (2) years. The Officers of the Association are: President, Vice-President/President-Elect, Secretary, and Treasurer.

A. President. The duties of the Office of President of the Association are to:
1. Preside at meetings of the Association, both planned and called;
2. Represent the Association at meetings of other professional organizations; and
3. Be an ex-officio member of all committees of the Association.

B. Vice-President. The duties of the Office of Vice-President/President-Elect of the Association are to:
1. Assume duties of President in his/her absence;
2. Represent the Association at meetings of other professional organizations; and
3. Serve as Chair of the Program Committee.
4. Appoint incoming committee chairs and members, and announce them at the Annual Fall Meeting. Their terms of office are outlined in Article IX.
5. Appoint a Parliamentarian, a Newsletter Editor, and any other positions deemed necessary. These appointments will serve a term concurrent with that officer’s presidential term.

C. Secretary. The duties of the Office of Secretary of the Association are to:
1. Cause an accurate record of the Association’s meetings to be kept and to distribute such to the membership in an expeditious manner;
2. Represent the Association at meetings of other professional organizations.

D. Treasurer. The duties of the Office of Treasurer of the Association are to:
1. Cause an accurate record to be kept of the financial affairs of the Association;
2. Keep the official record of current membership;
3. Receive dues payments and make assessments; and,
4. Represent the Association at meetings of other professional organizations.

VII. TERMS OF OFFICE

The officers of the Association shall serve a one-year term of office except the Treasurer, who shall serve a two-year term. In the event of a vacancy in any office, the Executive Committee shall be empowered by the Association to appoint a successor to complete the existing term of office. No appointee may succeed an office unless duly elected.

A. Elections. Election of officers shall be by mail ballot to the membership. Ballots shall be mailed to the membership no later than thirty (30) days prior to the Annual Fall Meeting. The deadline for returning ballots shall be three weeks after ballots are mailed. Ballots received after the deadline shall be destroyed without opening. The nominee receiving a majority of the votes cast shall be elected. In cases where there are more than two candidates, a plurality shall elect. If a tie occurs for any office, selection by the Nominating Committee from among the tied candidates shall be by lot.

B. Taking office. Elected officers shall take office at the close of the Annual Fall Meeting following their election and serve until the close of the annual meeting at the end of their terms of office or until their successors have been chosen and have assumed their duties.

VIII. MEETINGS OF ASSOCIATION.

Meetings of the Association are usually held twice a year. One meeting is always held in conjunction with the Annual Fall SCC/MLA Meeting. A second meeting is usually held in the spring. Other meetings may be called as needed either by the Executive Committee or by the President acting at the request of any member who presents a petition signed by ten (10) current members. No meeting shall be held without notification to the membership of no less than thirty (30) days prior to the planned date of the meeting.

IX. COMMITTEES OF ASSOCIATION.

The Executive Committee of the Association shall be composed of the four elected officers of the Association, and the immediate Past President. The Newsletter Editor shall be an ex-officio member. All other committees shall be composed of at least three (3) members. The immediate Past President shall be Chair of the Nominating Committee added 4/02. All remaining added 4/02 committee members are appointed by the Vice-President/President-Elect of the Association. With the exception of the Executive Committee, members shall serve staggered rotations of two years.

A. Executive Committee. The duties of the Executive Committee shall be to:
1. Supervise the affairs of the Association between its scheduled meetings;
2. Determine the dates of meetings;
3. Make recommendations to the Association; and,
4. Adopt the Association’s budget.

B. Program Committee. The Program Committee is chaired by the President-Elect. The duties of the Program Committee shall be to:
1. Plan a program to be presented as part of the Spring Meeting;
2. Present appropriate professional development or continuing education opportunities as are needed; and,
3. Propose the site of each meeting to the Executive Committee for approval.

C. Continuing Education Committee. The duties of the Continuing Education Committee shall be to:
1. Have responsibility for selecting appropriate CE opportunities to be presented in conjunction with the Spring Meeting or other meetings; and,
2. Work with the Executive Committee in securing any necessary financial support.

D. Membership Committee. The duties of the Membership Committee shall be to actively promote membership in the Association.

E. Nominating Committee. The duties of the Nominating Committee shall be to:
1. Prepare, annually, a slate of at least two nominees for each of the offices of the Association.
2. Secure written acknowledgment of a willingness to serve if elected from each nominee.
3. Conduct the election as specified in Section VII-A.
4. Maintain accurate records of the voting process and recording of ballots.

F. Newsletter Committee. The duties of the Newsletter Committee shall be to solicit and publish news and other informational articles of interest to the membership. The Newsletter Editor shall chair this committee.

G. Web Page Committee. The duties of the Web Page Committee shall be to acquire information about HSLAL and its members for inclusion on the web page and to provide online access for members to documents pertaining to HSLAL and its affiliations. The Web Page Editor shall chair this committee. The term of the Editor/Chair may be more than one year.

H. Other Committees. Other committees of the Association may be appointed by the Executive Committee on an ad-hoc basis as deemed necessary for conduct of Association business. The length of service on special committees is at the discretion of the members of the Executive Committee.

X. AMENDMENT OF BYLAWS.

Amendments to the Bylaws of the Association are made at the suggestion of a special ad-hoc Bylaws Committee, appointed by the Executive Committee when changes in the Bylaws are deemed necessary. All proposed changes in the Bylaws shall be disseminated to membership by mail no less than thirty (30) days prior to the meeting at which the proposed changes will be discussed. The proposed amendments will be put to a preliminary ballot at that meeting. If approved by a majority vote of members attending the meeting, the proposed amendments must be confirmed by a majority vote in a mail ballot of the HSLAL membership.

BYLAWS REVISION
Approved Spring, 2003 by mail ballot of HSLAL Membership.