Bylaws of the Association
- Name
- Mission
- Members
- Officers & Executive Board
- Nominations and Elections
- Annual Business Meeting
- Right of Petition
- Dues and Finance
- Committees
- Sections
- Round Tables
- Affiliation with Other Associations
- Parliamentary Authority
- Amendments
- Non-Discrimination Clause
- Conflicts of Interest
- Document Retention Policy
Article I — Name
The organization shall be called "The Rhode Island Library Association." Hereafter known as “the Association.”
Article II — Mission
The Rhode Island Library Association is a professional organization whose purpose is to promote libraries and librarianship and serve its members through career development, education, advocacy, networking partnerships and legislative action.
Article III — Members
Section 1.
The membership shall consist of Personal and Institutional members.
A. Personal Member: Any person currently engaged in library and information work or support or formerly engaged in library and information work or support, or any member (past or present) of a library and information center, governing or advisory body, or any student in or graduate of a school of library and information science, may become a personal member upon payment of dues as proved in Article VIII and shall have the right to vote and to hold office.
B. Institutional Member: Any library, institution or organization active in library service or support may become a member upon payment of dues as provided in Article VIII. An institutional member shall not have the right to vote.
C. Rights and Privileges: All members shall have the right to attend open meetings. Only personal members of the Association shall have the right to make motions, debate, petition and vote at the annual business meeting; and to petition, hold office, and vote in elections.
D. Suspension: The Executive Board may suspend an Association member for cause by a two-thirds (⅔) vote and may reinstate a suspended member by a two-thirds (⅔) vote.
ARTICLE IV — OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE BOARD
Section 1. Officers
A. The officers of the Association shall be the President, Vice President/President Elect, Treasurer, and Secretary.
B. The President shall preside over the activities of the organization and shall appoint the Chairs of all committees. They shall serve ex-officio on all committees.
C. The Vice President/President Elect shall preside in the absence of the President and shall perform any other duties delegated by the President. They shall become President when their predecessor’s term is over or upon the resignation of the President.
D. The Treasurer shall be responsible for the funds of the organization and keep accurate records of all transactions. They shall report on the finances of the organization to the Executive Board and to the membership at the annual meeting.
E. The Secretary shall keep minutes of meetings and archive the records of the organization. They shall perform any other functions delegated by the President or appropriate to the office.
Section 2. Executive Board
A. The Executive Board shall consist of the officers of the Association, the Immediate Past President, the American Library Association (ALA) Councilor, two (2) Members-at-Large, the NELA Representative, a Paraprofessional/Non-Librarian Representative, a representative from the RI Office of Library and Information Services (OLIS), a representative from the University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Library and Information Studies (GSLIS), and the Section Chairs. The representatives from OLIS and GSLIS will be ex officio, non-voting members of the Executive Board. All Executive Board members must be Association personal members in good standing.
B. The Executive Board may subcontract staff to carry out the purposes, policies, and programs of the Association.
C. The Executive Board can enter into liaison relationships with other library related groups, agencies and associations at the Board’s discretion. These liaisons are considered as ex officio, non-voting members of the Executive Board.
D. The Executive Board shall meet at least 10 times each year at the call of the President.
E. A quorum of the Executive Board shall be a simple majority of the voting board members.
F. Any Association member may attend an Executive Board meeting, but shall not have the right to vote. Non-board members may not be present in the event that the Executive Board convenes an Executive Session.
G. Special meetings may be called by the President and/or the majority vote of the Board or may be called upon the written request of twenty Association members. Except in cases of emergency, three business days notice shall be given. The business transacted at any special meeting shall be limited to that in the call to the meeting. Meetings may be held remotely as necessary.
H. Any member of the Board may resign at any time by giving written notice to the Board. The resignation shall take effect at the time specified in such notice, and unless otherwise specified in such notice, acceptance shall not be necessary to make it effective.
I. Roles and Responsibilities: The Executive Board has fiduciary responsibility for the Association and manages the affairs of the Association.
J. Votes by Mail/Electronic voting: The President may authorize votes for the transaction of business outside scheduled meetings by either mail or electronic vote. Quorum as outlined in the bylaws will apply to votes taken by mail or electronic voting.
ARTICLE V — NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS
Section 1. Nominations
A. The Nominating Committee shall submit a slate to the Executive Board according to the following schedule:
- At least one (1) candidate for Vice President/President-Elect, annually;
- At least one (1) candidate for Secretary, Treasurer, Members-at-Large, and Paraprofessional/Non-Librarian, bi-annually (every two (2) years);
- At least one (1) candidate for ALA Councilor and one (1) candidate for the NELA Representative, every three years.
B. Those members interested in nominating themselves for any positions on the Executive Board, should complete a Right of Petition at least 60 days before the annual business meeting. The petition must have 20 signatures of members of the Association supporting the person for the nomination. This would allow the name to be included in the Nominating Committee’s presentation of names to the Executive Board.
C. The report of the Nominating Committee shall be submitted to the Executive Board at least 60 days prior to the annual business meeting.
D. Nominees must be Association personal members in good standing.
E. Board members may be nominated for reelection, but may serve no more than two (2) full consecutive terms.
F. Terms - All terms for newly elected board members begin at the adjournment of the Annual Meeting of the Association. The elected Vice-President/President Elect, President and Immediate Past President each serve one-year terms. The Secretary, Treasurer, and Members-at-Large each serve two-year terms. The ALA Councilor and NELA Representative each serve three-year terms.
Section 2. Election Procedures
A. The Chair of the Nominating Committee shall deliver a copy of the ballot, using procedures approved by the Executive Board, to each voting member not less than 30 days prior to the annual business meeting. Ballots shall be returned to the current Chair of the Nominating Committee at the board meeting prior to the annual business meeting.
B. The current RILA President shall certify the results of the election, which shall be determined by the tally of the Chair of the Nominating Committee, and shall notify each candidate and each member of the current Executive Board of such results.
C. Newly elected board members shall take office at the conclusion of the annual business meeting.
Section 3. Vacancies
A. A vacancy in the elected membership of the Executive Board shall be filled by Executive Board appointment, and the person appointed will serve until the next election. A vacancy in the office of Immediate-Past President shall be filled by a past president of the Association and be appointed by the Executive Board.
B. The Vice-President/President-Elect shall complete the unexpired term of the president in case of a vacancy in that office. If the Vice President/President-Elect is unable to serve in this capacity, the Nominating Committee shall present names of candidates to the Executive Board, who shall elect a President to serve for the duration of the term of office.
ARTICLE VI — ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING
Section 1.
The Association shall hold an Annual Business Meeting.
Section 2.
Ten (10) percent of the members eligible to vote shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at an Association meeting.
Section 3.
Meetings shall be conducted according to Robert’s Rules of Order (current edition).
ARTICLE VII — MEMBERSHIP REFERENDA
Section 1. Voting at the Annual Business Meeting
A. The membership of the Association may petition to place an item of business before the membership at the annual business meeting. This petition must have 20 signatures of voting members of the Association and be presented to the Executive Board at least 60 days before the annual business meeting.
B. The text of a petition and the signatories of the petition shall be made available to the membership no less than 30 days prior to the annual business meeting.
C. For a petition to succeed a two-thirds majority shall be required, provided that at least 10 percent of the eligible members vote.
ARTICLE VIII — DUES AND FINANCE
Section 1.
Dues shall be payable annually on a rolling basis. Dues shall be payable when the previous year’s membership has expired.
Section 2. Changes in Dues Structure
A. Changes in the dues structure shall be recommended by the Executive Board for approval by the membership not less than 30 days prior to the annual meeting.
B. A majority vote shall be required in order to change the dues structure, provided that at least 10 percent of eligible members vote.
Section 3.
The fiscal year of the Association shall begin January 1 and end December 31.
Section 4. Financial Reporting
A. The Treasurer will provide a current financial statement, which includes the association's budget vs. actual, balance sheets, and cash flow statement to the Executive Board at each meeting.
B. A review of all accounts shall be made every 3 years by a commercial auditor in accordance with applicable Rhode Island law.
ARTICLE IX — COMMITTEES
Section 1.
The President, in consultation with the Executive Board, shall appoint standing and other committees and designate the chair of each committee.
Section 2. Standing Committees
The following shall constitute the standing committees of the Association: Budget and Finance, Conference, Membership, Nominating, Legislative Action, Intellectual Freedom, and Communications.
Section 3.
The committee chair, in consultation with the Executive Board, has the autonomy to select the members and to determine the size of the committee with the exclusion of the Budget and Finance Committee and the Nominating Committee.
Section 4.
Appointments to a committee, with the exception of the Budget and Finance Committee, shall be for two (2) years unless otherwise specified by the Executive Board.
A. Membership of the Budget and Finance Committee shall include: the Treasurer as Chair; the President, the Vice President/President Elect; and two (2) other members appointed by the President for a one year renewable term. B. Membership of the Nominating Committee shall include: the Immediate Past President as Chair and at least four (4) other members chosen by the Chair, in consultation with the current Executive Board.
Section 5.
The President and Vice President/President-Elect are ex officio members of all committees, but do not have the right to vote in committees. (Except for the Budget and Finance Committee, where the President and Vice President/President-Elect are full voting members).
ARTICLE X — SECTIONS
Section 1. Organization
Fifteen (15) or more members of the Association interested in the same general field of activity or same type of library may petition the Executive Board for approval to organize a section. The petition must state the purpose of and need for the proposed section. Each section has autonomy over and responsibility for the conduct of its own affairs consistent with the Executive Board.
Section 2. Membership
Sectional membership shall be limited to personal members of the Association. Sections shall appoint a representative to the Executive Board as a voting member. The section must maintain a minimum of 15 members at all times.
Section 3. Finances
Sections may charge dues, issue publications, and carry on activities consistent with their own interests. All Section funds, regardless of source, shall be in the custody of the Treasurer and shall be disbursed by the Treasurer upon recommendation of the Section officers. Sections shall be self-supporting.
Section 4. Reports
Each section will submit a report of its activities to the President, prior to the annual business meeting, or when otherwise requested.
Section 5. Dissolution
By vote of the Executive Board, a Section may be discontinued when its usefulness ceases or upon the recommendation of the Section itself.
ARTICLE XI — ROUND TABLES
Section 1.
The Executive Board may authorize the formation of a round table of at least 10 members of the Association who are interested in the same subject or topic not within the scope of any existing committee or section upon the petition by such a group. The Round Table must maintain a minimum of 10 members at all times.
Section 2.
Round tables may elect officers. Any member of the Association may become a member of any round table by complying with the requirements of membership. Round table chairs may participate in Executive Board meetings but shall not have the right to vote. Round table chairs shall submit reports to the Executive Board when requested by the President.
Section 3.
By vote of the Executive Board a Round table may be discontinued when its usefulness ceases or upon the recommendation of the Round table itself.
ARTICLE XII — AFFILIATION WITH OTHER ASSOCIATIONS
Section 1.
ALA – The Rhode Island Library Association is a chapter of the American Library Association and is entitled to one (1) councilor. The councilor shall be elected by members of the Association and shall serve for three (3) years, or until their successor is elected and qualified and shall automatically serve as a member of the Executive Board. The ALA councilor must be a member in good standing of both ALA and the Association. The duties of the ALA councilor shall be those outlined by the American Library Association.
Section 2.
NELA – The Rhode Island Library Association is one of six New England state affiliates to the New England Library Association (NELA). NELA bylaws call for a Rhode Island representative to the NELA Executive Board by the vote of the Association members. The NELA Representative shall be elected to a three (3) year term and serve as a voting member of the Executive Board. The NELA representative must be a member in good standing of both NELA and the Association. The duties of the NELA Representative shall be to represent RILA at NELA conferences and on the NELA Executive Board.
ARTICLE XIII — PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
The rules contained in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern the Association in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with this constitution.
ARTICLE XIV — AMENDMENTS
A. These bylaws may be amended through the same Election process used in the election of the Executive Board, provided that the proposed amendment has been submitted to the membership at least 30 days prior to the meeting.
B. Editorial Changes: The Executive Board may make such editorial changes in these bylaws as do not change their substance and meaning.
C. Bylaws review: These bylaws shall be subject to review at least every (3) years.
ARTICLE XV — NON-DISCRIMINATION CLAUSE
No person shall be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination in any program or activity available through the Rhode Island Library Association on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, creed, political belief, age, national origin, linguistic and language difference, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, socio-economic status, height, weight, marital or familial status, or disability.
ARTICLE XVI - CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
The Board shall adopt and maintain a Conflict of Interest policy, adopted by separate resolution, which shall be incorporated into these Bylaws by reference.
ARTICLE XVII - DOCUMENT RETENTION POLICY
The board shall adopt and periodically review a document retention policy to protect and manage the Association’s data and information.
Approved by the membership November 1, 1981.
Amended by the membership November 1983; November 1985; May 1986; May 1988; June 1990; November 1991; November 1994; June 1998; May 2010; May 2015; May 2017; May 2019; May 2022; May 2024.