BylawsBylaws of MARYLAND ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL LIBRARIANS Revised April 2015 Accepted by Membership: May 2015 Revised May 2018 Accepted by Membership November 2018 Revised May 2021 Accepted by Membership July 2021 Revised May 2022 Accepted by Membership October 2022
ARTICLE I. NAME. The name of this organization shall be Maryland Association of School Librarians (MASL), hereinafter referred to as the Organization.
ARTICLE II. MISSION AND VALUES. SECTION 1. MISSION. MASL engages the school library community by providing opportunities for growth, leadership, innovation, and advocacy.
SECTION 2. VALUES.
ARTICLE III. MEMBERS. SECTION 1. MEMBERSHIP.
ARTICLE IV. MEETINGS. SECTION 1. ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of the members of the Organization shall be held virtually or face to face each year on a day to be designated by the Executive Board and to adopt the budget.
SECTION 2. MEETING LOCATIONS. All meetings can be held virtually or face to face at a location in the State of Maryland as designated by the Executive Board.
SECTION 3. MEETING NOTICES. The membership shall be informed of dates and locations of Executive Board Meetings. All members are welcome to attend.
SECTION 4. QUORUM. 50% of the Executive Board at any business meeting shall constitute a quorum.
SECTION 5. CONDUCT OF MEETINGS. Meetings of Members shall be presided over by the President or, if he/she is not present, by the President Elect, or, if neither of said Officers is present, by a representative previously designated by the President. The Secretary of the Organization shall act as secretary of such meetings; in the absence of the secretary, the presiding officer may appoint a person to act as secretary of the meeting.
SECTION 6. VOTING. Each membership shall entitle the holder thereof to one vote. Except to the extent provided by law, all other actions shall be by a simple majority of the votes cast. Any action requiring a vote of membership may be called in a physical meeting or may be cast electronically. Electronic votes require written notice to membership and a minimum of a 7 day window for voting.
SECTION 7. RULES OF ORDER. Robert’s Rules of Order, Revised shall be the parliamentary authority for this Association.
SECTION 8. BYLAWS. The Bylaws of the Organization shall be available to Members via the Organization website.These bylaws may be amended at any regular meeting of the Organization by majority vote of those members present, or by vote via email, provided that the amendment has been submitted to the members in the newsletter prior to the meeting. Bylaws will be effective immediately after acceptance by the members and Executive Board.
ARTICLE V. EXECUTIVE BOARD.
SECTION 1: COMPOSITION OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD. The Executive Board shall consist of President, President Elect, Past President, Secretary, Treasurer, AASL Affiliate Assembly Delegate (hereinafter referred to as Delegate), three members-at-large and chairperson(s) from each Standing Committees. The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) representative will be an ex-Officio member. 1. Eligibility. Only a member in good standing of this organization shall be eligible to serve as a member of the Executive Board. A member in good standing is defined as an active, paid member for at least a year, and a member of the school library profession (school librarian, supervisor of school libraries, etc.). 2. Standing and Special Committees. The Executive Board may establish standing or special committees as it may deem necessary to promote the purposes and carry on the work of this Organization. 3. Action Plans. The Chair of each Standing Committee will present an annual action plan of work to the Executive Board for approval by June of each year. No committee work shall be undertaken without an annual plan approved by the Executive Board. Action Plans will also include a projected budget to accomplish its goals. 4. Committee Chairs. The chair of each Committee shall be appointed by the Executive Board of the Organization and shall be a member of the Organization.
SECTION 2. OFFICERS AND THEIR ELECTION. 1. Election, Tenure and Compensation.
2. Candidate Qualifications Committee. In January, the candidate qualifications committee, composed of 3 members, who shall be appointed by the Executive Board, will convene. The committee shall be headed by the Elections chairperson. 3. Ballot of Officers. Said committee shall prepare a ballot of Officers and report to the membership by March 15th. All nominees must be members of the Organization for a period of at least one year. 4. Election Results. Said committee shall make provisions for the tally of votes and notification of the candidates of the results. A simple plurality of the vote for each office shall prevail. These results shall be presented to the membership upon completion of the voting process. 5. Terms for Officers. A.The position of President is a three-year term. The position of President-elect is voted on each year. The second year, that member assumes the position of President. The third year that member assumes the position of Past President. A President may not serve more than one consecutive term except in extraordinary circumstances. B.The candidate for president-elect must have served in another leadership capacity in the Organization prior to the nomination to this position. C. The Treasurer and the AASL Delegate are elected for two-year terms and may be re-elected once. D. All other elected members of the Executive Board are elected for one year terms and may be re-elected once. E. No elected Board member may serve more than two consecutive terms except in extraordinary circumstances. 6. Assumptions of Duties. All Executive Board members shall assume their positions July 1.
SECTION 3 EXECUTIVE BOARD RESPONSIBILITIES. Removal of Executive Board Members. If any member of the Executive Board shall at any time cease to meet the qualifications or fulfill the duties of the position, that person may be removed from the board by resolution adopted by the Executive Board. Standing Committee Chair. Each Chair of a Standing Committee is required to attend all Executive Board meetings. If the Chair of the Standing Committee is unable to attend a meeting, then a representative should attend and act as the duly authorized agent. If the Chair or representative of a Standing Committee fails to attend three or more meetings, the Elected Board members shall have the authority to remove the person from the position of Standing Committee Chair. Subcommittee Chairs. Standing Committee Chairs shall hold Subcommittee Chairs to the same standard outlined in Standing Committee Chairs. Resignations. An Executive Board member may resign at any time by giving written notice to the Executive Board. Unless otherwise specified in the notice, the resignation shall take effect upon receipt thereof by the Executive Board or such Officer. Acceptance of such resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective.
SECTION 4: VACANCIES. Newly created memberships or vacancies in the Executive Board may be filled by a vote of the majority of the Executive Board. Vacancies occurring by reason of the removal of an Officer shall be filled by a vote of the members. An Officer elected to fill a vacancy caused by resignation, death, or removal shall be elected to hold office for the unexpired term of his predecessor.
SECTION 5: MEETINGS OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD. 1. Annual Meeting of the Executive Board. A regular Annual Meeting of the Executive Board shall be held within 60 days following the Annual Meeting of Members. All other meetings shall be held at such time and place as shall be fixed by the President in accordance with the by-laws.
2. Meeting Notices: Regularly Scheduled Meetings. No notice shall be required for regular meetings of the Executive Board for which the time and place have been fixed.
SECTION 6: OFFICER REMOVAL. At any meeting held to remove one or more Officers, a quorum shall consist of a majority of the Executive Board Members. Except to the extent provided by law and these ByLaws, the act of the Executive Board shall be by a majority of the Executive Board. Any action authorized by resolution, in writing, by the Executive Board and filed with the minutes of the Organization, shall be the act of the Executive Board with the same force and effect as if the same had been passed by unanimous vote at a duly called meeting of the Executive Board.
SECTION 7: EXECUTIVE BOARD PRESIDERS. The President shall preside at all meetings of the Executive Board. In the absence of the President, the President Elect shall preside. If the President-Elect is also absent any other officer designated by the President or President-Elect shall preside.
ARTICLE VI: OFFICERS. SECTION 1: EXECUTIVE BOARD OFFICERS. The Officers of the Organization shall be the President, President-Elect, Past President, Secretary, Treasurer, and three Members at Large.
SECTION 2: DUTIES OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD OFFICERS. 1. Duties of the President. The President shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the Organization, shall have the responsibility for the general management of the affairs of the Organization, and shall carry out the resolutions of the Executive Board. The President shall preside over the meetings of the Organization and its Executive Board, shall appoint such committees as are necessary to conduct the Organization’s business, shall serve as exofficio on such committees, and shall be the official representative of the Organization before the public and other educational bodies.
2. Duties of the President Elect. During the absence of the President of the Organization, the President-Elect, shall have all the powers and functions of the President. The President-Elect shall perform such duties as may be prescribed by the Executive Board from time to time. The President- Elect shall be a member of the Advocacy committee.
3. Duties of the Past President. The Past President shall be President of the Organization should the office become vacant, shall act in an advisory capacity to the President, and shall assume other responsibilities as assigned by the President.The Past President shall be a member of the Professional Development Committee. 4. Duties of the Treasurer.
5. Duties of the Secretary.
6. Duties of the AASL Chapter Assembly Delegate. The Delegate shall represent the Organization at AASL Affiliate meetings as authorized by the Executive Board.
7. Duties of the Members-at-Large
8. Duties of the MSDE Representative
ARTICLE VII: COMMITTEES. SECTION 1: ELIGIBILITY TO SERVE. Only members of this organization shall be eligible to serve on any Standing or Special Committee. SECTION 2: CREATION OF STANDING COMMITTEES. The President may create a Standing Committee as deemed necessary to promote or carry on the work of the Organization. SECTION 3: FORMATION OF SPECIAL COMMITTEES. The power to form special committees rests with the President. The Executive Board shall appoint its members. SECTION 4: TERM LIMITS. Committee Chairpersons cannot serve more than 3 years consecutively on any one committee in the same position or capacity. Following the 3 years of service, members must wait one year before reapplying to serve on that committee in the same capacity or position as before, unless otherwise approved by the Executive Board. ARTICLE IIX: MISCELLANEOUS. SECTION 1: FISCAL YEAR. The fiscal year of the Organization shall be July 1 through June 30th. SECTION 2: BYLAWS. 1. Amendments. These bylaws may be amended at any regular meeting of the Organization by majority vote of those members present, provided that the amendment has been submitted to the members 30 days prior to the meeting. Bylaws will be effective immediately after acceptance by the members Section 3: Nondiscrimination. The Organization will comply with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. ARTICLE IX. AFFILIATION. SECTION 1. AFFILIATION. The Organization, by two-thirds vote of the entire Executive Board may affiliate with such associations as it deems appropriate. SECTION 2. TERMINATION OF AFFILIATION. The Executive Board, by two-thirds vote of the entire Board, may terminate its affiliation with any such association. ARTICLE X. MEMORIAL FUND. SECTION 1. ESTABLISHMENT OF MEMORIAL FUND. A Memorial Fund shall be established for the purpose of accepting private memorial contributions to be expended annually, where adequate requests for funds are made for specific purposes related to the improvement of school library media programs in Maryland. SECTION 2. ADMINISTRATION OF MEMORIAL FUND. A Memorial Fund shall be administered solely by the Executive Board, which shall approve all expenditures by a quorum vote. Expenditures may be made from the capital or the income of the Memorial Fund by a quorum vote of the Board. SECTION 3. EXPENDITURES OF MEMORIAL FUND. Annual expenditures may be made from the Memorial Fund for purposes such as cash grants to recipients of awards, scholarships or grants. Decisions for expenditures shall be determined by a quorum vote of the Executive Board. |