ARTICLE I
Name
The name of this organization shall be the Video Round Table (VRT) of the American Library Association (ALA).
ARTICLE II
Purposes
The purposes of this organization shall be (1) to provide a forum for the discussion of video collections, services, and technologies in libraries of all types; (2) to serve as a communications channel for matters relating to video in libraries and video librarianship; (3) to promote a greater opportunity for involvement among the members of ALA in matters pertaining to video; (4) to function as an advocate to the effective collection development and use of video in libraries and; (5) to provide a forum for communicating with producers and distributors of video and with film and video organizations of the ALA.
ARTICLE III
Section 1. Any personal member of the ALA who is interested in the purposes of this Round Table shall be eligible for personal membership upon payment of annual dues. A personal member shall have the right to vote and shall act in accordance with the stated purposes of the Round Table.
Section 2. Any institutional member of ALA may become an institutional member of the VRT upon payment of annual dues. Institutional members shall be nonvoting members.
Section 3. The dues of the VRT shall be payable annually. The dues shall be as follows:
Personal: $15.00; Corporate: $25.00
ARTICLE IV
Officers
Section 1. The officers of the VRT shall include a Chair; a Chair-elect who shall serve as Vice-chair; a Secretary; and a Treasurer, all of whom shall be personal members in good standing of the VRT and the ALA. (meaning current active member status-paid dues, not holding more than three (3) concurrent ALA offices, and abiding by all other by-laws of ALA and VRT).
Section 2. The term of office for the Chair and Vice-chair shall be one (1) year, from the end of one Annual Meeting to the end of the following Annual Meeting. Persons shall be eligible for re-election to the office of Vice-chair after a minimum interval of one (1) year out of office of the Chair.
Section 3. The term of office for the Secretary shall be two (2) years; terms shall commence at the end of an Annual Meeting and continue through the end of the second successive Annual Meeting. Persons shall be eligible for re-election after a minimum interval of one (1) year out of office.
Section 4. The term of office for the treasurer shall be two years; terms shall commence at the end of an Annual Meeting and continue through the end of the second successive Annual Meeting. Persons shall be eligible for re-election after a minimum interval of one (1) year out of office.
Section 5. At the Midwinter business meeting, the Nominating Committee shall present the Executive Committee with a slate of officers for the upcoming year. This slate shall contain at least two nominees for every office to be filled at the annual election. Members shall be informed of the committee's slate by mail; a member not on the slate may be nominated for any office by a signed petition of fifteen (15) members. Nominations shall be closed on April 1; ballots shall be mailed to all VRT members in good standing at least six weeks prior to the ALA Annual Conference and must be returned on or before the date established for return of the ALA Council ballot.
Section 6. Succession
A. If a vacancy occurs in the office of chair, the chair-elect shall succeed him or her.
B. If a vacancy occurs in any other elected office prior to April 1, and one (1) year or more remains the terms, the Nominating Committee shall propose at least two (2) candidates to fill the unexpired term of the vacant office(s). Voting will be conducted at the next regular Round Table election.
C. If a vacancy occurs with less than one (1) year remaining in the term, or after
April 1 with more than one year remaining in the term, the chair will appoint a replacement to serve out the unexpired term, subject to confirmation by a majority of the Executive Committee. This vote may be cast by phone or mail at the discretion of the chair.
Section 7. No member shall hold more than one office (on the Executive Committee) at any time. This does not pertain to liaison positions. (Also, refer to ALA By-laws, "no member shall hold more than three (3) concurrent offices").
ARTICLE V
Section 1. The Annual Meeting of the VRT shall take place during the Annual ALA Conference and shall include a report of the Executive Committee to the members of its active, in the interim between Membership Meetings.
Section 2. Special meetings may be called by the Executive Committee and shall be called upon a written request of ten (10) members of the Round Table. One (1) month's notice shall be required (or any special meeting).
Section 3. Ten (10) members in good standing shall constitute a quorum at any meeting of the Round Table.
Section 4. Working meetings of all standing VRT Committees shall take place during the Midwinter Conference of the ALA. Special committees or special meetings of standing committees shall meet at the discretion of their chair.
ARTICLE VI
The Executive Committee
Section 1. The officers of the VRT and the chairs of the Membership, Publications, Nominating, Gala and Program Committees shall constitute the Executive Committee. Chairs of other standing committees and liaisons shall be non-voting members of the Executive Committee.
Section 2. The Executive Committee shall have general supervision of the affairs of the VRT between its business meetings, fix the hour and place of meeting. It is subject to the orders of the VRT and none of its acts shall be in conflict with actions taken by the VRT.
Section 3. The Executive Committee shall meet at the Annual ALA meeting and the ALA Midwinter meeting. Special meetings may be called by the chair and shall be called upon request of three (3) members of the Executive Committee.
Section 4. A simple majority of the voting members of the VRT Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum at any meeting.
ARTICLE VII
Committees
Section 1. All committees shall be composed of members in good standing of the VRT.
Section 2. All standing committee members shall be appointed by the chair of the VRT for a specified term. Terms shall be staggered so vacancies do not result in an entire standing committee being replaced at one time. A committee member may be appointed for only one additional two-year (2) term.
Section 3. Committee chairs shall serve one (1) year terms as chair, and may be appointed to a second one-year term at the pleasure of the VRT chair.
Section 4. The standing committees are as follows: Membership, Nominating, Annual Program, Publications and annual Gala Program.
A. Membership-The Membership Committee shall consist of at least three (3) members, including the chair. The term of service shall be two (2) years. It shall be responsible for promoting membership in the Round Table and for outreach activities with other appropriate professional organizations.
B. Nominating Committee-The Nominating Committee shall consist of at least three (3) members, one of whom shall be the immediate past chair of the VRT, who shall serve as chair of the committee. The term of service is one (1) year. The Nominating Committee shall seek candidates for the VRT's offices, and shall present a slate of candidates for each office, as provided in these Bylaws.
C. Program Committee-The Program Committee shall consist of at least four members, including the chair. The term of service is two (2) years. The committee shall be charged with planning and executing a program for the Annual Conference.
D. Publications Committee-The Publications Committee shall consist of at least two (2) members, including the chair. The term of service is two (2) years. It shall oversee the creation of all VRT publications as well as the Newsletter.
E. Gala Program Committee-The Gala Program shall consist of at least five (5) members, including the chair. It shall oversee all activities relating to the Gala Program held at the Annual ALA Conference. The Gala Program is an annual professionally oriented and social event held primarily for members sponsored by the Round Table. The term of service on this committee is one year (1).
Section 5. Members of special committees shall be appointed by the chair of the Round Table for a designated period of time. Ad hoc committees shall also be appointed and charged by the chair.
ARTICLE VIII
Liaisons
Section 1. The VRT chair shall appoint Liaisons with other ALA divisions, sections and round tables when/where appropriate. Liaisons to other organizations may also be appointed at the chair's discretion. Liaisons from other organizations may also be received by the VRT chair but will have no voting rights.
Section 2. Liaisons shall serve as conduits for two-way communication between the Round Table and other organizations. They shall report on the activities of the group to which they are liaison at the Midwinter and Annual meetings. Liaisons shall be expected to attend the regularly scheduled open meetings of the organization to which they are the VRT's representative.
Section 3. Liaisons shall serve a two-year (2) term and may be re-appointed to a second term. No liaison shall serve more than two (2) consecutive terms.
ARTICLE IX
Parliamentary Authority
The rules contained in "Robert's Rules of Order Revised" shall govern the Round Table in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these Bylaws or the Constitution and Bylaws of ALA.
ARTICLE X
Finances
Section 1. The fiscal year of the VRT shall conform to the fiscal year of the ALA.
Section 2. Funds of the VRT shall be held and disbursed in accordance with Section 3 of Article 7 of the Bylaws of ALA (the overall governing document). The VRT shall not incur expenses on behalf of the ALA without its prior written authorization.
Section 3. The treasurer shall monitor all VRT finances and report the status to the Executive Committee and membership on a semi-annual basis.
ARTICLE XI
Amendments to the Bylaws
Section 1. These Bylaws may be amended by a majority of members voting at any Annual Meeting or by mail ballot, provided the amendment has been proposed by the Executive Committee, a committee authorized by the Executive Committee, or a personal member of the Round Table, and has been sent in writing to the secretary and mailed to each member at least thirty (30) days before the Annual meeting or by the counting of the mail vote. Amendments to these Bylaws shall become effective immediately upon certification of the election results.
Section 2. These Bylaws shall be consistent with the Bylaws of the ALA (Article VII) and require amendments whenever the ALA Bylaws are changed.
ARTICLE XII
Affiliates
Section 1. Any persons concerned with video issues may form a regional, state, or local group that is encouraged to associate with the VRT as an Affiliate. Affiliate status shall entitle the group to receive the publications of the VRT as an Affiliate and to report its activities to the Round Table. An Affiliate can ask for advice or support or other appropriate action from the VRT. Affiliates shall not pay dues, but shall be urged to contribute to the financial support of the VRT.
Section 2. Affiliates may be units of existing regional, state, or local library associations if they so choose. Affiliates determine their own organization, financial structure, policies, and programs, which are not subject to veto by the Round Table. Affiliates may act in the name of the VRT only when authorized to do so by the VRT membership, and shall not commit the Round Table to any action or philosophy by any declaration of policy.
Section 3. A group requesting Affiliate status shall submit a short statement of its membership, purpose, goals, and duration of operation to the VRT Secretary. Affiliates shall report their ongoing activities to the VRT Secretary at least once a year. If an Affiliate disbands, they shall report this acting to the VRT Secretary.
ARTICLE XIII
Publications
Section 1. The VRT shall publish a membership newsletter at intervals determined by the Executive Committee (current quarterly). Publication shall be free to all VRT members in good standing.
Section 2. The newsletter shall be overseen by the Publications Committee and edited by the chair of that Committee.
Section 3. The newsletter shall adhere to the policies of the ALA in accordance with Section 10.2 of the ALA Policy Manual and all applicable regulations.
Approved January 1993
Please direct questions or comments to Eric Pasteur at multimedialibrarian@yahoo.com