Library Support Staff Interests Round Table Constitution and ByLaws

CONSTITUTION

Article I. Name

The name of this organization shall be the Library Support Staff Interests Round Table of the American Library Association, hereinafter, referred to as LSSIRT.

Article II. Purpose

The purpose of the LSSIRT shall be:
  1. To provide an arena within ALA for addressing a wide variety of issues of concern to library support staff, including but not limited to basic training programs, education, career development, job duties and responsibilities.
  2. To foster communication and networking among all people working in libraries.
  3. To be responsible for the timely dissemination of information to local, regional state and national support staff organizations.

Article III. Membership

Sec. 1. Members. There shall be two classes of membership: personal and institutional/organizational.

Sec. 1.1. Personal members. Any member in good standing of the American Library Association who shall elect membership in LSSIRT according to provisions of the Bylaws of the American Library Association thereupon shall become a member of LSSIRT.

Sec. 1.2. Institutional/Organizational members. Institutions/Organizations may be granted membership in LSSIRT in accordance with ALA policy and procedure.

Sec. 2. Rights and Privileges. Only personal members of LSSIRT shall be eligible to vote and hold elective office or committee appointments.

Sec. 3. Dues. Dues shall be determined by the Steering Committee with the approval of the membership. Annual dues for this Round Table paid to the American Library Association shall constitute the dues of members. The date of payment of dues to the American Library Association shall be considered the date of payment of dues to the Round Table.

Sec. 4. Membership, Fiscal and Conference Years. The membership, fiscal and conference years shall be the same as those of the American Library Association.

Article IV. Steering Committee

Sec. 1. The Steering Committee shall be composed of the President, Vice President/President-Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, the immediate Past President and six members-at-large.

Sec. 2. Powers and Duties. The Steering Committee shall have general supervision over the affairs of LSSIRT. The Steering Committee shall report upon its work to the membership of LSSIRT.

Sec. 3. Members-at-Large. Members-at-large of the Steering Committee shall be elected for three year terms; one-third of the members-at-large elected each year.

Sec. 4. Affiliate Member. Current President of COLT or its designee shall be a non-voting affiliate member of the LSSIRT Steering Committee. The affiliate member shall receive all correspondence of the Steering Committee.

Sec. 5. Treasurer. The Treasurer shall review financial activity, report financial condition to the Steering Committee, assist the President in preparing and presenting the annual budget, and shall work with the Vice President/President Elect in preparing for future budgets.

Article V. Officers

Sec. 1. Officers. The officers of this Round Table shall be a President, a Vice-President/President Elect, and a Secretary and Treasurer, all of whom shall be members in good standing of LSSIRT.

Sec. 2. Term of Office. The term of office of the President and Vice-President/President Elect shall be one year in each office, and a third year as immediate Past-President. The term of office for the Secretary and Treasurer shall be two years. All officers and members of the Steering Committee shall assume office at the close of the first Annual Conference after election, and serve until the adjournment of the Annual Conference in the year in which their term ends.

Article VI. Meetings

Sec. 1. Annual Meeting. The annual meeting of LSSIRT shall take place during the Annual Conference of the American Library Association.

Sec. 2. Quorum. At membership meetings, a quorum shall consist of those personal members present.

Sec. 3. Votes By Mail. Votes by mail may be authorized by the President to consider urgent issues between meetings. Mail ballots shall be conducted by the President in such manners as the Steering Committee shall determine.

Article VII. Amendments

Sec. 1. Proposals. Amendments to this Constitution shall be proposed in writing and may be initiated by either the President or by any twenty-five members in good standing.

Sec. 2. Notice. Amendments may be voted on only after printed notice of such proposed amendments has been distributed to the membership at least thirty days prior to the presentation of amendments for vote.

Sec. 3. Voting. This Constitution may be amended in either of two ways.

  1. By two thirds vote of the members present and voting at the next annual meeting following proper notice of such amendment, or,
  2. By a majority vote of the entire membership conducted by mail ballot, if such be requested by a majority of the members present at any annual meeting.

Article VIII. Bylaws

Sec. 1. Adoption/Amendment/Repeal. The members of LSSIRT shall adopt Bylaws, or may amend or repeal existing Bylaws not inconsistent with this Constitution, by a majority vote of the members present and voting at any annual meeting, or by a majority vote of the entire membership conducted by mail ballot, provided that members have been informed by printed notice of such proposed amendments at least thirty days before presentation of the amendment for vote. A proposed amendment or new Bylaw shall become effective when it has been approved.

Sec. 2. These Bylaws shall at all times be consistent with Article VII of the Bylaws of the American Library Association, as from time to time amended.

Sec. 3. The Steering Committee may make changes to the Bylaws that are grammatical or for clarification but do not change the intent of the Bylaw. Such action shall require an approval of the majority of the Steering Committee.


BYLAWS

Article I. Dues

Annual dues for members as set by the LSSIRT Steering Committee, to be collected by the American Library Association through its regular membership channels.

Article II. Committees

Sec. 1. Members. All committees shall be composed of personal members in good standing of LSSIRT.

Sec. 2. Appointments. Members of committees shall be appointed by the President of LSSIRT, who will designate one member as Chairperson of the Committee. Unless otherwise provided by the Steering Committee, term of appointment to a committee shall be one year.

Sec. 3. Standing Committees. Standing Committees shall be the Nominating Committee, the Program Committee, and the Membership Committee. Other standing committees may be authorized by the Steering Committee for consideration of matters requiring continuous attention.

Sec. 4. Ad Hoc Committees. The President may create ad hoc committees when needed, and shall discontinue such committees when no longer needed.

Sec. 5. ALA Committees. The President will make the following appointments for the LSSIRT seats on the following ALA Standing Committees:

  • The Membership Chair will serve as the LSSIRT representative to the Membership Committee.
  • The President-elect and Treasurer, will serve as the LSSIRT representatives on the Budget Analysis and Review Committee.
  • A member of the round table will serve as LSSIRT representative to the Pay Equity Committee.

Article III. Nomination and Elections

Sec. 1. Nominations. The Nominating Committee shall develop a slate of candidates by the deadline requested by the ALA Liaison to LSSIRT. This slate will include nominations for a Vice President/President Elect and two members-at-large. Bi-annually this will include a Secretary and Treasurer. Members will be notified of this date and the Steering Committee will receive nominations for these offices when submitted in writing by any 10 (ten) members before the date specified. Any such nominations shall be included on the official ballot.

Sec. 1.1. Nominees. All nominees shall be personal members of LSSIRT in good standing at the time of nomination. No candidate shall be nominated whose written consent has not been filed in accordance with standard ALA election procedures.

Sec. 2. Nominating Committee. The Vice President/President-Elect of LSSIRT, shall appoint a Nominating Committee of not fewer than three members of LSSIRT, with the Immediate Past President or designee serving as Chairperson.

Sec. 2.1. Duties. The Nominating Committee shall nominate at least one candidate for each office to be filled at the next election. The Committee shall obtain written consent and a statement of purpose from each nominee, and other information in accordance with standard ALA election procedures.

Sec. 3. Elections. Elections for LSSIRT will be by mail-ballots sent to personal members of LSSIRT in good standing, in accordance with standard ALA election procedures.

Sec. 3.1. Election Results. Candidates receiving a plurality of the votes cast are elected. In the event of a tie vote, the winning candidate shall be determined in such manner as the Steering Committee may determine.

Article IV. Duties of the Officers

Sec. 1. Except as otherwise provided in the Bylaws, the duties of the offices shall be such as specified in the parliamentary authority adopted by the Round Table.

Sec. 1.1. President. The President shall be the chief executive officer of LSSIRT, and together with the Steering Committee, shall have general supervision and control of the affairs of LSSIRT. The President shall serve as Chairperson of the Steering Committee, and preside at all meetings of the Round Table and the Steering Committee. The President shall identify actions in the interest of LSSIRT, and shall recommend such actions to the Steering Committee. The President shall adopt all committees, and perform such other duties as the Steering Committee may assign to this office.

Sec. 1.2. Vice President. The Vice President shall serve for the first year after election as Vice President, the second year as President, and the third year as immediate past-President. The Vice President shall perform such other duties as the Steering Committee may assign to this office. In the event of the absence, disability, death or resignation of the President, the Vice President shall perform the duties and exercise the powers of the President.

Sec. 1.3. Secretary. The Secretary shall keep an accurate record of all meetings of the Round Table and Steering Committee and have these records available at or before the next regularly called meeting; and shall perform such other duties as the Steering Committee may assign to this office.

Sec. 2. Vacancies. In the event of the death, disability, or resignation of a member of the Steering Committee, the Committee may appoint a successor, if succession is not otherwise provided for in these Bylaws, to serve the remainder of the term.

Article V. ALA Staff Liaison Officer

Sec. 1. The Headquarters Staff of the American Library Association will assign a Liaison Officer from ALA to work with duly elected officers of LSSIRT.

Sec. 1.1. Duties. The Liaison Officer shall advise the President and the Steering Committee on matters of ALA policy and procedure; shall, in consultation with the President and/or the Treasurer, pay bills incurred by LSSIRT; shall keep an account of LSSIRT funds received and expended and report such changes to the President and Treasurer; and shall make a report of such funds at the business meetings of LSSIRT. Additional duties may be assigned by ALA Headquarters upon recommendation of the Steering Committee.

Article VI. Parliamentary Authority

The rules in the latest edition of Sturgis Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure shall govern LSSIRT in all cases to which they are applicable, provided they are not inconsistent with the Constitution or Bylaws of LSSIRT or those of the American Library Association.

Submitted by the LSSIRT Constitution and Bylaws Committee: Annamarie Kehnast, Co-Chair; Bettye Smith, Co-Chair; Betty Arnold; Pat Clingman; Peg Earheart; Jim Hill; Linda Owen; Beverly Patton; Kent Slade; Dhani Verma; Joy Wanden.

Adopted April 1994; Amended May 1998 and May 2003, per ALA/LSSIRT membership.