Our Bylaws
Purpose | Membership | Officers and Duties | Board of Directors | Nominations | Meetings | Committees | Sections | Interest Groups | Finances I Years | Amendments | Rules of Order
Bylaws (Printable PDF Version)
Article I. Name
Section 1.
The name of this organization is the Reference and User Services Association of the American Library Association.
Article II. Purpose
Section 1.
The Reference and User Services Association is responsible for stimulating and supporting excellence in the delivery of library services and materials, and the provision of reference and information services, readers' advisory, collection development, and resource sharing for all ages in every type of library. This involves facilitating the development and conduct of service to library users, monitoring and informing members of new technologies and resources to support users, the development of programs and guidelines to meet the needs of these users, assisting libraries in reaching potential users, and providing support for the creation of innovative resources and services.
Section 2.
RUSA is responsible to:
a. Conduct activities and projects within the division's areas of responsibility;
b. Encourage development of librarians engaged in these activities and stimulate participation by members of appropriate type-of-library divisions;
c. Synthesize the activities of all units within the American Library Association that have a bearing on the type of activities represented by the division;
d. Advocate for and promote user needs in the development of innovative information technologies and engage with information providers as they deliver new resources and services;
e. Regularly communicate with members;
f. Represent and interpret the division's activities in contacts outside the profession;
g. Plan and develop programs of study and research in these areas for the total profession; and
h. Continuously study and review the division's activities.
Article III. Membership
Section 1.
CLASSIFICATION OF MEMBERSHIP.
Membership of the Division consists of personal and organizational members.
Section 2.
DUES, RIGHTS, AND PRIVILEGES.
a. Only personal members have the right to vote and hold office.
b. The amount of membership dues will be determined by the RUSA Board of Directors.
Article IV. Officers and Duties
Section 1.
The officers of the Division are a president, a vice-president (who is president-elect), a secretary and Past-President.
Section 2.
TERMS OF OFFICE.
All officers and elected members of the Board of Directors will serve until the adjournment of the annual meeting at which their successors are announced.
a. PRESIDENT.
The president will serve for one year. They will not be eligible for election to the office of president or vice-president/president-elect for a period of at least two years following the expiration of the term. If requested by the Board to serve in the capacity of interim vice-president, the immediate past president may serve, but is not required to do so.
b. VICE-PRESIDENT.
The vice-president will serve for the first year after election as president-elect, the second year as president, and the third year as immediate past president.
c. SECRETARY.
The secretary will serve for two years beginning at the adjournment of the annual meeting of the association following their election.
d. PAST-PRESIDENT.
The past-president will serve for one year beginning at the adjournment of the annual meeting of the association.
Section 3.
DUTIES.
Except as otherwise provided in the bylaws, the duties of the officers are such as provided in the parliamentary authority adopted by the division.
a. PRESIDENT.
The President chairs meetings of the Board of Directors as well as the annual membership meeting. The President may appoint members of a committee formed during their term of office and make appointments to fill vacancies which may occur during the term of office. The President shall be an ex-officio member of all Division committees, with the exception of the Nominating Committee, without the right to vote except in case of a tie. The President will ensure that the bylaws are observed by the officers and members of the Board of Directors and that the orders of the Board of Directors and of the Division are carried out. The President will recommend to the Board of Directors and Division such actions as are deemed to be in the interest of the Division. The President will perform such other duties as the Board of Directors may assign to the office.
b. VICE-PRESIDENT.
The Vice-President makes committee assignments as defined in Article VIII, sec. 3a of these bylaws. They prepare the annual budget for approval by the Board of Directors and perform such other duties as the Board of Directors may assign to that office. The Vice-President will perform the duties of the president in the absence of the president.
c. SECRETARY.
The Secretary will be responsible for the preparation of Board minutes and will carry out such other duties as may be designated by the president and the Board of Directors.
d. PAST-PRESIDENT.
The Past-President will bring experience and institutional knowledge to ensure continuity in the governance of the organization.
Section 4.
VACANCIES OF OFFICE.
Appointments to fill vacancies in elective positions of the Division as a whole (except president and vice-president) will be made by the Board of Directors. In the event of a vacancy of:
a. The president, the office of president will be filled for the remainder of the term by the vice-president/president-elect. This will not prevent succession to the presidency for the following term.
b. The vice-president/president-elect, the Board will appoint an interim vice-president, who will serve until the Board can hold a special election for vice-president/president-elect. A special election will be held as soon as is reasonably possible but no later than 90 days after the office is vacated. If the annual election is scheduled to be held within three months of the vacancy, the Board may elect to waive the option of a special election and await the annual election.
c. Both the president and the vice-president/president-elect, the Board may appoint only an interim vice-president to serve as acting president who will serve until the Board can hold a special election for vice-president/president-elect. A special election will be held as soon as is reasonably possible, but no later than 90 days after the office is vacated. If the annual election is scheduled to be held within three months of the vacancy, the Board may elect to waive the option of a special election and await the annual election.
Article V. Board of Directors
Section l.
The Board of Directors of the Division consists of voting and nonvoting members. Voting members are the Division officers, the Division’s immediate past president, and the ALA Councilor elected at large from the Division membership to a three-year term. The Executive Director is a nonvoting member.
Section 2.
DUTIES
a. The Board of Directors has authority over the affairs of the Division, provided, that none of its acts conflicts with or modifies any actions taken by the Division’s membership. The Board of Directors will perform such other duties as are specified in these bylaws, will take action necessary in the interest of the Division between meetings, and will report upon its work at the regular meetings of the Division, as specified in the Bylaws of the American Library Association.
b. QUORUM. A majority of voting members constitutes a quorum of the Board of Directors.
Article VI. Nominations
Section 1.
NOMINATING COMMITTEE.
The vice-president (president-elect) will appoint a Nominating Committee to serve during their year as president and to arrange for nomination of candidates for officers of the Division and for other members of the Board of Directors. The committee will include a representative of each of the different sections of the Division. Neither the president nor any member of the Board will be appointed to this committee.
Section 2.
NOMINATIONS.
The Nominating Committee will present a slate for each office to be filled. The Nominating Committee will, as far as possible, select candidates in such a way as to assure representation of the various groups and interests of the Division in its list of candidates for officers. The committee will file nominations (and the written consent of the nominees) with the Division's executive director, who will arrange for publication and distribution of the official ballot in cooperation with the American Library Association. Nominees will be a personal member in good standing of the Division at the time of the nomination.
Section 3.
Nomination by Petition
Nominations may be made by petition signed by no fewer than 30 members of the Division and filed with the executive director not less than four months before the Annual Conference of the American Library Association, provided that no person may be nominated who is not at the time of this nomination a member in good standing of the Division.
Section 4.
TIME SCHEDULE.
The Nominating Committee will be appointed and its report made in conformance with the time schedule established by the American Library Association.
Section 5.
ELECTIONS.
Elections will be held in accordance with procedures of the American Library Association. For each office, the candidate receiving the largest number of votes cast will be elected. In case of a tie vote, the successful candidate will be determined by lot.
Article VII. Meetings
Section 1.
GENERAL MEETINGS.
The RUSA President will post a call to RUSA Members to join a virtual Membership Meeting once a year in advance of the ALA Annual Conference. The goal is to facilitate communication among RUSA members to illuminate and introduce topics of interest to the RUSA Board and to other RUSA members.
Section 2.
SPECIAL MEETINGS.
Other meetings may be called by the Executive Director and on the request of 50 members of the Division. At least one month's notice will be given, and only business specified in the call will be transacted.
Section 3.
VOTING.
Votes, both of the Division and of the Board of Directors, may be authorized by the Board between meetings. For votes by the Board of Directors, three-fourths of the voting membership of the Board of Directors will constitute a quorum, and a three-fourths majority of those voting will be required to carry. For votes by the Division, 25 percent of the voting membership will constitute a quorum and a majority of those voting will be required to carry.
The Board of Directors will have the authority to set the time limit during which votes will be recorded, but if no such time limit is set, no vote will be counted unless received within 30 days from the day the text of the ballot or question voted upon was sent, properly addressed to those entitled to vote on the matter involved. In the case of a Division-wide vote, the Board of Directors will designate publication of the ballot or question submitted the ALA-designated method of submitting the matter to the members for their determination.
Article VIII. Committees
Article VIII
Section 1:
AUTHORIZATION AND DISCONTINUANCE.
The Board of Directors may create and abolish, under such rules as it may adopt for this purpose, standing, ad hoc and interdivisional committees of the division and the sections. Each committee will continue in existence until it is discharged by the Board of Directors. Composition of committees may include non-voting ex-officio members as deemed necessary by the Board.
Section 2.
DUTIES.
The Board of Directors will define the duties of all committees that may be created at the time of establishment, but the president may temporarily add any pertinent and relevant duties to any committee that may be needed to carry on the work of the Division.
Section 3.
APPOINTMENTS.
a. The vice-president (president-elect) will appoint the chairpersons and members of Division committees and ensure that section committee chairpersons and members are appointed to serve during their term of office as president. Each such appointee will be a member in good standing in the Division. The president may appoint members of a committee formed during their term of office and make appointments to fill vacancies that may occur during the term of office.
b. The vice-chair/chair-elect of each section will appoint the chairpersons and members of section committees to serve during their term of office as chair.
c. Members of standing committees will be appointed for terms of two years and may be reappointed for a second consecutive term, but in no case will a person serve on a committee for more than four consecutive years. Appointments will be made in such a manner as to provide continuity in membership.
Article IX. Sections
Section 1.
ESTABLISHMENT.
a. Any group comprising 200 personal members of the Division may petition to organize a section.
b. The petition must provide the following information: Statement showing the title and purpose of the proposed section and showing the need for a change in the current structure of the Division to support the concerns of the proposed section; statistics, such as money raised and/or number of persons attending meetings or programs of the related committee or discussion group seeking section status; priorities for programs, publications, or other projects with anticipated dates of presentation or completion; and names of committees of the proposed section anticipated for creation within the next three years.
c. A copy of the petition must be filed with the Division's Executive Director, President, and President-elect.
d. Petition signatures must be collected within a 12-month time period
e. A section may be established by majority vote of the Board once the requirements of Article IX, section 1, a-d, of these bylaws have been met.
Section 2.
DISCONTINUANCE.
The Board of Directors may dissolve a section when in its opinion, the usefulness of the section has ceased.
Article X.
Interest Groups
- the name of the interest group,
- the name(s) and contact information of the interest group leader or co-leaders,
- a description of the focus area of the interest group,
- the names and emails of 10 of the founding members.
- a brief statement describing how the Interest Group is relevant to the mission of RUSA.
c. The past president will serve as the board liaison for RUSA Interest Groups.
Article XI.
Finances
Section 1. All Division funds will be in the custody of the Executive Board of the American Library Association, to be accounted for and disbursed by its designated officers, as provided in the Bylaws of the American Library Association.
Article XII.
Years
Section 1.
MEMBERSHIP YEAR.
The membership year of the Division is the calendar year.
Section 2.
FISCAL YEAR.
The fiscal year of the Division aligns with the fiscal year of the American Library Association.
Section 3. ELECTIVE AND APPOINTIVE YEAR.
The term of office for elective and appointive positions of the Division filled annually will be the period beginning with the adjournment of the American Library Association Annual Conference. Terms of office for elective positions occupied longer than one year will be calculated from the adjournment of the Annual Conference. In the event that no Annual Conference is held, the elective and appointive year will be from July 1 to June 30.
Article XIII.
Amendments
Section 1.
PROPOSALS.
Amendments to these bylaws will be proposed by the Board of Directors, or a written petition signed by not less than 200 members.
Section 2.
NOTICE.
The complete text of any proposed amendment will accompany the ballot.
Section 3.
VOTING.
Amendments to the bylaws require a vote by members. The ALA Executive Director is responsible for ensuring the integrity of the ballot and will determine the appropriate means of polling members. Bylaws amendments will be passed by a majority of those voting.
Section 4.
Unless otherwise specified, amendments to the bylaws will become effective when approved by the membership.
Section 5.
The bylaws of the Division will be reviewed continuously and have a complete and detailed review every five years.
Article XIV.
Rules of Order
Section 1.
The rules in the latest available edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised will govern the Division in all cases to which they are applicable, provided they are not inconsistent with the bylaws of the Division or those of the American Library Association.
Amended June 1973, July 1975, June 1977, June 1978, June 1979, June 1983, June 1985, June 1987, June 1989, June 1990, June 1991, June 1993, June 1996, April 2005, April 2012, April 2016, 2017, and 2025.