STARS Bylaws

Article I. Name

The name of this organization is the Sharing and Transforming Access to Resources Section (STARS) of the Reference and User Services Association (RUSA) of the American Library Association (ALA).

Article II. Objectives

Section 1. Purpose.
STARS addresses the interests of librarians and library staff involved in resource sharing and other access-related services in all types of libraries including interlibrary loan, document delivery, remote circulation, cooperative reference, cooperative collection development, remote storage, and other shared library services as well as providers of products and services which support these activities.

Section 2. Responsibilities.
The responsibilities of the Section are to:

a) Facilitate communication and foster collaboration among resource sharing practitioners; 

b) Provide education and training opportunities to develop the professional skills and knowledge of resource sharing practitioners;

c) Develop and promote programs, guidelines, and best practices to meet the needs of the community;

d) Encourage, plan, and develop programs of study and research in the field; 

e) Monitor developments in related methods, services, and products; identify issues of common concern; and recommend solutions to enhance services for all users; 

f) Monitor and advocate for improvements in licensing and copyright law provisions that affect resource sharing; 

g) Foster collaboration between resource sharing practitioners and other library staff who support or engage with resource sharing;

h) Encourage and facilitate partnerships and dialogue between resource sharing practitioners and vendors/providers of resource sharing products and services;

i) Maintain liaisons and collaborate with all ALA units that impact resource sharing;

j) Serve as an advisory body to the RUSA Board regarding resource sharing issues.

Article III. Membership

Section 1. Eligibility.
Members of this Section are members of the Reference and User Services Association of the American Library Association who choose to join STARS.

Section 2. Meetings.
The Section will hold an annual membership meeting, giving 30 days' notice to Section members. Additional meetings may be held and also require at least 30 days' notice to Section members.

Article IV. Officers and Duties

Section 1. Officers.
The officers of the Section are a Chair, a Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect, and a Secretary.

Section 2. Terms of Office.
All officers serve from the adjournment of the ALA Annual Conference in the year they were elected until their term expires at the adjournment of a subsequent ALA Annual Conference as follows:

a) Chair. The term of office for Chair is one year, with the incumbent becoming Immediate Past Chair in the following year.

b) Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect. The Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect serves the first year as Vice-Chair, the second year as Chair, and the third year as Immediate Past Chair.

c) Secretary. The term of office for Secretary is two years.

Section 3. Duties.
Except as provided in these Bylaws, the duties of officers are also described in the parliamentary authority adopted by the Section's Executive Committee.

a) The Chair:

i) Convenes and leads Executive Committee, Board, and membership meetings.

ii) Appoints members of committees formed during their term of office and makes appointments to fill any vacancies which occur during their term of office.

iii) Ensures that the officers and members of the Executive Committee adhere to the Section Bylaws and that the orders of the Executive Committee are carried out.

iv) Recommends actions to the Executive Committee that are in the interest of the Section or Division.

v) Serves on the RUSA Board of Directors as a voting member or appoints a designee to serve in their place.

vi) Performs other duties as assigned by the Executive Committee.

b) The Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect: 

i) Makes committee assignments as defined in Article VII, sec. 3a of these Bylaws.

ii) Carries out the duties of the Chair in their absence.

iii) Performs other duties as assigned by the Executive Committee.

c) The Secretary:

i) Is responsible for the preparation of Executive Committee, STARS Board, and General Membership meeting minutes.

ii) Performs other duties as assigned by the Executive Committee.

Section 4. Vacancies of Office.

a) Chair. A vacancy in the office of Chair shall be filled by the Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect. The Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect will fill the uncompleted term and then serve their full term as Chair.

b) Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect. In the case of a vacancy in the office of Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect, the Executive Committee (defined in Article V) appoints a Section member to serve as Vice-Chair until the next regular election.

c) Chair and Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect. In the case of simultaneous vacancies in the offices of both Chair and Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect, the Executive Committee will appoint a Chair and a Vice-Chair from the membership to serve until the next election. At the next election two candidates are elected, a Chair and a Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect, both of whom serve immediately upon election.

d) Secretary. In the case of a vacancy in the office of Secretary, the Executive Committee appoints a Section member to serve until the next regular election.

Article V. Executive Committee

Section 1. Composition.
The Executive Committee consists of the following voting members: the three officers, the Immediate Past Chair, and three Members-at-Large elected by and from the Section for three-year terms. The Section Webmaster and the RUSA President and Executive Director are ex-officio, non-voting members of the Executive Committee.

Section 2. Duties.
The Executive Committee is authorized by the Section membership to take action in the interest of the Section and performs other duties as needed. It reports on its work to the Section membership.

Section 3. Members-at-Large.

a) Terms. Members-at-Large are elected by and from the Section for three-year terms, which are staggered to ensure continuity.

b) Duties. Members-at-Large represent the interests of the entire STARS membership in Executive Committee discussions, decision-making, and other activities as needed.

Section 4. Terms and Duties of Immediate Past Chair and Appointed Positions.

a) Immediate Past Chair. After completing a one year term as Chair, the incumbent serves the following year as Immediate Past Chair, providing continuity and guidance for the Executive Committee.

b) Webmaster. The Webmaster is appointed by the Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect for a term of two years, commencing immediately following the ALA Annual Conference at which their appointment is announced, and concluding at the end of the ALA Annual Conference two years thereafter. The incumbent may be reappointed for a second term. The Webmaster maintains the STARS website and all electronic records concerning the Section and its activities.

c) Liaisons. The Executive Committee may appoint and/or recognize liaisons with other ALA units or external organizations for as long as needed. Liaisons may communicate information and engage with any STARS committee.

Section 5. Meetings.

a) Executive Committee Meetings. Executive Committee members meet throughout the year at a frequency of their determination to conduct Section business.

b) STARS Board Meetings. At least twice a year, the Executive Committee convenes the STARS Board, which includes committee chairs, liaisons, and discussion group chairs. The purpose of this meeting is to receive reports of Section activities, ask and answer questions, and/or provide direction or counsel as needed.

c) General Membership Meetings. The Executive Committee convenes an annual membership meeting that is open to all Section members and shares minutes afterwards with the Section membership. The Executive Committee may call additional meetings with at least 30 days' notice to the membership.

Section 6. Quorum.
A majority of voting members constitutes a quorum of the Executive Committee.

Section 7. Vacancies.
In the case of a vacancy in the Executive Committee not provided for in Article IV, sec. 4, the Executive Committee appoints a member of the Section to fill the vacancy until the next regular election.

Article VI. Nominations and Elections

Section 1. Nominating Committee.
The Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect appoints a Nominating Committee of three Section members to recruit and present a slate of candidates for election as officers and Members-at-Large of the Executive Committee. No sitting officer or Member-at-Large may serve on the Nominating Committee. No person can be nominated who is not a Section member in good standing at the time of nomination.

Section 2. Time Schedule.
The Nominating Committee calls for nominations from the Section membership and presents a slate of candidates according to the schedule established by the American Library Association.

Section 3. Elections.
STARS elections are held in accordance with the Bylaws of the American Library Association.

Article VII. Committees

Section 1. Authorization and Discontinuance.
The Executive Committee may create or dissolve any standing, special, or ad hoc committee, as defined by the American Library Association Handbook of Organization. Standing committees shall exist until dissolved by action of the Section or the Executive Committee. Special and ad hoc committees shall continue to exist until their purpose is accomplished or the committee is dissolved by the Section or the Executive Committee.

Section 2. Duties.
The duties and name of a committee are determined at the time of its creation, subject to change as deemed necessary by the Executive Committee, in order to carry on the work of the Section. Committees meet regularly in order to fulfill their charge.

Section 3. Appointments and Leadership.

a) Members. The Section Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect appoints those members of committees whose terms are to begin at the same time they assume the role of Chair. The Section Chair appoints members of committees formed during their term in office and makes appointments to fill any vacancies which occur during their term of office. Each appointee must be a member of the Section at the time of appointment or be appointed provisionally, contingent upon becoming a Section member.

b) Committee Chair and Vice-Chair. Each committe has a chair and vice-chair. The committee chair reports on the committee's progress and activities to the Executive Committee during STARS Board Meetings or as requested. The committee vice-chair performs the duties of the committee chair in their absence.

Section 4. Terms of Appointment and Office.

a) Members. The term of appointment for members of standing committees is three years, although shorter appointments are permitted to fill vacant seats and/or maintain staggered terms. Members may be re-appointed to a second term for a maximum of six consecutive years. Depending on the committee's charge, the term of appointment for members of special and ad hoc committees is three years or less with the possibility for reappointment to one additional term. Appointments are made to provide continuity in committee membership.

b) Chair. The term of office for a committee chair will be one year, with the addition of an uncompleted term if the vice-chair becomes chair due to a vacancy. Except by approval of the Executive Committee, no one can serve concurrently as chair of more than one Section committee nor as chair of a committee and member of the Executive Committee.

c) Vice-Chair. The committee vice-chair serves one year as vice-chair and then succeeds the committee chair after the ALA Annual Conference. The committee vice-chair also completes a committee chair's term in case of vacancy. At the beginning of their term or when the committee vice-chair position becomes vacant, the committee chair solicits nominations for the vice-chair position from the committee's membership. The committee selects a nominee from among their members and conveys the name to the Section Vice-Chair for appointment.

Article VIII. Discussion Groups

Section 1. Establishment.
Any group of 10 or more Section members interested in discussing issues which fall within the scope of the Section may form a discussion group upon written petition to and approval of the STARS Executive Committee. 

The discussion group petition should include:

• the name and focus of the discussion group,
• a description of the group's relevance to the objectives and purpose of STARS,
• the names and contact information of at least 10 current STARS members proposing the group, noting the proposed discussion group leader(s).

Section 2. Membership.
There are no requirements to join a STARS discussion group. Meetings are open to all interested members of the American Library Association.

Section 3. Officers and Duties.
Each discussion group has a chair and vice-chair/chair-elect who are members of STARS.

a) Chair. The term of office for a discussion group chair will be one year, with the addition of an unexpired term when a vice-chair assumes the position of chair early due to vacancy. The chair is responsible for group communication, presides at discussion group meetings, and makes a report to the STARS Executive Committee after each meeting.

b) Vice-Chair. The discussion group vice-chair/chair-elect serves one year as vice-chair and then succeeds the discussion group chair after the ALA Annual Conference. At the beginning of their term or when the discussion group vice-chair/chair-elect position becomes vacant, the discussion group chair solicits nominations for the vice-chair/chair-elect from the discussion group's membership. The discussion group then selects a nominee from their members and conveys the name to the Section Vice-Chair for appointment. The discussion group vice-chair performs the duties of the discussion group chair in their absence.

Section 4. Activities.
A discussion group may meet to discuss relevant issues, publicize its activities, establish a means of communication among its members, recommend action to the Executive Committee of the Section, incur no expenses except as authorized, and make no declaration of policy.

Section 5. Discontinuance.
Discussion groups may be dissolved at the request of the group or at the discretion of the Executive Committee.

Article IX. Parliamentary Authority

The rules of parliamentary procedure adopted by the STARS Executive Committee govern the Section in all cases to which they are applicable and consistent with the Bylaws of this Section, the Reference and User Services Association, and the American Library Association.

Article X. Bylaws Amendments

Section 1. Proposals.
Amendments to the Bylaws are proposed by the Executive Committee or by written petition to the Executive Committee by at least 10 members of the Section.

Section 2. Notice.
The complete text of any proposed amendment must accompany the ballot in accordance with ALA voting procedures. In addition, the text of the proposed amendment must be distributed to Section members at least 30 days before the election at which it is to be voted upon.

Section 3. Voting.
A vote to amend the Bylaws must be taken in accordance with ALA election procedures. Bylaws amendments must pass with at least a two-thirds majority of Section members voting.

Section 4. Enactment.
Unless otherwise specified, amendments to the Bylaws take effect immediately upon their approval by the membership.

Article XI. Adoption and Review

These Bylaws are adopted and take effect immediately upon their approval by a two-thirds majority of those members voting during the American Library Association annual elections. They may be reviewed as needed after adoption in a process determined by the Executive Committee.

Ratified January 17, 2005. Amended April 22, 2025.