RESEARCH SECTION, A SECTION OF THE MEDICAL LIBRARY ASSOCIATION, INC.
BYLAWS
ARTICLE I . NAME
The name of this organization shall be Research Section, a Section of the Medical Library Association, Inc. (hereafter referred to as MLA).
ARTICLE II. PURPOSE
The purposes of the Research Section are to foster research related skills of individual health sciences librarians; to promote interest in research and an awareness of research needs among members of MLA; to recommend and promote MLA programs and policies which advance research development and excellence; and, further, in concert with other MLA groups and committees, to serve as an action group for the advancement of library related research.
ARTICLE III. MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. Members
Membership in the Research Section is open to all and only members of MLA with an interest in the purposes of this Section.
Section 2. Rights and Privileges
- All Section members may vote on matters relating only to the Section and for elective officers of the Section. Only Voting Members of MLA shall be qualified to move or to vote on recommendations to the Section Council regarding MLA policies or actions, to vote on the selection of a candidate for the MLA Nominating Committee, or to vote on the selection of the Section's Representative and Representative-Elect to the Section Council.
- Officers of this Section shall be Voting Members of the Medical Library Association.
Section 3. Dues
- The amount of dues shall be recommended by the Executive Committee. Dues shall be determined by a majority vote of those present and eligible to vote at the Annual Meeting of the Research Section. Section dues shall not exceed MLA membership dues for Regular Members.
- Section dues shall be payable on joining the Section and thereafter at the same time as are MLA dues.
- Dues shall be assessed on an annual basis for the period of the calendar year.
- If dues are unpaid by the MLA Annual Meeting, the dues shall be considered in arrears and without further notice the member shall be suspended from all rights and privileges.
Section 4. Fiscal Year
The fiscal year of the Research Section shall be the calendar year.
ARTICLE IV. MEETINGS
Section 1. Meetings
At least one meeting shall be held in each fiscal year. Additional meetings may be held provided notice of such meetings is disseminated to the membership at least thirty (30) days in advance of the meeting date. The Section's Business Meeting shall be held during the same period and at the same location as the Association's Annual Meeting. No Section meetings shall be held at the same time that General Sessions or the Business session of the Association's Annual Meeting are conducted.
Section 2. Quorum
A quorum of 10 Section members shall be required for the transaction of business.
ARTICLE V. ELECTED OFFICERS
Section 1. Officers and Term of Office
- Elective officers of this Section shall be a Chair; Chair-Elect; and Immediate Past-Chair; a Secretary-Treasurer; and a Section Candidate for nomination to the MLA Nominating Committee. All elective officers shall be Regular Members or Fellows of MLA.
- The term of office of the Chair shall be one year as Chair-Elect, the next year as Chair, and a third successive year as Immediate Past-Chair to take effect at the close of the Annual Meeting following their election and serve (unless they resign, die, or are removed) until their successors have been chosen and have assumed their duties. No one may serve more than two full or partial successive terms as Chair or Chair-Elect.
- The term of office of the Secretary-Treasurer shall be two fiscal years to take effect at the close of the Annual Meeting following their election and serve (unless they resign, die, or are removed) until their successors have been chosen and have assumed their duties.
- The Immediate Past Chair and Chair shall represent the Section on Section Council. The Immediate Past Chair shall be the Voting Member of the Council. The term of office to the Section Council shall be two years, the first year in their role as Section Chair and the second year in their role as Section Immediate Past Chair.
Section 2. Duties
- The duties of the Chair shall be to preside over all meetings and to represent the Section at all times and on all occasions not in conflict with any other officer's defined duties and responsibilities, to serve as a member of Section Council, to submit an Annual Report to MLA Headquarters by the date requested, and to perform all other duties prescribed by these Bylaws and by the parliamentary authority adopted by the Section. A Parliamentarian may be appointed by the Chair to serve a term concurrent with that of the Chair. This person may be reappointed to serve additional terms.
- The duties of the Chair-Elect are to serve as Chair whenever the Chair is not able to do so, to plan the Section's program activity at the Annual Meeting, and to perform all other duties prescribed by these Bylaws and by the parliamentary authority adopted by the Section.
- The duties of the Secretary-Treasurer are to be responsible for the correspondence, the minutes of all meetings, Section membership and financial records, distribution of dues notices, receipt, disbursement, and accounting for all monies due the Section, and preparation of an annual financial report for the Section to be sent to the Chair by April 1 of each year, and to perform all other duties prescribed by these Bylaws and by the parliamentary authority adopted by the Section.
- The duties of the Immediate Past Chair shall be to represent the Section on the MLA Section Council by attending the meetings of the Council, to represent the Section's interests during discussions, make motions, debate, and vote on Council issues on behalf of the Section, to transmit to the Council recommendations that have been approved by the Section, to communicate Council business to the officers and membership of the Section, to chair the Nominating Committee, and to provide counsel to the Chair.
Section 3. Vacancies
- A vacancy arising in the office of Chair shall be filled by the Chair-Elect, who shall cease to be Chair-Elect, shall serve out the unexpired term of the Chair, and shall continue as Chair for the full succeeding terms to which he or she was elected.
- When the Immediate Past Chair is unable to attend the Section Council meeting, the Section Chair may vote. When neither the Section Immediate Past Chair nor the Section Chair is able to attend the Section Council meeting, the Section may appoint another Section officer as the proxy who will represent the Section's interests during discussions, make motions, debate, and vote on Council issues on behalf of the Section.
- A vacancy arising in any other elected office shall be filled by the Executive Committee.
Section 4. Candidate for Nominating Committee Membership
- The name of one Regular Member or Fellow of MLA chosen by the Members in the same manner as Section officers, shall be submitted each year to the Section Council as a potential candidate for membership on the MLA Nominating Committee by the date previously announced by the Council. The potential candidate shall prepare a biographical statement and a signed statement of willingness-to-serve if elected as a member of the Nominating Committee. This statement shall accompany the name submitted.
- No person shall consent to being a potential candidate for membership on the Nominating Committee who is already a similar candidate from some other unit of MLA; no candidate for membership on the Nominating Committee shall also be a candidate for an elective office of MLA.
- No one shall serve on the MLA Nominating Committee as a voting member for more than one term during a period of five (5) years.
Section 5. Nominations and Elections
- The Immediate Past-Chair shall chair the Nominating Committee and appoint at least two section members to serve on the committee.
- A slate of one or more nominee(s) shall be prepared annually for the offices to be filled.
- Ballots shall be distributed by the Nominating Committee and returned to a member of the Nominating Committee in time for the results to be declared on or before February 15. A majority vote elects unless there are more than two candidates, then a plurality shall elect.
ARTICLE VI. COMMITTEES
Section 1. Standing Committees
- The Executive Board shall establish standing committees to consider matters of the Section that require continuity of attention by the members. The Executive Board shall recommend the name and size of each committee.
- The Chair in consultation with the Executive Board shall designate and announce committee members and chairs in advance of the beginning of his or her term of office and when these appointments shall take effect. Unless otherwise approved by the Executive Board, members of standing committees shall be appointed for terms of two years, and may be reappointed for a second term. The Chair shall have the discretion to terminate appointments.
- Standing committees of the Section shall be the Executive Committee, the Nominating Committee, the Membership Committee, and the Research Resources Committee.
- The Executive Committee shall consist of all elective officers and committee chairs of the Section and shall conduct the business of the Section between regular membership meetings. The Section Chair calls and presides at meetings of the Executive Committee and shall conduct the business of the Executive Committee between regular membership meetings.
- The Nominating Committee is appointed by the Immediate Past-Chair with the advice of the Executive Committee. Neither the Chair nor the Chair-Elect shall serve on or appoint members to the Nominating Committee.
- Duties of other standing and special committees are set by charges from the Section Chair with advice and approval of the Executive Committee.
- Members and chairs of standing committees must be Regular Members, Institutional Member Representatives, or Fellows of MLA.
Section 2. Committee Chairs
Chairs of standing and special committees are appointed by the Section Chair with the advice of the Executive Committee. Chairs of committees shall be Voting Members of the Medical Library Association.
Section 3. Other Committees
- The Section Chair shall appoint such other committees and MLA Committee liaisons as are necessary with the advice of the Executive Committee.
- Members and chairs of ad hoc or other committees must be Regular Members, Representatives of Institutional Members or Fellows of MLA.
Section 4. Committee Reports
Each committee shall submit an annual report of its activities to the Section Chair prior to the compilation of the Annual Section Report for submission to MLA Headquarters.
ARTICLE VII. DISSOLUTION
In the event of dissolution of this Section, all liabilities and obligations shall be paid or adequate provision made for payment. Remaining assets shall revert to the MLA General Fund.
ARTICLE VIII. PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
Rules in the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised shall govern the Section in all parliamentary cases that are not provided for in these Bylaws or in the MLA Bylaws which govern Sections of MLA.
ARTICLE IX. AMENDMENTS OF BYLAWS
These Bylaws may be amended or rescinded by a two-thirds votes of those attending at any regular meeting of this Section. A copy of the text of any proposed amendment must be given to the Section's Secretary-Treasurer at least five weeks prior to the Annual Meeting. Members unable to attend the Section meeting shall have the option of voting by absentee ballot, to be included with the notice sent to members. Absentee ballots must be received by the Secretary-Treasurer at least seven (7) days before the meeting at which voting takes place.
This revision of the Bylaws was accepted at the Annual Business Meeting of the Research Section on Monday, May 18, 2009, in Honolulu, Hawaii