SEES Governance Procedures

Association of College & Research Libraries

50 E. Huron St. Chicago, IL 60611

800-545-2433, ext. 2523

acrl@ala.org, http://www.acrl.org

A. Name

The name of the organization shall be the Slavic and East European Section (SEES) of the Association of College and Research Libraries, a division of the American Library Association, hereinafter referred to as the Section.

B. Purpose

ACRL Sections are established primarily for the purpose of building communities of learning and providing professional development and networking opportunities for their members. A Section’s name, purpose, and mission are as proposed by the Section and approved by the ACRL Board. The ACRL Board ascertains that overlaps between the mandates are of various Sections are minimized.

The Section shall represent those librarians and others in ACRL who specialize or are otherwise professionally involved in the acquisition, organization and use of information sources originating in or relating to the countries of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. This section may cooperate with other professional groups in regard to those aspects of library service that require special knowledge of sources from or concerning Central Eurasia.

C. Membership

Any member of the Association of College and Research Libraries may elect membership in this Section.

The number of “community of practice” affiliations included in the basic ACRL dues is determined by the ACRL Board. The dues for additional affiliations are also set by the ACRL Board.

D. Relationship to ACRL Board

The Board shall be authorized to establish Communities of Practice (including Sections), to monitor their activities, and determine their continuance in consultation with the respective groups. The Board shall also be entitled to establish policies to govern the activities of Communities of Practice. (ACRL Bylaws, Article XV)

The Board liaison role provides a critical connection between membership structures and the ACRL Board of Directors. This liaison role can be particularly helpful in providing perspective, guidance, and insight regarding ACRL policies, procedures, and initiatives; soliciting feedback from Communities of Practice regarding proposed Board actions; and providing helpful advice regarding Action Plan Proposals and Board Action Forms which community of practice leaders will need to submit for official ACRL Board and ACRL Executive Committee action/decisions. The liaison relationship is meant to enhance communication; it is not an advocacy role and for that reason Board members are asked to liaison with communities in which they have not been active.

The Board of Directors is the voice for the association. Sections, committees, and other established units are not authorized to speak for the association except through the Board. This is to say that unit leaders should refrain from issuing statements, taking positions, or endorsing any statements or positions except with Board approval. (ACRL Guide to Policies and Procedures, Chapter 5.12.8, Use of ACRL’s Name)

E. Meetings

Section meetings at the ALA Midwinter Meeting and ALA Annual Conference are scheduled by the Section chair.

ACRL units are encouraged to work outside of Midwinter and/or Annual Conference to increase group participation, efficiency, and productivity. Electronic meetings are conducted within the environment of ALA/ACRL bylaws and policies. In all cases these requirements must be adhered to, although they may have to be adopted to fit the virtual environment.

The ALA Policy Manual 7.4.1 defines a meeting as “an official assembly, for any length of time following a designated starting time, of the members of any board, committee task force, commission, etc., during which the members do not separate except for a recess and in which the assembly has the capacity to formalize decisions.” Conference calls, Internet chat sessions (and their equivalents), and in-person meetings are recognized as meetings subject to the open meetings policy (ALA Policy 7.4.4). Committees must confirm all decisions made in these forums by affirming the actions at the next face-to-face meeting.

There is a distinction between carrying on work of a committee electronically and conducting an electronic meeting. Asynchronous electronic discussions by electronic mail or other asynchronous communication methods do not constitute meetings because they are not an official assembly with a designated starting time (ALA Policy Manual 7.4.1).

The Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure (Alice Sturgis) applies to meetings of the Section to the extent that it is applicable, upholds the integrity of the voting processes, helps facilitate progress, and ensures equality, fairness, and common sense.

SEES shall hold committee meetings at the time and place of the Mid-Winter and Annual Conferences of the American Library Association (ALA).

Quorum — Members of the Section present at a Mid-Winter or Annual SEES committee meeting shall constitute a quorum.

F. Officers

Each Section will have a vice-chair/chair-elect and a chair to ensure succession.

The officers of the Section shall be a chair, a vice-chair/chair-elect, the immediate past chairperson, and a secretary.

Duties — The duties of the chair, vice-chair/chair-elect and immediate past chair shall conform with the relevant provisions of the ACRL Guide to Policies and Procedures. The secretary is an officer of the section and a member of its Executive Committee. The secretary shall attend all meetings of the section’s committees, record their minutes, and publish the minutes in the section Newsletter.

Terms — All officers shall serve for a term of one year, which ends at the adjournment of the annual meeting, excepting the secretary, who serves a term of two years.

G. Executive Committee

The Section Executive Committee is responsible for the stewardship of the Section and the coordination of its activities, provided that it operates within the Section mandate and budget as determined by membership level (ACRL Guide to Policy and Procedure, Basic Services, 4.3.2).

A Section’s Executive Committee may establish and appoint standing or ad-hoc committees to assist it in fulfilling the Section’s mandate.

Composition — The SEES Executive Committee shall consist of the officers and chairs of standing committees.

Powers and duties — The SEES Executive Committee shall conduct the business of the Section during the periods between ALA meetings. At each of the ALA meetings the chair shall report on the work of the Executive Committee, at which time that work shall be subject to review by the Section membership.

Meetings — Regular meeting of the SEES Executive Committee shall be held at the times and places of ALA Annual and Midwinter meetings. Special meetings may be called at the discretion of the chair. Only members of the SEES Executive Committee may vote at the Executive Committee meetings, although all such meetings shall be open to all members of the Section.

Quorum — A majority of the members of the Executive Committee constitutes a quorum at any meeting of the SEES Executive Committee.

H. Other Committees

Standing Committees — Standing committees for considering matters of concern to SEES that require continuity of attention may be authorized by the SEES Executive Committee at the annual section meeting. The size, name and purpose of a standing committee shall be specified at the time of its authorization. Members of a standing committee shall serve terms of two years each. A member of a committee may be reappointed for a second consecutive term, but no person shall serve more than four consecutive years on a single committee. The vice-chair/chair-elect shall appoint committee members to fill the vacancies due to occur during his or her term as chair. The vice-chair/chair-elect shall also designate the chairpersons of all committees which shall function during his or term as chair of the Section. Unexpected vacancies on a committee shall be filled by a special appointment made by the chair of the Section. A standing committee may be discontinued by a majority vote of the members present and voting at an annual Executive Committee meeting.

Special (Ad Hoc) Committees — Special committees for the performance of particular assignments may be appointed at any time by the chair after consultation with the other members of the SEES Executive Committee. Such special committees shall be discontinued at the end of the term of the chair who appointed them unless extended by the new chairperson. No special committee shall continue to function for more than two years without authorization by the Executive Committee.

I. Nominations and Elections To be nominated, elected, and continue to serve on a Section’s Executive Committee, a person must be a current member of the Section (with ALA, ACRL, and section dues—if applicable—paid).

Nominations — The vice-chair/chair-elect shall appoint a Nominating Committee of at least three members, designating one member as Committee chair. No one may be a member of the nominating Committee who is currently serving on the Executive Committee. The Nominating Committee shall choose a slate of nominees for each of the offices of (a) vice-chair/chair-elect annually and (b) every two years, secretary. Additional nominations for these offices may be made by petitions signed by no fewer than five Section members. Nominations put forward by the Nominating Committee, as well as any additional nominations made by petition, shall be filed with both the Executive Directory of ACRL and the secretary of SEES within the deadlines prescribed for nominations by ACRL. All nominees must be members in good standing of SEES and must consent to candidacy in writing.

Elections — Elections shall be conducted by electronic means as specified by ALA/ACRL. For each office, the candidate receiving a plurality of the votes cast shall be elected. In case of a tie vote the successful candidate shall be determined by lot.

J. Vacancies

In the event of a vacancy in the office of the chair, the vice-chair/chair-elect shall succeed to the office of the chair and shall continue in that office until the expiration of the term for which he or she was originally elected to serve as chair. In the event of a vacancy in the office of vice-chair/chair-elect, the chair shall appoint a member of the section to be vice-chair/chair-elect. If the office of secretary or the chair of one of the committees becomes vacant, the chair shall appoint a member of the section to that office. In the event that both the chair and vice-chair positions become simultaneously vacant, the remaining members of the Executive Committee shall appoint a member of the section to become chair. Subsequent to this, the new chair shall appoint a member of the section to become vice-chair/chair-elect and who shall serve a normal three year (vice-chair/chair-elect — chair — immediate past-chair) term. In the event that the immediate past chair position becomes vacant, the position will not be filled.

K. Amendments to Governance Procedures

These governance procedures may be amended by the following procedures as long they are not in conflict with ALA/ACRL bylaws, policies, and procedures. Changes to these governance procedures do not require a ballot vote by the membership.

Amendment Proposals — Amendments to these governance procedures may be proposed in writing by the Executive Committee, by a committee appointed specifically for the purpose, or by five members of the Section. Proposals shall be filed with the secretary at least three months before the annual meeting.

Notification — The secretary shall send all members of the Section a copy of any proposed amendments to be voted on at the annual meeting at least thirty days before the annual meeting, or they shall be announced in an issue of College & Research Library News appearing prior to the annual meeting.

Voting — An amendment approved by two-thirds of the members present and voting at an annual meeting shall be carried.