REVISED February 24, 1989

BYLAWS

ENVIRONMENT AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT DIVISION

SPECIAL LIBRARIES ASSOCIATION

Accepted June 1989

ARTICLE I: NAME AND OBJECTIVE

Section 1. The name of this organization shall be Environment and Resource Management Division, Special Libraries Association

Section 2. The objectives of this Division shall be those of the Special Libraries Association: to provide an association of individuals and organizations having a professional, scientific or technical interest in library and information science, especially as these are applied in the recording, retrieval and disseminations of knowledge and information in areas such as the physical, biological, technical and social sciences and the humanities; and to promote and improve the communication, dissemination and use of such information and knowledge for the benefit of libraries or other educational organizations.

Section 3. Scope Note: The Environment and Resource Management Division is committed to the use of information to support the management or resources in natural and man-made environments.

ARTICLE II: MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. The membership of the Division shall be those members of the Special Libraries Association who elect to affiliate with the Division.

Section 2. Members, Associate Members and Retired Members of the Association who are members of the Division shall have the right to vote and to hold any elective or appointive office in the Division.

Section 3. Student Members of the Association who are members of the Division shall have the right to vote and to hold any appointive, but not elective office in the Division

Section 4. The rights and benefits of Sustaining Members and Honorary Members shall be determined by the Association Board of Directors.

Section 5. Each Member of the Division shall receive a free copy of the Division’s official bulletin or newsletter.

ARTICLE III: EXECUTIVE BOARD

Section 1. There shall be an Executive Board that shall have the power and authority to manage the Division’s property and to regulate and govern its affairs. The board shall determine policies and changes therein within the limits of the Bylaws or the Association and of the Division and shall take such actions as it considers necessary to carry out the objectives of the Division, and shall perform such other functions as the membership may direct.

Section 2. The Board shall consist of seven members elected by the membership; the chairman, the chairman-elect, the immediate past chairman, the secretary, the treasurer and two directors. The chairman and chairman-elect shall be Members, Associate Members or Retired Members of the Special Libraries Association.

Section 3. The Board shall hold at least one meeting annually and may hold additional meetings upon the call of the chairman, or upon written request of any member of the Board. Four members of the Board shall constitute a quorum.

Section 4. A vacancy in the membership of the Executive Board, except in the office of the chairman, shall be filled by majority vote of the remaining members of the Board, this Board-elected member is to serve until the next annual election.

Section 5. The term of office of chairman, chairman-elect, and immediate past chairman shall be three consecutive years, one year in each office. The term of office of the secretary and treasurer shall be two years with election of each in alternate years. The term of office of the two directors shall be two years with election of each in alternate years. Directors may not serve longer than two consecutive terms except that a past officer may serve only one elected term as a director immediately following his term of office, or not more than seven consecutive years on the Executive Board. All members of the Executive Board shall serve until their successors are elected and assume their duties. The term of office shall commence at the adjournment of the Association Annual Business Meeting, or, if there is no Annual Business Meeting, on July 1 following the election.

ARTICLE IV: OFFICERS

Section 1. The chairman shall be the chief executive officer of the Division and subject to the Executive Board, shall have general supervision and control over its affairs; shall be responsible for supervision of Division program planning for the Association Annual Conference during the year the office is held; shall preside at all business meetings of the Division and of the Executive Board; shall recommend to the Board such measures considered desirable to further the objectives and broaden the effectiveness of the Division; with the Secretary, shall sign all contracts and other legal documents, shall sign all checks drawn upon Division funds as cosignatory with the treasurer, unless determined otherwise by the Executive Board; shall be a member ex-officio of all committees except the Nominating Committee; with the chairman-elect, shall represent the Division at meetings of the Division Cabinet, during the Association Year in which the office is held, or, if either is unable to attend, shall designate a Member, Associate Member or Retired Member of the Division to serve as alternate representative; shall prepare such reports as may be required of other Division officers by the Division Cabinet officers.

Section 2. The chairman-elect shall assist the chairman in the performance of the duties of the chairmanship; with the chairman, shall represent the Division Cabinet during the Association Year in which the office is held; and in the event of absence or withdrawal of the chairman, shall assume all the duties and obligations of the chairmanship.

Section 3. The secretary shall keep a record of all meetings of the Division and of the Executive Board; with the chairman, shall sign all contracts and other legal documents; and shall perform such other duties as the chairman may assign.

Section 4. The treasurer shall have custody of the Division funds; shall sign all checks drawn upon Division funds as cosignatory with the chairman, unless determined otherwise by the Executive Board; and shall furnish such financial statements as may be required by the Executive Board, the chairman, and the Association Division Cabinet officers.

Section 5. The immediate past chairman and the directors shall be members of the Executive Board and shall carry out such duties as the chairman and/or the Board may assign.

ARTICLE V: MEETINGS

Section 1. The Division annual business meeting shall be held during the Association Annual Conference, or, if there is no conference, upon call of the chairman. At least one business meeting shall be held during the term of office of each elected Executive Board.

Section 2. Special meetings may be held upon call of the Executive Board or on petition of fifty members of the Division. Notice of a special meeting shall specify the business to be transacted, and no business other than that stated in the notice shall be considered.

Section 3. Notice of meetings in writing or printed in the Division official bulletin shall be sent to each member at least thirty (30) days before the meeting.

Section 4. A quorum for the transaction of business shall be ten Division members.

Section 5. Whenever in the judgment of the Executive Board, a question arises which cannot await the annual business meeting, the Executive Board may submit the question for vote by mail. The closing date for the return of mail votes shall be established by the Board. The question presented shall be resolved by a majority vote provided twenty-five (25%) percent of the members have voted.

Section 6. When not in conflict with these Bylaws, Robert’s Rules of Order Revised (latest edition) shall govern all deliberation.

ARTICLE VI: COMMITTEES

Section 1. Standing and special committees shall be established by the Executive Board for the purpose of delegating such powers and functions as the Board finds desirable for the conduct of its business and for carrying out the objectives of the Division. These committees shall be responsible to the Board.

Section 2. The Division chairman shall appoint the members and designate the chairman of all committees except the Nominating Committee. Appointment to standing committee shall be for two years, unless determined otherwise by the Executive Board. No member may serve continuously on any one committee in excess of four years.

Section 3. Committee chairman may participate in meetings of the Executive Board but shall not have the right to vote.

Section 4. Each committee shall submit to the Executive Board a written report for its activities throughout the year, together with any recommendations considered necessary or advisable. Additional reports may be submitted by a committee or requested by the Board or the Division chairman.

Section 5. Funds for committee expenses shall be authorized by the Executive Board.

ARTICLE VII: FUNDS, CONTRACTS AND PROPERTY

Section 1. Funds for Division expenses shall be derived from the Association as an allotted share of the annual dues paid by Division members. Eligibility for this allotment is based on submission to the Division Cabinet officers of the Division financial statement for the previous year and on its acceptance by those officers. Requests for additional funds or loans may be submitted to the Division Cabinet officers for presentation to the Association Board of Directors for its consideration. All funds received by a Division shall be used for purposes incident to the fulfillment of the Division's objectives. Should dissolution of the Division become necessary, its assets shall revert to the Association.

Section 2. Any agreement or contract entered into by the Division shall have advance approval of the Executive Board. If liability exceeds the Division's available or budgeted funds, prior notification of the Division's Cabinet officers shall be made for the purpose of obtaining the required advance approval of the Association Board of Directors. All the affiliate and contractual relationships shall be directed toward the best interest of the Division and the Association and shall protect its property and identity.

Section 3. Purchase of property by the Division shall have the written approval of the Executive Board. If the cost is over $2000, it shall have the advance approval of the Division members. If it exceeds the Division's available or budgeted funds or exceeds $2000, prior notification shall be made to the Division Cabinet officers for the purpose of obtaining the required advance approval of the Association Board of Directors.

ARTICLE IX: NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS

Section 1. A Nominating Committee for each election of members to the Executive Board shall be appointed by the Board no later than eight months prior to the annual business meeting. This committee shall be composed of eight members, no one of whom shall be a member of the Board, but one of whom shall be a former officer, or, former member of the previous Nominating Committee.

Section 2. Each year, the Nominating Committee shall present at least one candidate for chairman-elect, either secretary or treasurer, the latter two offices to be filled in alternate years. It will also present at least one candidate for director each year, as one director is to be elected each year for a two-year term. The Committee shall obtain the written acceptance of each nominee prior to submission of its reports.

Section 3. The report of the Nominating Committee shall be published in the official bulletin or otherwise sent to Division members at least sixty (60) days before the Division annual business meeting. Further nominations, accompanied by written acceptance by the nominee, may be entered by petition of three Division members, and shall be filed with the Nominating Committee at least forty (40) days before the annual business meeting. The report of the Nominating Committee shall be presented for approval by the membership at the Division annual business meeting.

Section 4. If the slate includes more than one candidate for any office, election shall be by secret ballot mailed to each Division member thirty (30) days before the Division annual business meeting. The candidate who receives the largest number of votes for any office shall be elected. In the event of a tie, election shall be by majority vote of the members present at the Division annual business meeting.

ARTICLE X: PUBLICATIONS

Section 1. Control of all publications of the Division for its members shall be vested in the Executive Board.

Section 2. The Division shall not be responsible for statements or opinions advanced in its publications or at meetings of the Division, or for statements by any of its members except those authorized by the Division Executive Board or those reflecting duly established policies of the Division or Association.

ARTICLE XI: DIVISION REPRESENTATIONS AND AFFILIATION

Section 1. Division representatives to joint committees and meetings of other societies having objectives allied to those of the Division and of the Association shall be appointed by the chairman. Such representatives shall submit at least one written report to the Executive Board during the year.

Section 2. Upon approval by a majority of the Division members voting, the Division may affiliate or disaffiliate with a common interest organization provided that:

1. The objectives of such organization are consistent with those of the Division and of the Association, and
2. The activities of such organization are not in conflict with Article I: Sections 3, 4 and 5 of the Association Bylaws.

Any other affiliation, including that with a national or international organization shall be approved by the Association Board of Directors. Notices of affiliation and disaffiliation shall be reported to the Division Cabinet officers and to the administrator to the Association Office.

ARTICLE XII: DISSOLUTION AND MERGER

Section 1. The Division may petition for dissolution, or for merger with another Division, by mail vote of its membership, the ballots to be mailed not more than forty-five (45) days after an annual business meeting at which a majority of the members present votes that it no longer meets the needs of the membership. If two-thirds of the mail ballots favor dissolution, or merger, the petitions shall be submitted to the Division Cabinet officers for presentation to the Association Board of Directors, which shall make the final decision.

Section 2. In the event of dissolution, all assets of the Division shall revert to the Association. In the event of merger, assets shall become a part of the new merged unit, as decided upon by the two bodies concerned. Any other monies shall revert to the Association.

ARTICLE XIII: AMENDMENTS

Section 1. These bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the members present and voting at any Division meeting, provided written notice containing the text of the proposed amendment has been set to each member at least thirty (30) days before the meeting at which it is to be considered.

Section 2. Amendments may be proposed by the Executive Board, the Bylaws Committee or ten members of the Division. Proposals originating in the Executive Board or in the Bylaws Committee shall be approved by a two-thirds vote of the Board before submission to the members. Proposals originating by petition shall be submitted in writing to the Executive Board and shall be presented to the members with the recommendations of the Board.

Section 3. Any revisions or amendments of the Division Bylaws shall be submitted to the Association Bylaws Committee for review before presentation to the Division membership.

These Bylaws were:

Approved by the Bylaws Committee, Special Libraries Association

Lou Webster, Chairman April 7, 1989

Approved by the Division membership

Peter A. Evans, Co-Chairman June 12, 1989

Margaret Miler, Co-Chairman June 12, 1989