Previous Bylaws

These Bylaws were in effect from 1973 through 2003; they have been replaced by the PAM Division Governing Document.

Section 1 The name of this organization shall be Physics-Astronomy-Mathematics 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 dissemination 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: Principal interests of this Division include all aspects of librarianship in the fields of physics, astronomy, and mathematics. Particular emphasis is given to the control, dissemination, and retrieval of knowledge and information in these areas.

ARTICLE II: Membership

Section 1 Membership of the Division shall be all those members of 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's Board of Directors.

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 of the Association and of the Division, shall take such actions as it considers necessary to carry out the objectives of the Division, and shall perform other functions as the membership may direct.

Section 2 The Board shall consist of five members elected by the membership: the chair, the chair-elect, the secretary, the treasurer, and the most recent past-chair. All members of the Executive Board shall be Members, Associate Members, or Retired Members of Special Libraries Association.

Section 3 The Board shall hold at least one meeting annually and may hold additional meetings upon call of the chair or upon written request of any member of the Board. Three 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 chair, shall be filled by majority vote of the remaining members of the Board, this Board-elected member to serve until the next annual meeting.

Section 5 The term of office of chair, chair-elect, and immediate past- chair shall be one year. The term of office of treasurer and secretary shall be two years. 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's Annual Business Meeting, or, if there is no Annual Business Meeting, on July 1 following the election.

ARTICLE IV: Officers

Section 1 The chair 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 preside at all business meetings of the Division and of the Executive Board; shall recommend to the Board such measures as are considered desirable to further the objectives and broaden the effectiveness of the Division; with the secretary shall sign all contracts and other legal documents; unless determined otherwise by the Executive Board, with the treasurer shall sign all checks drawn upon Division funds; shall be a member ex-officio without vote of all committees except the Nominating Committee; with the chair-elect shall represent the Division at meetings of the Association Division Cabinet held during the Association year, in which they are chair and chair-elect; or, if unable to attend a meeting of the Cabinet, the Division chair shall designate a member in the Division to serve as representative; shall attend the meetings called by the chair of the Division Cabinet and shall prepare such reports as may be required by the Division Cabinet Officers.

Section 2 The chair-elect shall assist the chair in the performance of his or her duties; shall be responsible for the program of the Division at the annual convention held in the year during which the chair-elect will have become chair; with the chair shall represent the Division at meetings of the Division Cabinet held during the Association Year in which the office is held; in the event of the absence or withdrawal of the chair, shall assume all the duties and obligations of the chair.

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

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

Section 5 The immediate past-chair shall be a member of the Executive Board and shall carry out such duties as the chair and/or the Board may assign.

ARTICLE V: Meetings

Section 1 The Division's annual business meeting shall be held during the Association's Annual Conference, or, if there is no Conference, upon call of the chair. 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 30 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's official bulletin shall be sent to. each member at least 30 days before the meeting.

Section 4 A quorum for the transaction of business shall be 20 Division members.

Section 5 Whenever in the judgment of the Executive Board a question arises that should be put to a vote of the entire membership of the division and 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 the mail votes shall be established by the Board. The question presented shall be resolved by a two-thirds majority of returned ballots.

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

ARTICLE VI: Committees

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

Section 2 The chair shall appoint the members and designate the chairs of all committees except the Nominating Committee. Appointment to standing committees shall be made in such a way as to provide continuity of membership. No member may serve continuously on any one committee in excess of 6 consecutive years.

Section 3 Committee chairs 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 of 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 chair.

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

ARTICLE VII: Sections

Section 1 Sections relating to definite areas of interest within a Division may be established by the Executive Board upon written petition of 15 members of the Division who desire to participate in the activities of the proposed Section. Sections shall receive needed operating funds from the Division and shall submit to the Division's Executive Board an annual report including a financial statement. Should dissolution of a Section occur, its assets shall revert to the Division. Formation or dissolution of a Section shall be reported to the Division Cabinet Officers.

ARTICLE VIII: 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 P-A-M Division's 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's 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 to the Division Cabinet Officers shall be made for the purpose of obtaining the required advance approval of the Association's Board of Directors. All affiliate and contractual relationships shall be directed toward the best interest of the Division and the Association and shall protect the property and identity of the Division and Association.

Section 3 Purchase of property by the Division shall have the written approval of the Executive Board. If the cost is over $500.00, it shall have the advance approval of the Division members. If it exceeds the Division's available or budgeted funds, or exceeds $1000.00, prior notification shall be made to the Division Cabinet Officers for the purpose of obtaining the required advance approval of the Association's 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 six months prior to the annual business meeting. The current secretary, treasurer, and past-chair shall each appoint one member to the Nominating Committee. This Committee shall be composed of three members, no one of whom shall be a member of the Board. one member shall be a member of the previous Nominating Committee and shall be the Committee chair.

Section 2 Each year the Nominating Committee shall present one or two candidates for chair-elect and either secretary or treasurer, the latter two offices to be filled in alternate years. The Committee shall obtain the acceptance of each nominee prior to submission of its report.

Section 3 The report of the Nominating Committee shall be published in the official bulletin or otherwise sent to Division members at least four months before the annual business meeting. Further nominations accompanied by written acceptance of the nominee may be entered by petition of not less than 10 Division members and shall be filed with the Nominating Committee at least 60 days before the annual business meeting. The report of the Nominating Committee shall be presented for approval by the membership at the Division's annual business meeting.

Section 4 If the slate includes more than one candidate for any office, election shall be by ballot, mailed to each Division member 30 days before the Division's 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's annual business meeting.

ARTICLE X: Publications

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

Section 2 The Division shall not be responsible for the 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's Executive Board or those reflecting duly established policies of the Division or Association.

ARTICLE XI: Division Representation and Affiliation

Section 1 Division representatives to joint committees and meetings of other societies having objectives allied to those-of the Association may be appointed by the chair. 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's Bylaws; any other affiliation, including that with a national or international organization, shall be approved by the Association's Board of Directors. Notices of affiliations and disaffiliations shall be reported to the Division Cabinet Officers and to the administrator of 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 45 days after an annual business meeting at which a majority of the members present votes that the Division no longer meets the needs of the membership. If two-thirds of the mail ballots favor dissolution, or merger, the petition shall be submitted to the Division Cabinet Officers for presentation to the Association's 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 a 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 sent to each member at least 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 10 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 revision in or amendments to the Division's Bylaws shall be submitted to the Association's Bylaws Committee for review before presentation to the Division membership.

Bylaws adopted 1973

Bylaws amended; approved as amended at annual business meeting, July 11, 1984 Judith A. Lola, Chair

Bylaws amended; approved as amended at PAM Annual Business Meeting, June 11, 1991. Marlene Cummins, Chair

These Bylaws were: Approved by the Bylaws Committee, Special Libraries Association:

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