Catholic Library Association: Greater Cincinnati Chapter

The Catholic Library Association
Our Mission

The Catholic Library Association, an international membership organization...
• Provides leadership for professional development
• Coordinates the exchange of ideas
• Offers spiritual support
• Promotes Catholic and ecumenical literature
• Fosters community among those who seek, serve, preserve, and share the word in all its forms

GREATER CINCINNATI CHAPTER:
CATHOLIC LIBRARY ASSOCIATION CONSTITUTION

 
ARTICLES OF THE CONSTITUTION

Article I - Name
The name of this organization shall be the Greater Cincinnati Chapter of the Catholic Library Association.

Article II - Purpose
The purpose of this organization shall be to promote the mission of the Catholic Library Association by initiating, promoting and encouraging Catholic libraries and librarianship through the improvement of library resources and services, ; and to cooperate with other libraries and organizations which have aims and programs of mutual interest.

Article III - Membership
All persons interested in the purpose of this organization shall be eligible for membership.

Article IV -Officers
1. The elected officers of the organization shall be: a President, a Vice-President who is President Elect, a Secretary, and a Treasurer.

2. Their terms of office shall be one year.

3. All elected officers of the Board MUST be members of the National Catholic Library Association and all other members of the Board shall be encouraged to be national members.

Article V -Meetings
Three meetings shall be held each year at a time and place determined by the Executive Board

Article VI -Constitution
The Constitution may be amended by two-thirds vote of the active members present at a meeting, provided that the proposed amendment has been submitted to the Executive Board and the membership at least two months prior to the meeting.

Article VII -Bylaws
Bylaws may be added, dropped or revised by a two-thirds vote of the active members present at a meeting provided that the membership has been informed at least two months prior to the meeting.

ARTICLES OF THE BYLAWS

Article I -Chapters
Section 1 The Greater Cincinnati Chapter shall include the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, Ohio, the Diocese of Covington, Kentucky and the Diocese of Lexington, Kentucky.

Section 2 The President of the Chapter is a member of the National Advisory Council and is expected to attend the National Convention and be present at all meetings requiring vote of membership. To this end the Chapter pays the travel expenses of the President to the National Convention. Payment is not to exceed 50% of the total cost of attendance.

Section 3 Annual reports summarizing Chapter activities, including each committee and section, must be forwarded by the President to the national headquarters of the Catholic Library Association, six weeks ahead of the national convention.

Section 4 The Greater Cincinnati Chapter consists of three sections:  Children's Library Services, High School and Young Adult Library Services and Parish and Community Library Services.

Section 5 The chapter is required to pay annual dues to the national organization, in the amount determined by the National Executive Board.

Article II – Dues
Section 1 Annual dues shall be payable in September with the membership year running from September through August. The annual membership dues for retired librarians and volunteer parish librarians are reduced to 50% of the ordinary fee.

Section 2 Honorary members are those who may be granted membership in the Chapter by action of the Executive Board upon a proposal justifying this honor. These members shall not pay dues.

 
Article III – Qualifications and Duties of Chapter Officers
Section 1 Only those who are members of the chapter and the National Association shall be eligible for elected Chapter offices. As all elected officers are required to be members of the national organization, the treasurer will reimburse each elected Board member 50% of the cost of membership in the national CLA.

Section 2 Terms of office shall begin after the installation of officers at the spring meeting.

Section 3 It is the duty of the President to preside over all general meetings of the Chapter, or any
special meeting which the Executive Board deems necessary to order; to preside at meetings of the Executive Board; to name committee and section chairs; to be ex-officio member of all committees; to represent the Chapter at meetings of other organizations; to serve on the National Advisory Council at the National Convention and to attend such meetings as require a vote of membership.

Section 4 The Vice-President automatically succeeds the President when the latter's term expires and therefore is regarded as President-Elect. It is the duty of the Vice-President to discharge the duties of the President in case of the latter's absence and to serve as program chairman for the general meetings of the Chapter. All program plans shall be submitted to the Executive Board before finalization. The Vice-President, as Program Chair, is responsible for reminding the membership of upcoming general meetings, either through the newsletter or by separate mailing.

Section 5 The Secretary shall take minutes of all meetings of the Executive Board and take notes at any other meetings requested by the President. The minutes are to be mailed within two weeks to all members of the Executive Board and the Catholic Library Association national headquarters. The Secretary shall conduct the general correspondence of the chapter.

Section 6 The Treasurer is the receiver and custodian of all money payable to the Chapter and shall pay all bills approved by the Executive Board and shall submit a report at each Board meeting. A financial report must be filed at Catholic Library Association Headquarters by July 1 of each year.

Section 7 Vacancies in office will be filled pro tempore by the Executive Board; persons so appointed shall serve ad interim, until the next regular election of the Chapter. Vacancies must be filled as soon as possible.
Section 8 All members of the Board shall be available before each general meeting to assist in any way to assure the success of the meeting.

Article IV -Executive-Board
Section 1 The Executive Board shall consist of the President, Vice-President, the immediate Past President, the Secretary, the Treasurer, the Chairs of the three sections and the Chairs of all Standing Committees.

Section 2 A majority of the members of the Executive Board constitutes a quorum in all matters requiring action and decision.

Section 3 A majority vote of Board members present at the Executive Board meetings shall be required to legitimize any of its proposals.

Section 4 Activities conducted in the name of the Chapter shall be under the supervision and jurisdiction of the Executive Board, in whom repose the powers to approve or reject measures to be taken by individuals or groups and in whom is placed the authority to determine plans of action, and to make decisions and judgements in conformity with the established policies of the Association. Any attempt of any individual or group of individuals to commit the Chapter to a course of action without prior consent and approval of the Executive Board must be declared null and void.

Section 5 The Executive Board shall meet at least one month before each meeting of the Chapter and may be called to other meetings by the President as deemed necessary.

Article V -Sections
Section 1  A Section is a group approved by the Executive Board, comprised of Chapter members interested in a special or common interest, problem or work.

 
Section 2 A petition for the establishment of a Section must state clearly the purpose and the need for the proposed Section. The Executive Board reserves the right and the power to discontinue a Section, where, in the opinion of the Board, the usefulness of the Section has ceased.

Section 3 Sections may determine and perform all functions appropriate to their interests in conformity to the purpose of the Chapter.

 
Section 4 Provision for sessions of the various Sections during any meeting of the Chapter must be made by the Section Chairman in consultation with the Executive Board. Sessions of all Sections are open to any members of the Chapter and any other persons interested and desiring to attend.
Section 5 Section chairs shall be appointed for one-year terms.

Article VI -Committees
Section 1 The Chairs of all committees shall be appointed by the President of the Chapter with the approval of the Executive Board.

Section 2 Committee Chairs are appointed for one-year terms and are authorized to appoint members of their committees subject to the approval of the Executive Board.

Section 3 Committee responsibilities must be outlined by the President when appointments are made, and a statement of the aims and details of the responsibilities of each committee must be forwarded to persons invited to serve as chairs by the outgoing chairs.

Section 4 The Standing Committees are: Membership, Publicity, Archives, Hospitality, Website, Newsletter and Registration.

Section 5 The purpose and duties of the various committees shall be:

 
a.) Membership: To recruit new members and encourage renewal of memberships,,, to send overdue notices to members not renewed, to keep membership records, and to assemble and distribute an annual membership directory to all chapter members each January.
b.) Publicity: To prepare publicity for local papers; to send news items to the editor of the Catholic Library World.
c) Archives:  To keep the files of all Chapter materials up to date.
d) Hospitality:  To plan and coordinate meals and decorations for general meetings with the on-site host; to purchase supplies as needed, and to facilitate raffles at general meetings. 
e)  Website:  To seek information on current chapter activities in order to keep the chapter website up to date.
f) Newsletter:  The Newsletter Editor shall prepare the chapter newsletter 3 times annually, in the autumn, winter and spring.  The Newsletter shall be mailed to all members and to C.L.A. Headquarters one month in advance of each general meeting. The autumn newsletter may also be sent to previous-year members who have not yet renewed their membership.
g) Registration:  The Registrar shall keep a register of all persons attending meetings; shall accept all reservations for meetings; shall be present for registering at least 1/2 hour before meetings; shall submit a complete report at each Board meeting.

Section 6 Committee Chairs shall submit a report of the progress of the Committee to the Executive Board annually, at the Board meeting prior to the Spring general meeting.  The President shall forward these reports to the national headquarters in advance of the annual convention as provided for in the Bylaws, Article 1, Section 3.

Article VII -Elections
Section 1 The President shall appoint a nominating committee consisting of three members, including the immediate Past President as chair.

 
Section 2 The Committee shall agree upon a ticket nominating at least one (1) person for each office to be filled. Consent of the nominees shall be obtained before their names are placed in nomination. 

Section 3 The report of the Nominating Committee must be made in writing to the President of the Chapter by presenting the list of nominations prior to the Winter Board meeting.  Upon approval by the Executive Board at that meeting, the slate of candidates shall be published in the newsletter that precedes the Winter meeting.

Section 4 Chapter Officers shall be elected by majority vote of members attending the Winter meeting.

Section 5 The President of the Chapter will notify all the candidates of the election results. The President shall report the results to the National Office of C.L.A. before May 1 in order to have current officers included in the Membership Directory.

Section 6 The results of the election shall be officially announced in the first Newsletter following the election.  Newly elected officers shall be installed at the Spring general meeting.

Article VIII -Official Journal
The official publication of the Greater Cincinnati Chapter is the Newsletter which shall appear one month before each meeting.

Article IX -Parliamentary Authority
Robert’s Rules of Order (Revised) shall be the parliamentary authority of the Chapter.

Constitution Revised 2007.