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Mid-America Association of Law Libraries Bylaws
(last Amended October 13, 2022)

ARTICLE I: NAME

The name of this organization shall be: MID-AMERICA ASSOCIATION OF LAW LIBRARIES (hereinafter referred to as "Association"), a chapter of the American Association of Law Libraries. (AALL)

ARTICLE II: OBJECTS

Section 1: In General

The Association is established for educational and scientific purposes, and to improve the profession of law librarianship. It shall be conducted as a non-profit organization for:

Promoting law librarianship; and
Developing and increasing the usefulness of law libraries.

Section 2: Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The Association is committed to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout the profession of law librarianship.

Section 3: Object Consistent with AALL

The Association shall not engage in any activity that is in conflict with the object of AALL.

ARTICLE III: MEMBERSHIP

Section 1: In General

Any person interested in or engaged in law library work is eligible for membership by complying with the relevant Bylaws provisions.

Section 2: Individual Members

Any person, currently or within the last seven years, officially connected with a law library or with a separately maintained law section in any library, may become an active individual member upon determination of eligibility by the Secretary and payment of annual dues. An adverse determination of membership eligibility by the Secretary may be appealed by the prospective candidate to the Executive Board.

Section 3: Institutional Members

Any law library may become an institutional member upon payment of annual dues and may name as institutionally designated members the appropriate number of its employees corresponding to the amount of dues paid. The Executive Board is empowered to determine whether the institution applying is a law library.

Section 4: Associate Members

Any person not connected with law libraries may become an associate member upon approval by the Executive Board and payment of annual dues.

Section 5: Retired Members

Any person who previously held individual or institutional membership in the Association and who has retired from active participation with a law library or with a separately maintained law section in any library may become a retired member upon determination of eligibility by the Secretary and payment of annual dues. An adverse determination of membership eligibility by the Secretary may be appealed by the prospective candidate to the Executive Board.

Section 6: Student Members

Any person enrolled in a degree program related to law librarianship may become a student member upon determination of eligibility by the Secretary and payment of annual dues. An adverse determination of membership eligibility by the Secretary may be appealed by the prospective candidate to the Executive Board. Membership in this category is limited to five consecutive years.

Section 7: Lifetime Members

A person who has made extraordinary contributions to law librarianship or to the Association while a member of the Association can be awarded Lifetime membership upon the unanimous approval of the Association's Executive Board.

Section 8: Honorary Members

A person who has made extraordinary contributions to law librarianship or to the Association while not a member of the Association can be awarded Honorary membership upon the unanimous approval of the Association's Executive Board.

Section 9: Rights and Privileges

The right to hold office shall be restricted to active individual and institutionally designated members. The right to hold the office of President or Vice President/President Elect is further restricted to individual or institutionally designated members in good standing of AALL. Voting rights shall be restricted to active individual and institutionally designated members.

Section 10: Dues

a. The annual dues for individual membership and associate membership shall be $25.00.

b. The annual institutional membership dues shall be at a minimum rate of $25.00, entitling one (1) institutionally designated member; additional institutionally designated members will be at a rate of $25.00, with no library to pay annual dues in excess of $175.00. Payment of the maximum institutional membership dues of $175.00 entitles the institutional member to name as many of its employees as institutionally designated members as desired.

c. Annual retired and student membership dues are $10.00.

d. Honorary and Lifetime memberships are continuous and free.

e. The year for dues shall begin January 1. Dues shall be paid by March 15 and the Executive Board, in its discretion, may suspend the membership rights and privileges of those members with dues in arrears after that date.

f. Membership becomes effective immediately upon payment of dues and any approval of membership eligibility by the Executive Board or the Secretary required by the provisions in Article III above.

g. Dues for institutional members paying the maximum amount of annual dues ($175.00) will be prorated on a quarterly basis during the initial year of membership. 

ARTICLE IV: ANTIDISCRIMINATION

Neither membership nor full participation in the activities of the Association shall be denied or abridged to any person on account of race, color, religion, gender, age, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity.

ARTICLE V: FISCAL YEAR

The fiscal year shall begin on October 1.

ARTICLE VI: OFFICERS, EXECUTIVE BOARD, AND COMMITTEES

Section 1: Officers

a. The officers of the Association shall consist of: President; Vice-President/President Elect; Secretary; and Treasurer. The Vice President/President Elect shall be elected annually by the Association. The Secretary and Treasurer shall be elected for two years, in staggered terms. Upon certification of the election results, the officers-elect of the Board shall assume office at the Business Meeting during the Annual Meeting of the Association for that year. The Vice-President/President Elect shall become President at the Business Meeting during the Annual Meeting of the Association in the following year.

b. In the event that the President resigns prior to the completion of his or her regular term, or is otherwise unable to perform the duties of the office in the judgment of the Executive Board, the Vice President/President Elect shall automatically assume the Presidency and shall serve therein until his or her original Presidential term would have expired.

c. In the event of vacancy in the office of Vice President/President Elect due to the assumption of the Presidency as above, the President shall appoint, with ratification by the Executive Board, an Acting Vice President who shall serve until the next regular election of a Vice President/President Elect. An Acting Vice President shall not be precluded from being a candidate for election to the office of Vice President/President Elect. In the event of a vacancy in the office of Vice President/President Elect not due to the assumption of the office of President as above, if more than six months remain until the next regular election of officers, a special election will be held to fill the office of the Vice President/President Elect. If there are fewer than six months until the next regular election of officers, the President shall appoint, with ratification by the Executive Board, a successor to serve until the next regular election, at which time the individual will become the President of the Association.

d. In the event of a vacancy in the office of Secretary, Treasurer, or the position of Executive Board Member at Large, the President shall appoint, with ratification by the Executive Board, a successor to serve until the next regular election for that office.

Section 2: Duties of Officers

The President, Vice President/President Elect, Secretary, and Treasurer shall perform the duties usually pertaining to their respective offices.

Section 3: Executive Board

a. The Executive Board shall consist of the current officers, the immediate past President, and two members at large. The members at large shall each serve two year, staggered terms.

b. The Executive Board shall be responsible for executing the policies of the Association.

Section 4: Assumption of Office

Incoming officers and Executive Board members shall assume the duties of their respective offices at the conclusion of the designated business meeting held in conjunction with the Association's annual meeting.

Section 5: Committees

a. There shall be such committees as the Association or the Executive Board may establish from time to time.

b. The President shall appoint all members of committees.

ARTICLE VII: MEETINGS

Section 1: Annual Meetings

An annual meeting of the Association shall be held between the first day in September and last day in November, at such time and place as the Executive Board shall determine.

Section 2: Other Meetings

The President shall call other meetings of the Association as deemed necessary, or when requested to do so by the Executive Board.

Section 3: Conduct of Meetings

Except as otherwise specified by these Bylaws, meetings shall be conducted in accordance with the latest edition of the American Institute of Parliamentarian's Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure or any other procedure manual as may be adopted for use by the American Association of Law Libraries.

Section 4: Quorum

A quorum for a business meeting of the Association shall consist of fifteen members.

ARTICLE VIII: NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS

Section 1: Nominating Committee

a. The President shall appoint a Nominating Committee which shall submit the names of a candidate or candidates who have agreed to be nominated for each of the following offices to the Board for review at least two business days prior to circulating the names to the membership in accordance with subsection 1:b of this Article: Vice President/President Elect; Member at Large (one each year), and Secretary (in even numbered years) or Treasurer (in odd-numbered years).

b. The list of candidates shall be circulated to the membership at least thirty days prior to the election.

Section 2: Subsequent Changes to Slate of Candidates Prior to the Election

a. Additional nominations of candidates who have agreed in writing or confirmed by e-mail response to be nominated may be made by any member by forwarding the nominee's written agreement or email confirmation to the nomination to the President.

b. Additional nominations shall be made to the President no later than ten days following circulation of the Nominating Committee's list of candidates to the membership.

c. Any candidate who had previously agreed to be nominated for any office of the Executive Board in accordance with Section 1:a of this Article, who then decides for any reason to withdraw his/her/their name from nomination, may do so no later than ten days prior to the start of the election through written agreement with the President or email to the President confirming withdrawal of the candidate.

d. Upon receipt of additional nominations or withdrawal of names of candidates, the President shall immediately forward to the membership such changes to the list of candidates.

Section 3: Method of Election

a. The regular election of officers of the Association shall be by secret electronic ballot and completed at least two months before the annual meeting. The election period shall be at least twenty-one days in length.

b. The special election of a Vice President/President Elect as noted in Article VI, Section 1c., shall be conducted by the Secretary by mailed ballot or electronic method. The Nominating Committee noted in Article VIII, Section 1, above shall present candidates for the election, and the election shall be conducted as the Executive Board determines.

Section 4: The Votes

a. The individual receiving the greatest number of votes for each office shall be elected to that office.

b. In the event of a tie vote, the chair of the Nominating Committee shall place the name of each candidate on one slip of paper per candidate and then draw one slip from those so marked. The individual so selected shall be elected to the office.

ARTICLE IX: TAX EXEMPT STATUS AND DISSOLUTION

Section 1: Restrictions

a. No part of the Association's earnings or assets shall inure to the benefit of any member or officer of the Association except as reasonable compensation for services rendered.

b. The Association shall not attempt to influence legislation as a substantial part of its activities and it shall not participate in any campaign activity for or against political candidates.

Section 2: Dissolution

Upon dissolution of the Association, any assets remaining after payment of or provision for its debts and liabilities shall be disposed of by the Executive Board exclusively for the purposes of the Association or distributed to AALL or other organizations that are qualified as tax-exempt organizations under Section 501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code. Any assets not so disposed of shall be disposed of by a court of competent jurisdiction in the county in which the Association is registered at the time of dissolution. The court shall dispose of the assets as required of the Association.

ARTICLE X: BYLAWS

Section 1: Amendment

a. All proposed amendments to the Bylaws shall be submitted to the Secretary at least ninety days in advance of the Annual Meeting. The Secretary shall send notice of the proposed amendments to the members at least sixty days prior to the Annual Meeting at which they will be proposed for discussion. This notice shall include the text of the current Bylaws as marked to show the proposed changes and a discussion of the reasons for the changes.

b. Voting on proposed amendments shall be at the Annual Meeting of the Association unless the Executive Board votes to submit the amendments to the membership by electronic ballot.

c. If voting is by electronic ballot rather than at the Annual Meeting, the Executive Board shall specify the time for closing the balloting, but in no case shall it be less than thirty days after the distribution of the ballot.

d. Amendments voted on at the Annual Meeting shall be adopted upon approval by a vote of two-thirds of those members present and voting.

e. Amendments voted on by electronic ballot shall be adopted upon approval by a vote of two-thirds of the members voting.

Section 2: Consistency

The Bylaws shall be consistent with the Bylaws of the American Association of Law Libraries. In case of any conflict, the AALL provisions shall control.

Section 3: Approval

All adopted amendments shall be submitted to the AALL Bylaws and Resolution Committee for review and approval, as required by AALL Bylaws Article XI Section 5.

Section 4: Effective Date

All adopted amendments shall take effect upon publication in the Association's newsletter or on the Association's website after they have been approved by AALL.


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