Kentucky Medical Library Association

Bylaws

Click here for the KMLA Bylaws
Click here for the first Appendix to the KMLA Bylaws

KENTUCKY MEDICAL LIBRARY ASSOCIATION

BYLAWS

I. NAME
		The name of this organization shall be Kentucky Medical Library Association (KMLA).

II. PURPOSE
		A.	The purpose of the organization shall be to actively promote quality health care in Kentucky through access to health sciences information.
		B.	To achieve this, the KMLA shall:
			1.	Utilize technology to provide a means of communication, encourage the exchange of ideas, and address common problems;
			2.	Foster professional growth through continuing education programs;
			3.	To develop mutually beneficial cooperative services such as resource sharing and acquisition for the use of members.

III. MEMBERSHIP
	SECTION 1 – Types of Memberships
		A.	Membership shall be open to institutions and individuals actively engaged in library and information sciences work in a health sciences setting in Kentucky or the surrounding areas.
		B.	There shall be two (2) levels of membership: Institutional and Individual.
	SECTION 2 – Institutional Membership
		A.	Any health sciences library in the state of Kentucky or the surrounding areas may apply for institutional membership.
		B.	Institutional members shall:
			1.	Meet the “Criteria for Membership” as contained in the Appendix I;
			2.	Agree to share resources at no cost to other institutional members unless restricted by institutional policies;
			3.	Appoint one employee as their designated voting representative.
		C.	Institutional representatives who cannot attend a meeting waive their right to vote on issues raised at that meeting.
		D.	Each library within a multi-institutional system must have a separate institutional membership and pay institutional dues if it meets the “Criteria for Membership”.
	SECTION 3 – Individual Membership
		A.	Any one interested in the purpose of this association may join as an Individual member whether or not their institution is already represented.
		B.	Vendors of goods and services to libraries are ineligible for membership.
	SECTION 4 – Rights and Privileges
		A.	Institutional membership allows participation in all cooperative activities and resource sharing.
		B.	Each Institutional member shall have one vote cast by the designated representative.
		C.	Institutional representatives and Individual members in good standing (as certified as having paid dues) shall have the right to hold office, hold appointed positions, and serve on committees.
		D.	Individual membership allows participation in all activities of the Association except interlibrary loan.
		E.	Each Individual member shall have one vote and shall be entitled to vote on all matters except those concerning interlibrary loan.

IV. OFFICERS
	SECTION 1 – Officers and Appointments
		A.	Elected officers of the KMLA shall be:
			1.	President
			2.	Secretary
			3.	Treasurer
		B.	Appointed positions shall be:
			1.	Parliamentarian
			2.	NNLM/GMR Representative
			3.	Web Manager
			4.	ListServ Manager
		C.	Terms of office shall be two (2) years for elected officers and appointed positions.
		D.	All terms shall be for the calendar year.
	SECTION 2 – Elections
		A.	Institutional representatives and Individual members in good standing shall be eligible to hold office.
		B.	The office of President and the offices of Secretary and Treasurer shall be elected in alternating years to provide continuity.
		C.	Elections shall take place at the last regular meeting of the year.
		D.	A slate of candidates shall be prepared by the Nominating Committee prior to the last regular meeting of the year.
		E.	Additional nominations may be made from the floor at the time of election with the prior approval of the nominee.
		F.	Election shall be by affirmation unless there are nominations from the floor in which case the election shall be by written ballot.
		G.	A simple majority vote of the members present shall be required for election to office.
	SECTION 3 – Duties of Officers
		A.	The President shall perform all duties usually associated with the office including:
			1.	Preside at regular and special meetings;
			2.	Send meeting announcements and a call for agenda items;
			3.	Set and distribute meeting agendas;
			4.	Confirm committee membership and appoint chairs;
			5.	Appoint a Nominating Committee at the next-to-the last meeting of the year;
			6.	Make appointments to fill vacancies in offices and committees that occur during the year;
			7.	Serve as ex-officio member of all committees.
		B.	The Secretary shall:
			1.	Take and distribute minutes of all meetings;
			2.	Maintain all records of the Association including minutes of meetings;
			3.	Serve on the Communications Committee.
		C.	The Treasurer shall:
			1.	Be responsible for receipt and distribution of funds;
			2.	Provide a financial report for every meeting;
			3.	Maintain the membership role of the association.
	SECTION 4 – Duties of Appointed Positions
		A.	The Parliamentarian shall provide clarification of procedures as needed.
		B.	The NNLM/GMR Representative shall attend meetings of the GMR and report GMR activities to the KMLA.
		C.	The Web Manager shall:
			1.	Maintain a website for the Association;
			2.	Promptly add or change information on the website as required;
			3.	Respond to and resolve problems with the website;
			4.	Serve on the Communications Committee.
		D.	The ListServ Manager shall:
			1.	Maintain a ListServ for the Association;
			2.	Promptly add new members to the ListServ;
			3.	Respond to and resolve problems with the ListServ;
			4.	Serve on the Communications Committee

V. COMMITTEES
	SECTION 1 – Types of Committees
		A.	Standing Committees shall be:
				Executive Committee
				Awards and Recognition Committee
				Bylaws Committee
				Communications Committee
				Continuing Education Committee
				Cooperative Services Committee
		B.	A Nominating Committee shall be appointed annually by the President.
		C.	Ad Hoc Committees shall be appointed by the President as needed.
	SECTION 2 – Executive Committee
		A.	The Executive Committee shall be composed of:
			1.	the current President
			2.	the Immediate Past-President
			3.	the current Secretary
			4.	the current Treasurer
		B.	Duties of the Executive Committee shall be:
			1.	to act for the organization between meetings;
			2.	to appoint a President should that position become vacant during the year.
	SECTION 3 – Awards and Recognition Committee
		A.	Members of the Committee shall be volunteers or be appointed and shall be confirmed by the President.
		B.	The Committee Chair shall be appointed by the President.
		C.	Responsibilities of the Committee shall be:
			1.	to investigate and recommend awards and recognitions programs;
			2.	to carry out activities related to established programs.
	SECTION 4 – Bylaws Committee
		A.	Members of the Committee shall be volunteers or be appointed and shall be confirmed by the President.
		B.	The Committee Chair shall be appointed by the President.
		C.	Responsibilities of the Committee shall be:
			1.	to periodically review the Bylaws;
			2.	to draft amendments as needed;
			3.	to submit revised Bylaws for posting on the website.
	SECTION 5 – Communications Committee
		A.	Members of the Committee shall include the Secretary, Web Manager and ListServ Manager. Additional members may be appointed by the President.
		B.	The Committee Chair shall be appointed by the President.
		C.	Responsibilities of the Committee shall be:
			1.	to coordinate communications among the members;
			2.	to oversee the website and ListServ;
			3.	to publish a membership directory as needed.
	SECTION 6 – Continuing Education Committee
		A.	Members of the Committee shall be volunteers or be appointed and shall be confirmed by the President.
		B.	The Committee Chair shall be appointed by the President.
		C.	Responsibilities of the Committee shall be:
			1.	to plan the program for meetings;
			2.	to coordinate sponsorship of external continuing education opportunities.
	SECTION 7 – Cooperative Services Committee
		A.	Members of the Committee shall be volunteers or be appointed and shall be confirmed by the President.
		B.	The Committee Chair shall be appointed by the President.
		C.	Responsibilities of the Committee shall be:
			1.	to investigate the possibility of purchasing products for members through a group purchase;
			2.	to coordinate demonstrations of new technologies in conjunction with the CE Committee;
			3.	to provide updates of cooperatively held products;
			4.	to update the Union List as needed.
	SECTION 8 – Nominating Committee
		A.	Members of the Nominating Committee shall be appointed by the President at the next-to-the last meeting of the year;
		B.	The Committee Chair shall be appointed by the President.
		C.	The responsibility of the Nominating Committee shall be to prepare a slate of officers for election at the last meeting of the year.

VI. MEETINGS
	SECTION 1 – Regular meetings
		A.	There shall be no less than three (3) regular meetings during the calendar year.
		B.	Regular meeting dates shall normally be the second Tuesday.
		C.	C. One meeting shall be held in the Spring, one in the Summer and one in the Fall.
		D.	The meeting locations shall vary between sites in the state.
		E.	The President shall set and distribute the meeting agenda prior to the meeting date.
	SECTION 2 – Special meetings
		A.	Special meetings may be called by the President.
		B.	The purpose of the special meeting shall be stated in the call and no other business shall be conducted.
	SECTION 3 – Quorum & Decision making
		A.	A quorum shall be a simple majority of the voting members present at the meeting.

VII. FISCAL POLICIES
	SECTION 1 – Fiscal Year
		A.	The fiscal year shall be the calendar year.
	SECTION 2 - Dues
		A.	Annual dues for Institutional and Individual members shall be payable in January.
	SECTION 3 – Expenditures and Reimbursements
		A.	Elected officers may receive reimbursement from KMLA for travel and other expenses related to the conduct of Association duties at the approval of the Executive Committee.
		B.	Other expenses shall be considered and approved by the Executive Committee.

VIII. PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
		A.	Parliamentary authority shall be the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order.

IX. AMENDMENTS TO THE BYLAWS
		A.	These Bylaws may be amended at any meeting providing a thirty day written notice, which includes the subject of the proposed amendment.
		B.	A two-thirds vote of the voting membership shall be required to pass an amendment.
		C.	The Bylaws shall be reviewed and amendments prepared by the Bylaws Committee as needed.

Bylaws approved July 28, 2009

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KENTUCKY MEDICAL LIBRARY ASSOCIATION

BYLAWS

APPENDIX I

Criteria & Approval Procedures for Institutional Membership

Institutional membership shall be open to any library actively engaged in library and information sciences work in a health sciences setting in Kentucky or the surrounding areas. The “Criteria for Membership” is meant to provide libraries with a minimum standard for their profession and to guide administrators in the creation and operation of library programs

I.	SUGGESTED CRITERIA FOR INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP
	A.	A librarian, either by virtue of experience or education, must be actively in charge of the library services. These services must be provided for at least ½ FTE
	B.	The librarian must be devoted to the provision of in-house library services, including evidence-based medicine and reciprocal information services with other members of the Association.
	C.	The library must have at least twenty-five (25) paid, current journal subscriptions that can be shared through interlibrary loan.
	D.	The library should provide access to a collection of books, either in print or electronically, that are less than ten (10) years old. Certain monographs such as yearly drug books and other items that have a brief shelf life should be discarded as soon as possible.
	E.	The library must provide access to the Internet and professional medical databases.
	F.	The library must be an active user of DOCLINE and update SERHOLD regularly.
	G.	The library must provide reciprocal services to other institutional members unless restricted by institutional policies.
	H.	Institutional members may only use the KMLA’s reciprocal borrowing agreement for their primary clientele.
	I.	Cooperative service arrangements among KMLA members may not be extended to members of any other consortium to which a member may belong.
	J.	The library must appoint one employee as their designated voting representative.

II.	APPROVAL PROCEDURES
	A.	Upon receipt of an inquiry about membership from any institution, KMLA shall send a membership application form and a copy of the Bylaws, including Appendix I.
	B.	Within 30 days of receipt of the completed application a site visit shall be conducted by two representatives of KMLA appointed by the President.
	C.	Representatives shall submit a recommendation to the President within 10 days after the visit.
	D.	A two-thirds vote of the institutional members shall elect a new member.
	E.	An institution so elected shall be declared a member upon payment of the initial membership fee.
	F.	The initial Institutional membership fee shall be the full annual dues amount regardless of the time of year that the new member is elected.

III.	AMENDING THE APPENDIX
	This Appendix may be amended at any meeting by a two-thirds vote of the total institutional membership providing a thirty-day written notice is given. A mail vote may be accepted if the Secretary receives it no later than the day of the vote.

Appendix I approved September 3, 2009

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