NJLA BYLAWS

I. NAME

This corporation shall be called the New Jersey Library Association.

II. OBJECT

A. The purposes for which this corporation is formed are to advance the standards of librarianship in New Jersey; to protect the professional interests of the members of the Association including the establishment of sound personnel practices and the principles of intellectual freedom; to promote the progress and welfare of all types of libraries in this State; to promote library science and to grant scholarships in connection therewith; to encourage the use of libraries for educational, scientific, and literary purposes; and to engage in such other educational, charitable, scientific, and literary enterprises as the membership may elect from time to time.

B. This organization is not organized for pecuniary profit, and no activities of the corporation shall be engaged in for profit or commercial purposes.

C. No part of the property or income of this corporation shall enure to the benefit of any individual except as otherwise provided in the purposes of this corporation.

D. Upon dissolution of the corporation all of its assets remaining after payment of its obligations shall be transferred to such public agencies of the State of New Jersey or its political subdivisions and such private nonprofit educational, literary, scientific, or charitable organizations as the membership may determine, provided that any such private organizations shall comply with Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 as amended. No member of the corporation shall have any claim on its assets, except that library organizations which are members of the corporation shall be eligible to receive assets upon dissolution as aforesaid, provided they qualify under the previous provisions of this paragraph.

E. No substantial part of the activities of this corporation shall consist of carrying on propaganda or otherwise attempting to influence legislation.

III. MEMBERS

A. Any person, organization, or library interested in the object of the Association as described in the Certificate of Incorporation, may become a member of the Association, as provided in the Bylaws, upon the payment of dues.

B. There shall be the following classifications of membership in the Association

  1. Individuals

       a. Personal: persons employed in library or information services, or library education, in New Jersey

       b. Affiliate: other persons interested in the work of the Association

       c. Honorary: persons nominated by the Member Services Committee and approved for life by the Executive Board. All Past Presidents become honorary members on retirement from full-time librarianship.

  2. Organizations

       a. Institutional: libraries and other non-profit organizations

       b. Commercial organizations: business and other for-profit organizations

       c. Friends and advocates: non-profit organizations which support a particular New Jersey library

C. Rights and Privileges

  1. Each individual member shall be entitled to one vote.

  2. Each individual member shall be eligible to hold office and to serve on committees, sections, and task forces.

  3. Each member shall receive communications and services in accordance with the policies adopted by the Executive Board.

D. Dues

  1. The dues structure shall be recommended to the membership by the Executive Board and shall be established by a vote of the majority of the members in good standing present at any business meeting provided that specific notice of such change has been given in the call for such a meeting at least 10 days prior to that meeting.

  2. The schedule of dues shall be posted on the official website of the Association.

  3. Honorary members need not pay dues.

  4. The membership year shall be twelve consecutive months, effective as of the date of commitment of payment.

  5. If the membership is renewed within thirty days of the member's expiration date, the member will remain in good standing.

IV. NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS

A. Nominations for officers of the Association, for members-at-large of the Executive Board, and for ALA councilor shall be made by the Nominations and Elections Subcommittee. On a 3-year cycle, one member-at-large College & University position shall be designated to a member employed in a college or university library

B. Nominations may also be made by petition. A petition shall contain the signatures of 15 individual members endorsing the candidate plus the written consent of the candidate. Prior to November 1st, the Nominations and Elections Subcommittee shall send notice to the membership inviting petitions. The official form of petition shall be used which shall be made available to each member prior to November 1st.

C. Completed petitions must be received by January 1.

D. A copy of the ballot shall be distributed to each eligible member of the Association by March 1st.

E. To be elected, a candidate must receive a majority of votes cast, or a plurality of votes cast when three or more choices are possible.

F. Special votes and elections may be called by the Executive Board under regulations proposed by the Nominations and Elections Subcommittee and approved by the Board.

G. Election results shall be announced at the annual meeting.

V. MEETINGS

A. The annual meeting of this Association shall be held in the spring at such times as the Executive Board may determine. Other meetings may be held at the direction of the Executive Board.

B. Forty individual members shall constitute a quorum at any business meeting of the Association.

C. A parliamentarian shall be appointed by the President with the approval of the Executive Board to serve at meetings of the Association and Executive Board.

D. At all meetings of the Association, an agenda shall be distributed that outlines business to be conducted and provides an opportunity for members to address issues.

E. Meetings of the Executive Board may be called by the President at such times and places as the President may designate. Meetings will be open to the library community and participation will be encouraged as appropriate. A minimum of six meetings per year shall be called.

F. Regular and special meetings of the Board may be held by electronic means such as e-mail, chat rooms, telephone, video, fax or other appropriate mechanisms. Procedural rules related to the conduct of electronic meetings shall be established and promulgated by the Board.

G. Special meetings of the Executive Board shall be called by the President upon written request of the majority of the Board.

H. Any Executive Board member who does not attend 3 Executive Board meetings (2, if consecutive) in any year, shall be notified by the President that if the member fails to attend a 4th meeting (3rd, if consecutive), a motion for removal from office may be placed on the agenda of the following meeting. A two-thirds vote of the Executive Board shall be required for such removal.

VI. OFFICERS

A. The officers of the Association shall consist of a President, First Vice President (President-elect), Second Vice President, and Secretary, each of whom shall be elected for a one-year term, and a Treasurer, who shall be elected for a two-year term.

B. The person who has been elected First Vice President (President-elect) shall, after serving the term of that office, automatically become President without further election. The Second Vice President shall be the person who receives the second highest number of votes for First Vice President (President-elect).

C. All officers and executive board members at large shall serve their term specified in IV.A. and VI.A. beginning on July 1 following their election or until their successors are elected. The Treasurer begins a period of training on the Board and Committees on April 1 following their election or until their successors are elected. The Treasurer's two-year term begins July 1.

D. These officers shall perform the duties usually pertaining to their offices and such other duties as may be directed by the Executive Board. The President and Treasurer shall submit reports in writing to the Secretary of the Association at the annual meeting, but reports from these officers may be called for at any meeting of the Association.

VII. EXECUTIVE BOARD

A. The Executive Board shall consist of the officers of the Association, ten members-at-large who shall be elected for three-year staggered terms, the immediate Past President and the ALA Councilor. Each individual on the Executive Board is entitled to one vote only.

B. Representation to the Council of the American Library Association.

  1. As provided in the Constitution and Bylaws of the American Library Association (ALA), the New Jersey Library Association will be represented as a Chapter of the American Library Association in the Council of the American Library Association.

  2. For this purpose an American Library Association Councilor shall be elected to serve a three-year term. The Councilor shall take office after the first ALA conference following the election.

  3. After each Council meeting, the American Library Association Councilor shall report promptly to the Executive Board any action of the Council which concerns the New Jersey Library Association.

C. The Executive Board shall have the power to act for the Association during the intervals between meetings of the Association.

D. The Executive Board shall authorize committees of the Association not otherwise provided for.

E. The Executive Board shall have the power to fill all vacancies in office, except President and First Vice President.

  1. Any person appointed by the Executive Board shall serve only until the June 30th following appointment or until a successor is qualified.

  2. In the event of the inability of the President to serve, the duly elected First Vice President shall become President, and, in addition, shall serve the term as President.

  3. In the event of the inability of the First Vice President to serve, or having succeeded to the presidency, the Second Vice President shall become First Vice President.

F. The management of the funds accruing to the Association shall be under the oversight of the Executive Board except as provided elsewhere in this Article.

G. Only the Executive Board shall have power to incur any expense in the name of the Association.

  1. The Executive Board shall adopt annually a budget providing for expenses to be incurred in the name of the Association.

  2. The Treasurer, Executive Director, administrative assistant, and accountant shall be bonded.

  3. The Treasurer shall submit to the Executive Board monthly a full financial report.

  4. The fiscal year of the Association shall begin July 1st.

  5. The President, Treasurer, and Executive Director shall be authorized to sign checks as necessary.

H. A financial professional  shall be retained annually and shall review or audit the accounts of the Association in accordance with state and federal statutes.

VIII. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND STAFF

A. The Executive Director and staff shall be employed by the Executive Board under contracts which specify the terms and conditions of employment and duties and responsibilities.

B. The Executive Director shall be the Chief Administrative Officer of the Association and will be responsible for the implementation of the policies adopted by the Executive Board.

C. The Executive Director shall be responsible to the Executive Board and shall report regularly to it, and shall render an annual report to the membership of the Association’s progress and activities.

D. All other staff report to the Executive Director.

IX. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

A. SECTIONS AND TASK FORCES

  1. A section is formed to promote library service and librarianship within and for a particular type of library activity, or to identify, discuss and promote action on issues not limited to a particular type of library activity. It may be created by the Executive Board at the written request of 15 individual members of the Association engaged in the work of the proposed section. The request shall state clearly the purpose of the proposed section.

  2. A task force studies and works toward accomplishment of a certain objective and/or solution of a specific problem. The nature of its objective and/or scope of the problem will determine the length of time that the task force remains in existence. It may be created by the Executive Board to address specific issues. The request shall state clearly the purpose of the proposed task force. A task force must be re-authorized annually by vote of a majority of the Executive Board.

  3. The Association President and Executive Director shall be ex officio members of all sections and task forces.

  4. Initial approval of sections will be provisional for a period of two years in which viability and activity of benefit to members may be demonstrated. On completion of the provisional period, the section must provide a record of officers and bylaws as determined by the section membership along with the request for organizational status to the Executive Board, which will consider action to grant organizational status, extend the provisional period, or recommend discontinuance.

  5. In order to be granted organization status, all sections must be able to provide bylaws that state the name and purpose of the section, and--at minimum--details pertaining to officers, terms, elections, and meetings. Changes to the name or purpose must be submitted to the Executive Board of the Association. Any changes to the bylaws must be in accordance with the sections bylaws.

  6. Sections of the Association must report to the Executive Board as requested.

  7. In the event that a section which has been granted organizational status becomes inactive or does not function towards accomplishment of its responsibilities and objectives, the Executive Board shall establish an appropriate time frame for the section to restore activity or correct deficiencies prior to considering a recommendation for discontinuance. The officers of the section shall be notified by the President that a recommendation for discontinuance may be considered by the Executive Board.

  8. A section may be discontinued by a vote of the Executive Board when notice has been provided at the previous meeting. However, the Executive Board shall be required to show cause for such recommendation.

  9. A section may issue publications and in general carry on activities along the lines of their own interests subject to the restrictions imposed by the Bylaws and the Executive Board of the Association.

  10. Only the Executive Board may authorize any section or task force to commit the Association as such to any declaration of policy, any program, any activity, any publication, or any financial expenditure.

  11. Meetings of sections shall be open to any member of the Association, but no person may vote in a section meeting unless a duly enrolled member of the section. 

B. COMMITTEES

  1. Standing committees shall be created by the Executive Board to perform duties which continually recur in the work of the Association. They will report to the Executive Board as requested.

  2. Committees to work with other library-related organizations may be created by the Executive Board as task forces.

  3. The President shall appoint the chair of each committee with the approval of the Executive Board.

  4. The Vice President (President-elect) shall appoint with the approval of the Executive Board the vice chair who will succeed to the chair.

  5. All ex officio committee members shall have the right to vote.

  6. The names of the members of all committees shall be posted on the official website of the Association annually.

  7. Only the Executive Board may authorize any committee to commit the Association as such to any declaration of policy, any program, any activity, any publication, or any financial expenditure.

  8. A code of procedure, known as the Code for Committees and Their Subcommittees, prepared by the Organization Subcommittee, approved by the Executive Board, and filed with the Secretary of the Association shall enumerate the standing committees and specify their functions.

  9. Committees carry on activities as stated in the Code for Committees and Their Subcommittees subject to the restrictions imposed by the Bylaws of the Association and the Executive Board.

  10. This Code for Committees and Their Subcommittees shall be made available to all members of the Association and shall be revised as necessary by the Executive Board.

X. PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

The rules contained in the latest edition of Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised shall govern the Association in all cases to which they are applicable and, in which they are not inconsistent with the Bylaws and any special rules of order the Association may adopt.

XI. RECORDS AND ARCHIVES

A. An archivist shall be appointed by the President and approved by the Executive Board.

B. The Association shall maintain an archive of official documents, reports, correspondence, publications, and other associated information and materials of the Association and of its officers as delineated in an archival schedule adopted by the Executive Board.

XII. AMENDMENT

Bylaws may be adopted and amended by a majority vote of the members in good standing present at any business meeting provided that specific notice of such change has been given in the call for such a meeting at least 10 days prior to that meeting or, if the vote is by alternative means, by a majority of those voting provided that specific notice of the proposed change has been given at least 30 days prior to the date on which results will be announced.

Bylaws adopted by the New Jersey Association Membership, April 25, 2006 at its Annual Meeting in Long Branch, NJ. 

Bylaws amended by the New Jersey Library Association Membership at its Annual Meeting, April 20, 2008; at its Annual Meeting, May 17, 2016; at Special Membership Meeting, April 17, 2018; at its Annual Meeting, May 30, 2019; at its Annual Meeting, June 3, 2021.