Revised 10/9/2012
Contents
I. Introduction
II. Officers and Charges of the Executive Board
A. Charges to Standing Committees
B. Charges to Task Forces, Discussion Groups
III. Representatives and Liaisons
IV. Calendars for Officers, Committees, and Task Forces
V. Finances
VI. Appendices
A. Bylaws
B. Format of Minutes
C. Past MAGERT Honors Award Recipients
D. Past Officers
E. Programs from past Annual Conferences
The American Library Association (ALA), Map and Geography Round Table (MAGERT) was established in 1980 and has become the major professional association for map librarianship. The MAGERT archives are located at the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana. This Organization Manual introduces you to the structure of the Round Table and how it currently functions.
Congratulations on being elected or appointed to a leadership position in MAGERT. Whether this is your first of your tenth position in MAGERT, we hope you will take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with the information in the manual. This guide is intended to serve as your general introduction to the organization, procedures and policies of MAGERT. We hope that this information will help you function effectively in MAGERT.
In addition to reviewing the information in this guide, you will want to consult the ALA Handbook of Organization. Please contact the Round Table Liaison if you have any questions.
The names of current officers and committee chairs are contained in the MAGERT Roster.
II. Officers & Charges of the Executive Board
A. Executive Board
1. Purpose. To assist the Chair in the general supervision of the affairs of the Round Table by acting as an advisory group at annual and midwinter meetings; and between meetings via telephone or electronic mail.
2. Membership. The Board consists of the five elected MAGERT officers: Chair, Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect, Past Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer; the standing committee Chairs, and the task force Coordinators. Non-voting representatives from other map librarianship organizations, national mapping facilities and the ALA Staff Liaison are members ex-officio.
3. Duties of Officers
a. Chairperson
1. The Chair shall have the customary duties of chairperson of the board and shall keep the Board advised of new developments in the Round Table’s relationship with ALA Headquarters and other map librarianship organizations and report his/her activities. The primary task of the Chair is to review charges and make committee, task force, representative, and liaison appointments.
2. Using the basic forms, the Chair plans a calendar of deadlines for the MAGERT Secretary, Treasurer, committee chairs, and task force coordinators.
3. In a nationwide and voluntary organization such as MAGERT, it is essential for the Chair to communicate frequently with the member of his/her administration. Even though responsibility is delegated to the officers and committee chairs, experience has shown that coordination is necessary in order to meet deadlines and to maintain efficient operation of Round Table business.
4. The Chair is responsible for calling and conducting the Executive Board, Membership and Business meetings.
5. The Chair consults with the Chair of Godort’s Federal Documents Task Force (FDTF) concerning presentations of map issues at the FDTF Update.
6. In addition to regular meetings, MAGERT usually presents at least two programs at the annual conference. The chair is responsible for arranging the topics and speakers.
b. Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect
1. The primary task of the Vice-Chair is to begin planning programs for the ALA annual conference two years hence. The Vice-Chair should attend all meetings of the ALA Program Committee, which meets at both the annual and midwinter conferences, and be prepared to report ideas and plans. The first Program Committee meeting will be at the midwinter of the Vice-Chair’s term, the second at the annual conference where the Vice- Chair becomes Chair, and the third at the Midwinter following. The deadline for submitting time slot requests for programs is October 1. ALA usually sends meeting forms to officers.
2. The Vice-Chair appoints a Local Arrangements Committee to plan specific details of meetings for midwinter and annual sites. Arrangements usually involve social events, local tours, and a hotel.
3. Prior to the annual conference where s/he becomes Chair, the Vice-Chair determines which committee and task force members, representative and liaison vacancies need to be filled and plans to recruit replacements at the conference.
4 Be aware of opportunities for special funding requests and deadlines to meet
5. The Vice-Chair attends the ALA Round Table Orientation meetings
c. Past-Chair
1. The Past-Chair is responsible for several committees and ongoing duties including:
* Scheduling for upcoming ALA Conferences
*Chair of Nominations Committee
*Chair of Honors/Awards Committee
*Updating the MAGERT Organization Manual
2. With the other members of the Executive Board plans and reviews programs and activities of the Round Table and in the absence of the Chair or Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect conducts meetings.
3. The Past-Chair is responsible for scheduling all meetings of the Round Table at both midwinter and annual conferences and for arranging for audio-visual needs and any other special requirements. The Past-Chair consults with the Past Chair of Godort to avoid conflicts in the meeting schedules.
d. Secretary 2 year term
1. The Secretary shall keep minutes of all Board meetings and report all actions of the Board at annual and midwinter meetings to the membership via publication of minutes in base line. The Secretary and Chair may also decide to distribute the minutes, or excerpts, via Maps-L. The Secretary shall receive tapes of the meetings recorded by the Audio-Visual Coordinator for aid in compiling the minutes. The Secretary shall forward the tapes and a copy of the minutes to the archives.
2. Immediately following the annual meeting, the Secretary compiles a list of officers, chairs, liaisons and representatives names, addresses, telephone numbers and electronic mail addresses and distributes via baseline and Maps-L. The Secreatary delivers one copy to the Past-Chair for inclusion in the Manual. The Secretary continues to maintain and update the roster through the year.
e. Treasurer 2 year term
1. The Treasurer receives and reviews budget reports from ALA Headquarters; reports problems to the Chair; submits the written "Treasurer’s Report on MAGERT’s Finances" at the annual and midwinter meetings; works with the Chair and other officers on the preparation of an annual budget.
2. The Secretary attends the Round Table Orientation Meetings and is MAGERT’s representative to COPES, Planning and Budget Program.
B. Charges To Standing Committees
* Committee Chairs are appointed for renewable one year terms.
* Committee members must be dues paying MAGERT members.
* Failure to attend two consecutive ALA Annual Meetings is grounds for removal from office, at the discretion of the Executive Board.
* Chairs unable to attend the midwinter or annual meetings will appoint a representative to hold committee meetings and report to the Executive Board. The Chair of MAGERT should be notified, in advance, of such arrangements.
* Chairs and liaisons will send copies of all official correspondence to the MAGERT Chair.
1. Cataloging and Classification
a. Purpose. To provide a forum within MAGERT for the discussion of issues concerning descriptive and subject cataloging, including classification and the content designation of cartographic materials
b Membership. The Chair and as many members as necessary to complete the work of the committee. The Chair or his/her designee shall represent MAGERT at the Anglo-American Cataloging Committee for Cartographic Materials (AACCCM), the Association of Library Collections and Technical Services, Cataloging and Classification Section, Cataloging Committee, Description and Access (ALCTS/CCS/CC:DA), and the Machine-Readable Bibliographic Information (MARBI) group. The Chair is also a resource person for OCLC and the Research Libraries Group.
c. Duties. The Coordinator discusses and makes recommendations on proposed actions by the ALA ALCTS/CCS/CC:DA, especially those actions which directly relate to the committee’s purpose. The committee shall also be concerned with proposals by organizations , such as the AACCCM, the Library of Congress and the Government Printing Office (GPO). The committee should maintain close liaison with MAGERT’s Geotech Committee which may consider similar issues. Finally, the committee should assist the MAGERT Chair in organizing any conference programs dealing with cataloging and classification of cartographic materials. It should bring to the MAGERT Executive Board and the annual membership meeting reports of the committee’s general activities and any recommendations to be endorsed by MAGERT.
2. Constitution and Bylaws
a. Purpose. To maintain the Map and Geospatial Information Round Table's (MAGIRT's) Constitution and Bylaws.
b. Membership. The Committee consists of a Chair and one to three members, depending upon the amount of revision anticipated. The Committee and MAGIRT Chair determine when changes are necessary.
c. Duties. Committee Chair receives suggestions and proposed revisions of the Constitution and Bylaws from the MAGIRT Chair, Executive Board or membership. The Committee Chair submits recommendations to the Executive Board at the Midwinter meeting for review, possible revision, acceptance, publication/review/voting by the MAGIRT membership in accordance with the MAGIRT Constitution.
3. Education
a. Purpose. To provide for continuing education in geospatial librarianship through organizing sessions at ALA conferences, through publications, and via the World Wide Web. The Committee may also undertake projects to study and encourage education in geospatial librarianship at library schools and in other venues.
b. Membership. Committee consists of a Chair and three members and one non-voting representative from each of the following: ALA Standing Committee on Library Education, American Association of Library Schools, and the Working Group on Training for Map Librarianship of the Geography and Map Libraries Section of the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA).
c. Duties. Chair is the MAGERT representative to the ALA Library Education Assembly. Also maintains contact with the three groups mentioned above by means of progress and activity reports; should survey the present status of education for map librarianship in the US and Canada and confer with the MAGERT Executive Board to decide on a topic for the continuing education program for the annual conference.
4. Honors
a. Purpose. To determine recipients for MAGERT awards and scholarships and to present awards to recipients at the ALA annual conference. The recipient need not be a member of MAGERT.
b. Membership. Chair, the MAGERT past-chair, and two members , one is the Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect.
c. Duties. The committee is responsible for determining recipients of the awards in accordance with the time table of each. The Chair is responsible for contracting with a calligrapher or computer graphic artist to prepare the awards. Awards are usually given at the last business or membership meeting of the annual conference, or at the MAGERT reception.
5. Membership and Marketing Committee
a. Purpose. To increase MAGIRT’s membership and support current members’ map and geospatial information-related work. The committee focuses on communicating to members and non-members about MAGIRT’s publications, programs, meetings, and events both online and in person.
b. Membership. Chair and at least two members. All Membership and Marketing Committee members must be members of ALA and of MAGIRT. Members of the Membership and Marketing Committee are expected to actively participate on projects and/or subcommittees, in discussion forums, and in an advocacy role for MAGIRT. The Chair also serves as MAGIRT representative to the ALA Membership Committee.
c. Duties. The Membership and Marketing Committee works to promote MAGIRT’s work through member outreach, publicizing MAGIRT’s meetings, workshops, and sponsored activities, and engaging members and potential members online and in-person.
6. Nominations
a. Purpose. To assure continuity in leadership in MAGERT by seeking and identifying candidates to run for elected offices.
b. Membership. Chair is the MAGERT Past-Chair and two members.
c. Duties. Identify members to be candidates, prepare the ballot, coordinate with the Executive Board and ALA Offices, report results of election and handle preparing of all changes in bylaws and constitution that require revision by voting. Place call for officers via base line and Maps-L. Obtain approval of nominees. Provide slate of new officer candidates to the Executive Board for review during the midwinter meeting. Submits the approved slate to ALA Headquarters for inclusion in the ALA-wide elections. Chair is responsible for filing proper forms within ALA deadlines.
7. Publications
a. Purpose. To coordinate, edit and produce MAGIRT publications, including baseline, the Electronic Publication Series, the Print Publication Series, and the MAGIRT Information Brochure. Oversees and executes changes to the MAGIRT website, and serves as intermediary with publishers.
b. Membership. A Chair, plus as many members as necessary to accomplish the work of the committee.
c. Duties.The committee oversees the timely publication of base line and works to accomplish a flow of other publications as appropriate. The Committee will establish procedures fro receiving publication proposals and shepherding them through the editorial process. The committee is responsible for depositing print publications at the ALA Store each ALA Conference and initiating marketing and advertising of its current publications. The MAGIRT membership brochure will be kept current with membership information in coordination with the Membership Committee and with a list of recent publications. Brochures will be provided to the Membership Committee and the Exhibits Coordinator and to the ALA Staff Liaison for distribution as needed.
8. Geographic Technologies (GeoTech)
a. Purpose. To provide a forum within MAGERT for the discussion of issues concerning geographic information technologies including: geographic information systems, electronic mapping, electronic geographic and cartographic products , digital geo-spatial data and metadata issues.
b. Membership. Coordinator and as many members as the Coordinator and the MAGERT Chair deem necessary. At least one committee member should be a participant in the Association of Research Libraries GIS Literacy Project.
c. Duties. The committee monitors and holds discussion forums on issues related to geographic information technologies. Working with the Education committee, GeoTech proposes workshops and conferences to educate librarians in new technologies. The committee liaisons with the Cartographic Users Task Force to aid in the monitoring of government produced data. The committee will find it both necessary and advantageous to communicate with the cataloging committee concerning metadata topics.
1. Federal Spatial Information Discussion Group
a. Purpose. To provide a forum within ALA for the discussion of issues concerning the availability and quality of cartographic materials produced by the federal agencies and to increase cooperation and communication between librarians and these agencies.
b. Membership. Coordinator, MAGERT’s senior representative to the Cartographic Users Advisory Council. (CUAC consists of two representatives from each of the following organizations, ALA/MAGERT, Special Libraries Association Map and Geography Section, Geoscience Information Society, North American Cartographic Information Society, the Western Association of Map Libraries.) The junior CUAC representative and as many members as the coordinator deems necessary complete the membership.
c. Duties. Assists the MAGERT chair in organizing a government mapping update program for the Annual conference. Compiles concerns and issues to be raised at the CUAC annual meeting.
2. Research Libraries Collection Management Group (RLCMG)
a. Purpose. To provide a forum for discussion of and action on issues concerning spatial data acquisition and in particular to work on cooperative acquisitions and cooperative collection development.
b. Membership. Coordinator and as many members as needed.
c. Duties. Discusses issues, new developments, and problems in the selection and acquisition of spatial data. Seeks to find and implement methods of cooperative acquisitions and cooperative development.
3. Joint Task Force on GIS
Map and Geography Round Table, Government Documents Round Table, Library and Information Technology Association.
a. Purpose. To increase communication and coordination between the three ALA units most involved with geographic information systems technology and data.
b. Membership. Two appointees from each unit. At least one MAGERT appointee will also be a member of the GeoTech Committee. The chair will be selected by the task force members.
c. Duties. Require further definition
4. Map Collection Management Discussion Group
a. Purpose: To provide a forum for discussion of and action on issues concerning spatial data and map acquisition and in particular to work on cooperative acquisitions and cooperative collection development.
b. Membership: A Coordinator and unlimited number of discussants.
c. Duties: Discusses issues, new developments, and problems in the selection and acquisition of spatial data and maps. Seeks to find and implement methods of cooperative acquisitions and cooperative development.
Revised 7/13/00
1. Constitutional Representatives
a. US Library of Congress, Geography and Map Division(LCG&M)
b. Special Libraries Association. Geography and Map Division
c. US Geological Survey (USGS)
d. US Government Printing Office (GPO)
e. Western Association of Map Libraries (WAML)
2. Other Representatives
a. Anglo-American Cataloging Committee for Cartographic Materials (AACCCM)
b. Cartographic Users Advisory Council (CUAC)
6. Depository Library Council (DLC)
7. International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA)
3. Liaisons
a. American Library Association
ii. Government Documents Roundtable (GODORT)
iii. Association of Library Collections and Technical Services (ALCTS), Cataloging and Classification Section (CCS), Description and Access (DA)
iv. Library Education Assembly
v. Library Information Technology Association (LITA)
vi. Freedom to Read Foundation
vii. Reference and User Services Association (RUSA)
viii. New Members Roundtable
b. Machine Readable Bibliographic Information (MARBI)
c. Congress of Cartographic Information Specialist Associations (CCISA)
d. North East Map Organization (NEMO)
e. Geoscience Information Society (GIS)
f. Committee on Southern Map Libraries (COSML)
g. Association of Research Libraries (ARL) Geographic Information Systems Literacy Project.
h. National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA)
i. North American Cartographic Information Society (NACIS)
A. Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect
June -- Begin program planning for the annual conference in two years.
Midwinter --Solicit ideas and volunteers for the program.
June --Prior to annual conference, the Vice-Chair determines committee, liaison and representative vacancies. Plan to recruit at the conference.
Annual --The Vice-Chair gives a progress report on program plans to the MAGERT Executive Board and to the ALA Program Committee. He/She also contacts potential program speakers, co-sponsors and CAO.
B. Chair
July --The new Chair confirms committee, task force, liaison and representative appointments. This list is due to the ALA Staff Liaison one week after the annual conference. Any changes in MAGERT dues or base line subscription rates are due to the ALA Administrative Services office as soon as possible after the annual conference. The Chair also plans to have a "call for papers" submitted to the various periodicals, if needed.
-- The new Chair sends assignments and requests for meetings for the task force and committee coordinators.
August--The Chair compiles a Midwinter schedule from the committee and task force meeting requests and submits to CAO.
September-- The Chair submits requests for special allocations to assist in supporting MAGERT programs to the ALA Executive Office, and submits Midwinter schedule changes and additions to CAO.
-- The Chair receives revised minutes of conference meetings from other Executive Board members, revises and sends to the secretary.
-- Send MAGERT nominations for ALA Council to the ALA Nominating Committee.
--Deadline for submitting requests for time slots for program meetings at the annual conference.
October-- Annual conference program information due to the ALA Staff Liaison.
November--Chair sends requests for progress reports to committee chairs and task force coordinators, as well as for meetings at the conference.
November--Copy deadlines for Midwinter meeting Official Program.--Chair submits the final MAGERT schedule.
November Deadline for submitting contributed paper proposals to the Chair and for getting committee and task force progress reports to the Chair.
November--Deadline for annual conference meeting requests.
November--Chair submits a "From the Chair" report and conference information to base line.
December--Deadline for requesting changes or additions to the annual conference preliminary schedule.
December--Chair prepares meeting agendas and plans for midwinter.
Midwinter--Chair reports on progress for the annual conference programs and any other projects. He/She conducts Executive Board and other meetings.
February--Copy deadline for conference preliminary program information booklet. Send biographical information form to the speakers.
March--Program copy for annual conference "Official Program" due.
-- Receive Midwinter meeting minutes from Executive Board members, add revisions and forward to the secretary.
April--Receive biographical information from the speakers.
--Send progress report request to committees and task forces.
--Request audio-visual equipment for annual meeting.
-- Receive written updates from committee chairs and task force coordinators.
June--Chair reminds committee chairs, task force coordinators, representatives and liaisons that reports are needed for the annual business/membership meetings at the annual conference.
Annual--Chair runs business/membership and Executive Board meetings, gives "state of the Round Table" report, and then takes a long overdue vacation.
C. Secretary
July-Dec.-- The Secretary prepares an attendance sheet for each meeting and takes minutes following Robert’s Rules of Order, Section 47, "Minutes and Reports of Officers." (pp. 389-394). See Appendix for detailed instructions.
February--The Secretary sends copies of the minutes to be published to the Executive Board for their review.
March--The Secretary receives revised Midwinter meeting minutes from the Chair, revises and submits to the base line editor.
Annual--The Secretary prepares an attendance sheet for each meeting, and takes the minutes.
August--The Secretary sends copies of the annual conference meeting minutes to the Executive Board for review.
-- The Secretary compiles the new roster and submits to the chair for review. The roster is then submitted to the ALA Liaison to update entries in the ALA Handbook of Organization.
September--The Secretary receives revised conference meeting minutes from the Chair, revises and submits to base line.
D. Treasurer -- See Section VII, Finances
E. Committee Chairs and Task Force Coordinators
-- Chairs and coordinators decide if a committee or task force meeting is needed at the upcoming Midwinter meeting.
August--Committee and task force Midwinter meeting requests due to the MAGERT chair.
November--Chairs and coordinators receive MAGERT chair’s request for progress reports and for meetings at the upcoming annual conference.
--Progress reports and conference meeting requests due to MAGERT chair.
December--Chairs and coordinators have agenda ready for Midwinter committee meetings as well as reports for the Executive Board.
Midwinter--Chairs and coordinators run committee and task force meetings, and give reports at the Executive Board meetings.
April --Chairs and coordinators receive requests for updates from the MAGERT Chair.
--Written updates due to the Chair
June--Chairs and coordinators prepare Executive Board reports and meeting agenda for the upcoming conference, as well as to prepare to replace vacancies on their committees and task forces.
Annual--Chairs and coordinators run committee and task force meetings, deliver conference reports to the Executive Board and replace vacancies.
A. Revenue generated from membership dues, sale of publications, profits from workshops, and voluntary contributions is deposited into ALA’s bank account under the Round Table’s name and is maintained by ALA Headquarters Fiscal Services Department.
B. Financial transactions involving MAGERT funds shall be channeled through the ALA Staff Liaison following these procedures:
1. Deposits: any MAGERT officer, committee chair, or task force coordinator who receives money to be deposited into MAGERT’s account shall either: a. send a check or money order to the Staff Liaison with instructions for processing and shall forward a copy to the MAGERT Treasurer or b. submit the check to the Treasurer with instructions concerning where the money is to be posted.
2. Withdrawals: any MAGERT officer, committee chair or task force coordinator with an Executive Board approved expenditure will arrange payment by: a. sending the bill to the Staff Liaison or the Treasurer who will forward it to Fiscal Services, where it will be entered into the account records and paid with a check to the payee or b. requesting an Executive Board approved cash advance from the Staff Liaison or Treasurer who will instruct Fiscal Services to withdraw the amount from MAGERT’s account and issue a check to the payee. Executive Board members who conduct any monetary transaction directly with the Staff Liaison will copy the Treasurer on all documents and correspondence.
3. All Financial transactions sent to the Staff Liaison must include:
a. Itemized account of purpose for deposit or withdrawal
b. Name and address of the person to be paid, if applicable
c. Clear indication of which MAGERT activity is to be credited or billed.
C. A telephone credit card number is available for use by the Executive Board and others designated by the Chair. The number changes at the beginning of each ALA fiscal year (September 1) and can be obtained from the Staff Liaison.
D. A monthly Departmental Budget Report is sent to the Treasurer by Fiscal Services which includes a detailed breakdown of revenue and expenses for the current month and year to date.
E. Expenditures of more than $50.00 must be approved by the MAGERT Chair. Expenditures more than $100 must be approved by the MAGERT Executive Board.
F. Budget and Finance
MAGERT must prepare a budget with justification and submit that request to the Executive Board. Submitting the budget is one of the first tasks of the new Chair each year. The budget schedule:
September--Requests for special allocations for programs planned for the next ALA Annual Conference must be submitted to the ALA Deputy Executive Director by September 15.
September - October--Instructions for submitting requests for the next fiscal year are distributed.
December 1--All budget requests from committees and task forces are due.
Midwinter--Treasurer prepares a draft budget for Executive Board review. The Executive Board reviews the proposed budget in consideration of budget requests from committees and task forces. The Treasurer prepares the budget based on the review. The Treasurer submits the budget to the ALA Liaison shortly after midwinter.
Annual Conference--Budget for next fiscal year is reviewed
August 1-- base line publishes MAGERT budget for the fiscal year beginning September 1.
August 15--Soft deadline for submitting requests for reimbursement of expenses incurred in the past fiscal year.