Social Responsibilities Round Table of the American Library Association

Bylaws

Amended by SRRT ballot, April 2005

Mike’s edits in brackets, and only edited sections shown here. Full by-laws at libr.org/srrt site.

Contents

I. Name
II. Purpose
III. Membership
IV. Action Council
V. Finances of the Social Responsibilities Round Table
VI. Task Forces and Project Groups
VII. Amendment

IV. Action Council.

• The coordinating body of the Social Responsibilities Round Table shall be an Action Council consisting of 10 SRRT members (elected by the SRRT membership), 1 designated ALA Councilor (also elected by the SRRT membership), 1 member from each Task Force (selected by that Task Force) and 1 representative from each recognized affiliate.
• The 10 elected members of Action Council shall be elected by [online] ballot procedures outlined below and shall take office immediately following the Annual Conference. At the final Action Council meeting of the Annual Conference, the incoming Action Council will meet under the auspices of the outgoing Council to select a [Coordinator-elect,]treasurer, recording secretary, exhibits coordinator, and a membership/recruitment chair. [At this same meeting, Annual Action Council second meeting, the previous Coordinator-Elect will be recognized as the new Coordinator and take office upon adjournment of the (AC Meeting or Annual Meeting?).] These officers will preferably be elected from the at large members of Action Council, but may be selected from the Task Force representatives or the affiliate representatives. Except in extraordinary circumstances, no single person shall serve Action Council in more than one of the six designated offices.
• All Action Council members must be members of ALA.
• The editor of the SRRT Newsletter shall serve by appointment of Action Council. The newsletter editor shall serve a term of 3 years. The editor shall be considered an ex-officio member of Action Council. [When candidates express interest,] an editorial board of [3-5] members shall also serve by appointment of Action Council. Whenever possible, the editorial board should be selected from members of Action Council. If Action Council members are unavailable to serve, the editor may nominate members from the SRRT membership to Action Council for approval. The term of office for the editorial board shall be 3 years. There will be staggered terms of appointment. The editorial board will advise the editor upon request on matters of editorial policy.
• Action Council shall have the responsibilities of:

1. Determining the membership program at the annual conference;
2. Submitting projects or endorsing projects of volunteer Task Forces of SRRT;
3. Soliciting volunteers and appointing SRRT members to ALA unit positions [which accrue to the coordinator ex-officio] [what does this mean, exactly?] and to committees to help the Council meet its organizational responsibilities. Such liaisons will serve a 3-year term and may be re-appointed for one additional term;
4. Coordinating the dissemination of information to the SRRT membership.
5. Approving the budgets and expenditures of the Round Table and the Task Forces.

• Action Council elections.

1. terms of office shall be for 3 years, with the right to run for re-election to a second term. Three or four members will run each year to replace the outgoing members.
2. Action Council coordinator will take responsibility for coordinating SRRT elections. Individual members who wish to volunteer to serve will submit their names, their statement of concerns about policy and action on social responsibilities of librarians, and a short note listing their professional experience to the coordinator of Action Council by the required date. The coordinator will then be responsible for ballot preparation in accordance with the ALA specifications. The names of all volunteers will then be submitted to the SRRT membership for election by [online[ ballot [in accordance with ALA annual Spring online elections]. .

• Members of Action Council are responsible [f]or attending all Action Council meetings. Requests for exemption should be addressed to the coordinator before the Annual or Midwinter meetings. Council members will be considered disqualified from office if they fail to attend 2 meetings during a Conference (either Midwinter or Annual) without notifying the Action Council coordinator. Any Action Council member may be removed from office for misfeasance, malfeasance, or nonfeasance by vote of the Action Council. The proceedings are to be held in executive session. The vote must have a two-thirds majority and be a recorded roll-call. Positions that become available on Action Council shall be filled by the next runner-up in the most recent election, or by appointment from the Action Council.
• Action Council will present an annual report to a scheduled membership meeting at each Annual Conference.
• Action Council is responsible for the scheduling of all meetings of its own sponsorship and of its Task Forces, committees, and project groups. No SRRT meetings can be scheduled to conflict with Action Council meetings, SRRT membership meetings, or other meetings given this status by Action Council.
• A voting quorum for both Action Council and membership meetings will be defined as the number of voting members present at a meeting. Each Task Force and each affiliate member shall receive only one vote on Action Council regardless of the number of coordinators or co-coordinators or representatives which they choose to have present. All members of the Action Council may vote on all issues except financial ones. Only at-large members, elected by the entire Round Table, may vote on these matters.

V. Finances of the Social Responsibilities Round Table.

• The second Action Council meeting of the Midwinter Conference shall be the budget meeting. Each Task Force and project group shall submit an itemized budget request in writing at this time or earlier. Supplemental budget requests may also be submitted to the coordinator at a later date if necessary. The coordinator will then consult Action Council members by phone or mail as necessary concerning these supplemental requests.
• The treasurer of Action Council will be responsible for SRRT financial records.
• Finance of the activities of SRRT will come from dues of the general membership and voluntary contributions to SRRT or to individual groups under its supervision.

1. Dues for personal and for organizational member shall be required. The dues shall be set by Action Council.
2. The treasurer is authorized to approve requests for reimbursement and payment of bills on receipt of proper invoices or records of payments by authorized persons out of SRRT funds in the ALA accounts.
3. Task Forces may not keep funds in outside sources. All funds must be in the appropriate Task Force sub-fund in the SRRT account.