Bylaws
Article I
Name
This organization shall be called the Columbus Area Library Association. It will also be known by the acronym CALA.
Article II
Objective
The object of this organization shall be to advance the interests and services of libraries (public, college, school and special), information centers and other library-related agencies in the Columbus-Phenix City area.
Article III
Members
Section 1. Any person interested in libraries may become a member upon payment of dues. Dues are payable January 1.
Section 2. The membership year runs from January 1st through December 31st.
Section 3. The amount of annual dues shall be recommended by the Executive Committee and approved by a majority of the members present and voting at an organizational meeting. The membership will be notified via the listserv of the recommendation. The membership must be notified at least two weeks prior to the vote or at the organizational meeting held prior to the meeting where the vote will take place.
Article IV
Officers
Section 1. The officers of the organization shall be a President, a Vice President (President-elect), a Secretary and a Treasurer, who shall be elected annually by ballot or voice vote at the Fall Meeting of the organization. New officers and committee chairs shall serve for one year, unless the Executive Committee by unanimous vote recommends otherwise, with the term to begin on January 1st through December 31st, or until the successor takes office.
Section 2. The President shall preside at all meetings of the organization and at all meetings of the Executive Committee.
Section 3. The Vice President, who shall be the President-Elect, shall preside in the absence of the President and act as Program Chair for the year.
Section 4. The Secretary shall keep a record of all meetings and notify members of any election, appointment, meeting or other business, and shall have charge of the papers and correspondence of the organization.
Section 5. The Treasurer shall keep a full and accurate record of all receipts and disbursements, with dates, purpose and amount, shall make an annual report to the members of the organization. The Treasurer must have the approval of the President for any expenditures.
Section 6. In case of a vacancy among the elected officers or committee chairs during the year, the Executive Committee shall have the power to appoint successors to fill any vacancies.
Section 7. A Nominating Committee, consisting of three to five members, shall be appointed at the Spring Meeting of the organization. It shall be the duty of the committee to nominate candidates for the offices to be filled at the Winter Meeting. The Nominating Committee shall announce its slate at the organization's Fall Meeting. Before the election at the Winter Meeting, nominations from the floor will be allowed.
Section 8. No member shall hold more than one office at a time, and no member shall be eligible to serve more than two terms in the same office or as a committee chair unless recommended and approved by the Executive Committee.
Article V
Meetings
Section 1. Regular meetings of the organization shall be held three or four times within the fiscal year.
Section 2. No less than twenty percent of the members shall constitute a quorum.
Section 3. The President may call special meetings, provided due notice be given each member not less than a week before such meeting.
Article VI
The Executive Committee
Section 1. The elected officers shall constitute the Executive Committee. This committee shall approve such special and standing committees as may be needed, and shall have the power to act for the organization on all matters in which the Committee is agreed. The outgoing president shall be an ex-officio non-voting member of the Executive Committee and shall act in an advisory capacity for one year following his/her term of office.
Section 2. The Executive Committee will meet within one month following each regular meeting to evaluate the past meeting and plan for the next.
Article VII
Committees
Section 1. The President, with the approval of the Executive Committee, shall appoint all committees for a term of one year. The President shall serve as ex-officio member of all committees, except the Nominating Committee.
Section 2. Standing committees shall be:
a. A Membership Committee, which shall actively recruit new members. This committee shall keep an active membership file and publish an annual directory. The President shall appoint the chair of this committee.
b. A Program Committee, which shall make arrangements for each meeting's program, facility and refreshments. The Vice-President shall serve as chair of this committee.
c. A Publicity Committee, which shall contact all appropriate media sources to announce meetings, events and special projects. The Publicity Committee's charge will be to keep the organization before the general public, by such means as displays, flyers, bulletin boards, newsletters, website, and the like. Changes to the website must be approved by the Executive Committee. The President shall appoint the chair of this committee.
d. The LIBRA Award Committee, which shall receive nominations for the purpose of recognizing individuals who have contributed significantly to libraries in the Chattahoochee Valley area. The LIBRA Award Committee is responsible for promoting and awarding the Award as well as planning and hosting the LIBRA Award Ceremony.
e. A Scholarship Committee, which shall receive applications from qualified individuals for the express purpose of encouraging the professional development of library/information science school students and library media professionals new to the field. The Scholarship Committee is responsible for promoting and awarding the scholarship.
Section 3. The President, with the approval of the Executive Committee, shall appoint such special committees as may from time to time be necessary to carry on the work of the organization.
Article VIII
Parliamentary Authority
In matters of procedure, the parliamentary authority for this organization shall be in the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order. A parliamentarian may be appointed by the Executive Committee.
Article IX
By-laws
Section 1. These By-laws shall remain in effect until their revision is approved.
Section 2. All proposed amendments to the Bylaws shall be announced to the membership and presented in writing to the Secretary at a regular meeting of the organization. Notice of the proposed change(s) shall be sent to all members at least two weeks prior to the next meeting. Posted via the listserv constitutes an official notification. The proposed amendments shall be adopted if carried by a 3/4's vote at the meeting, provided a quorum is present.
Adopted: January 28, 1985
Revised: March 27, 2002
Amended: November 28, 2016
Amended: September 16, 2021