Constitution and Bylaws

ARTICLE I. Name and Boundaries: Section 1. Name; Section 2. Boundaries
ARTICLE II. Purpose
ARTICLE III. Membership: Section 1. Members; Section 2. Rights and Privileges; Section 3. Dues
ARTICLE IV. Officers: Section 1. Officers and Term of Office; Section 2. Duties; Section 3. Elections; Section 4. Vacancies; Section 5. Candidate for the MLA Nominating Committee Membership
ARTICLE V. Meetings: Section 1. Meetings; Section 2. Location of Meeting; Section 3. Quorum
ARTICLE VI. Executive Board: Section 1. Executive Board; Section 2. Duties
ARTICLE VII. Committees: Section 1. Standing Committees; Section 2. Special Committees; Section 3. Committee Chairs; Section 4. Committee Reports
ARTICLE VIII. Parliamentary Authority
ARTICLE IX. Relationship to the Medical Library Association: Section 1. Association Business; Section 2. Annual Report; Section 3. Continued Recognition of Chapter; Section 4. Dissolution of Chapter and Distribution of Assets
ARTICLE X. Relationship to the Medical Library Association

ARTICLE I. Name and Boundaries

Section 1. Name

The name of this organization shall be the Mid-Atlantic Chapter, a Chapter of the Medical Library Association, Inc.
Section 2. Boundaries

The boundaries of this Chapter shall include the District of Columbia, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, and Western Pennsylvania.

ARTICLE II. Purpose

The purpose of this Chapter shall be to advance health sciences librarianship in its geographical area by promoting continuing education; by encouraging the exchange of ideas; by fostering cooperation among health sciences libraries; and by providing channels of communication between the Medical Library Association and Chapter members.

ARTICLE III. Membership

Section 1. Members

Both members and non-members of the Medical Library Association (MLA) may belong to this Chapter.

A.
The membership of this Chapter shall consist of three classes -- Active Members, Honorary Members and Retiree Members.

B.
Active Members shall be person who are interested in the purposes of the Chapter, pay dues and are eligible to hold office and serve on committees.

C.
Honorary Members shall be persons who have been chosen by the Chapter for outstanding contributions to health sciences librarianship. Honorary members shall be recommended by Chapter members and elected by the Executive Board.

D.
Retiree Members shall have been MAC members for five consecutive years immediately prior to retirement. Retiree Members are not required to pay dues and are not eligible to hold office or serve on committees.
Section 2. Rights and Privileges

A.
Voting members of this Chapter shall consist of all Active Members, except that only Voting Members of the Medical Library Association shall be qualified to move or to vote on recommendations to the Chapter Council regarding MLA policies or actions, to vote on the selection of a candidate for the MLA Nominating Committee, or to vote on the selection of the Chapter's Representative and Alternate Representative to the Chapter Council.

B.
Officers of this Chapter shall be Voting Members of the Medical Library Association.

C.
All active Chapter Members and Honorary Members are eligible to:

1) vote for chair-elect, secretary and treasurer.

2) vote on decisions affecting only the Chapter.

3) serve on Chapter committees.
Section 3. Dues

A.
Dues shall be determined by a majority vote of those present and eligible to vote at the Chapter's Annual Meeting. Chapter dues shall not exceed MLA membership dues for Regular Members. Any change in the dues shall be effective the second year after the vote. Honorary Members shall be exempt from payment of dues, except as required if they elect to hold Active Membership.

B.
Chapter dues shall be payable on joining the chapter and thereafter by the beginning of October each year.

C.
Dues shall be assessed on an annual basis for the period of one year from October 1 to September 30.

D.
The fiscal year of the Chapter shall be from January 1^st to December 31^st.

E.
If dues are unpaid by October 1, the dues shall be considered in arrears and without further notice the Active Member shall be suspended from all rights and privileges.

ARTICLE IV. Officers

Section 1. Officers and Term of Office

A.
Elective officers of the Chapter shall be a Chair, a Chair-Elect, an Immediate Past Chair, a Secretary, a Treasurer, a Chapter Council Representative, an Alternate Chapter Council Representative.

B.
The term of office of the Chair shall be one year as Chair-Elect, one year as Chair, and one year as Immediate Past-Chair.

C.
The term of office of the Secretary shall be three years.

D.
The term of office of the Treasurer shall be three years, beginning at the Winter Board Meeting.

E.
The term of office of the Chapter Council Representative shall be three years except that if the Chapter Council Representative's term be made shorter by action of the Council or the Bylaws of the Medical Library Association, the term will coincide with that action.

F.
The term of office of the Alternate Chapter Council Representative shall be the same as that of the Representative.

G.
Elected officers other than the Treasurer shall take office at the close of the Chapter's Annual Meeting following their election and serve, unless they resign, die, become incapacitated or are removed, until the close of the Annual Meeting at the end of their terms of office or until their successors are elected and assume their duties.

H.
An elected officer may serve no more than 1 term in the same office during a period of five years nor hold more than one office concurrently.

I.
Appointed officers of the Chapter shall be the MAC Archivist and the MAC Chapter Benchmarking Educator (CBE).

J.
The MAC Archivist is appointed by the MAC Chair. The term of office for the MAC Archivist shall be three years with the option of additional three-year terms.
K.
The MAC Chapter Benchmarking Educator is appointed by the MAC Chair. The term of office for the Chapter Benchmarking Educator shall be two years with the option of additional two-year terms.
L.
There shall be an Executive Board composed of the Chair, Chair-Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, Immediate Past-Chair, Chapter Council Representative (ex officio, voting), Alternate Chapter Council Representative (ex officio, voting), MAC Archivist (ex officio, non-voting), and the MAC Chapter Benchmarking Educator (ex officio, non-voting).
Section 2. Duties

A.
The duties of the Chair shall be to preside over all meetings and to represent the Chapter at all times and on all occasions not in conflict with any other officer's defined duties and responsibilities, submit an Annual Report to the Medical Library Association Headquarters by the date requested by MLA each year, and perform all other duties prescribed by these Bylaws and by the parliamentary authority adopted by the Chapter. A Parliamentarian may be appointed by the Chair to serve a term concurrent with that of the Chair. This person may be reappointed to serve additional terms.

B.
The duties of the Chair-Elect shall be to serve as Chair whenever the Chair is not able to do so, to oversee ongoing strategic planning initiatives of the Chapter including chairing the Strategic Planning Committee, to periodically survey the membership, and to perform all other duties prescribed by these Bylaws and by the parliamentary authority.

C.
The duties of the Immediate Past-Chair shall be to prepare changes in the Chapter Bylaws, to Chair the Bylaws Committee should one be established, to Chair the Nominating Committee and report the newly elected officers to the Executive Director of the Medical Library Association, and to perform all other duties prescribed by these Bylaws and by the parliamentary authority adopted by the Chapter.

D.
The duties of the Secretary shall be to be responsible for incoming and outgoing correspondence, to prepare minutes of all meetings, and to perform all other duties prescribed by these Bylaws and by the parliamentary authority adopted by the Chapter.

E.
The duties of the Treasurer shall be to be responsible for the receipt, custody, and disbursement of funds, provided that such obligations have been incurred with the consent of the Chair; to issue a report at the Annual Meeting on the Chapter's financial status; to consult with the Annual Meeting Chair in meeting budget preparation; and to perform all other duties prescribed by these Bylaws and by the parliamentary authority adopted by the Chapter.

F.
The duties of the Chapter Council Representative shall be to represent the Chapter on the MLA Chapter Council, by attending the meetings of the council, to transmit to the Council recommendations that have been approved by the Chapter, to communicate Council business to the officers and membership of the Chapter, to solicit periodic feedback from the membership on issues related to MLA and its support of the Chapter, and to serve as an ex officio voting member of the Executive Board.

G.
The duties of the Alternate Chapter Council Representative shall be to attend the meetings of the Chapter Council, to serve as Representative whenever the Representative is unable to do so, to assume the office of Representative and serve out the unexpired term should the Representative become unable to complete the term of office, to assist the Representative with soliciting periodic feedback from the membership on issues related to MLA and its support of the Chapter, and to serve as an ex-officio voting member of the Executive Board.

H.
The duties of the MAC Archivist shall be to oversee and facilitate the maintenance of the historical material of the Chapter, to serve as liaison between the MAC Executive Board and the institution housing the MAC Archives, and to publish the list of materials to be archived. The Archivist shall serve on the Executive Board as a non-voting ex-officio member.
I.
The duties of the MAC Chapter Benchmarking Educator shall be to promote participation of MAC libraries in MLA's Benchmarking initiatives, to publicize the open period for data entry, to answer questions from MAC members regarding benchmarking initiatives, and to represent MAC to the MLA Benchmarking Editorial Board. The Chapter Benchmarking Educator shall serve on the Executive Board as a non-voting ex-officio member.
Section 3. Elections

A.
The Nominating Committee shall prepare annually a slate of two or more nominees for Chair-Elect and for each elective officer whose term expires.

B.
Ballots shall be distributed to the voting membership by the Nominating Committee at least 30 days prior to the Chapter's Annual Meeting and shall be received by the Nominating Committee Chair by the date previously announced for counting ballots. Candidates shall be declared elected upon receiving a majority of the votes cast. Where there are more than two candidates, a plurality shall elect.

C.
If a tie occurs, the election shall be decided by a vote of the members of the Nominating Committee.
Section 4. Vacancies

A.
A vacancy arising in the office of Chair shall be filled by the Chair-Elect, who shall cease to be Chair-Elect, shall serve out the unexpired term of the Chair and shall continue as Chair for the full succeeding term to which he or she was elected.

B.
A vacancy arising in the office of Representative to the Chapter Council shall be filled by the Alternate Representative, who shall cease to be Alternate Representative, and shall serve out the unexpired term of the Representative.

C.
A vacancy arising in any other elected offices shall be filled by the Executive Board.
Section 5. Candidate for the MLA Nominating Committee Membership

A.
The name of one Voting Member of the Medical Library Association, chosen by election, shall be submitted each year to the Chapter Council as a potential candidate for membership on the MLA Nominating Committee; this submission shall be made to the Council before its final assembly at the MLA Annual Meeting. The potential candidate shall prepare a biographical statement and a signed statement of willingness-to-serve if elected as a member of the MLA Nominating Committee. This statement shall accompany the name submitted.

B.
No person shall consent to being a potential candidate or a candidate for membership on the MLA Nominating Committee who is already such a potential candidate or candidate from some other unit of the Medical Library Association; no candidate for membership on the MLA Nominating Committee shall also be a candidate for an elective office of the Medical Library Association.

C.
No one shall serve on the MLA Nominating Committee as a voting member for more than one term during a period of five years.

ARTICLE V. Meetings

Section 1. Meetings
At least one meeting shall be held in each fiscal year. Additional meetings may be held. All meetings shall be held at a time and place convenient for members. Notice of all meetings shall be disseminated to the membership at least thirty (30) days in advance of the meeting date.
Section 2. Location of Meeting
The Executive Board shall designate the site of the Annual Meeting. The site of each Annual Meeting shall be announced before the end of the preceding Annual Meeting.
Section 3. Quorum
Fifteen percent of the voting members shall constitute a quorum of this Chapter.

ARTICLE VI. Executive Board

Section 1. Executive Board
The officers of this Chapter shall constitute the Executive Board.
Section 2. Duties
The Executive Board shall have general supervision of the affairs of this Chapter between its Business Meetings, fix the time and place of meetings, make recommendations to the membership, and shall perform such other duties as are specified in these bylaws and by the parliamentary authority adopted by the organization.

ARTICLE VII. Committees

Section 1. Standing Committees

A.
The Executive Board shall establish standing committees to consider matters of the Chapter that require continuity of attention by the members. The Executive Board shall recommend the name and size of each committee.

B.
The MAC Chair, in consultation with the MAC Executive Board, shall designate committee members and chairs and when these appointments shall take effect. Unless otherwise approved by the Executive Board, members of standing committees shall be appointed for terms of 3 years, and may be reappointed for a second term. The Chair shall have the discretion to terminate appointments. Neither the Chair nor the Chair-Elect shall serve on or appoint members to the Nominating Committee.
Section 2. Special Committees

The Chapter Chair may appoint such other special committees as are necessary with the advice and consent of the Executive Board.
Section 3. Committee Chairs

Chairs of committees shall be Voting Members of the Medical Library Association.
Section 4. Committee Reports
Each committee shall submit an annual report of its activities to the Chapter Chair prior to the compilation of the Annual Chapter Report for submission to MLA Headquarters.

ARTICLE VIII. Parliamentary Authority

The rules contained in the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern this Chapter in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these bylaws and any special rules of order the Chapter may adopt.

ARTICLE IX. Relationship to the Medical Library Association

Section 1. Association Business

No direct action with respect to Medical Library Association business or in the name of the Association shall be taken by the Chapter. Chapter recommendations regarding Association policies or actions shall be referred to the Chapter Council through the Chapter Council Representative. Only Active Chapter members who are also voting members of the Medical Library Association shall be eligible to move or to vote on such recommendations.
Section 2. Annual Report

An Annual Report of the Chapter's activities shall be submitted to the Medical Library Association Headquarters at the requested time each year.
Section 3. Continued Recognition of Chapter
Continued recognition as a Chapter of the Medical Library Association shall be contingent on (1) maintaining a primary membership at least one half of it consisting of voting members of the Medical Library Association and (2) keeping these Chapter Bylaws consistent with the Bylaws of the Medical Library Association.
Section 4. Dissolution of Chapter and Distribution of Assets
In the event of dissolution of the Mid-Atlantic Chapter, the assets of the Chapter, after satisfaction of all just liabilities and obligations thereof, shall be distributed to the Medical Library Association, Inc. as long as the Medical Library Association, Inc. shall qualify as an organization described in Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code (or the corresponding provisions of any United States internal revenue law). If the Medical Library Association is not so qualified at the time of dissolution, then the assets of the chapter shall be disposed of to one or more organizations that at that time qualify under Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

ARTICLE X. Amendment of Bylaws

These bylaws may be amended by either: 1) a two-thirds vote of those attending any regular meeting of the Chapter, provided that the amendment has been distributed to the membership at least thirty (30) days prior to the meeting at which the vote shall be taken, or, 2) at any time by membership balloting, provided that the amendment and ballots have been distributed to the membership at least thirty (30) days prior to the voting deadline; amendments will be approved by a two-thirds majority of the returned ballots.

Revised June 2010

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