ASSOCIATION OF CHILDREN’S LIBRARIANS OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – BYLAWS AND CONSTITUTION
BYLAWS
SECTION I – OFFICIAL YEAR
- The official year will be from September 1 to August 31.
SECTION II – MEMBERSHIP
A. Annual dues (for one year January through December) for membership are $50.00 for regular members, $25 for students, $40 for retired members. Dues are reduced by 50% after June (for six months July through December), and we offer a “Pay what you can” option.
B. A member who has not paid dues within three months after the expiration date of her/his membership will be omitted from the roll.
C. All reviews submitted to ACLNC by members become the property of ACLNC for the organization’s non-exclusive use.
SECTION III – OFFICERS: NOMINATIONS, ELECTIONS, DUTIES
A. The Nominating Committee shall present a panel of candidates: Vice President/President Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, and Review Editor; the current Vice President/President Elect becomes President unless unable to serve in which case the Nominating Committee will nominate a President as well, at least one for each vacancy, one or more months preceding the election. Further nominations may be made from the floor. Election will be held at the June or July meeting. If more than one candidate is nominated, officers will be elected by written ballot. The candidate who receives a plurality of all votes cast will be elected provided a quorum is present. If there is only one candidate for any office, the Chair will declare the candidate elected and instruct the Secretary to so record it.
B. When a vacancy in any office occurs, except that of President, a successor to complete the unexpired term shall be appointed by the Board. When the vacancy occurs in the office of President, the Vice-President (President Elect) shall become President and the office of Vice President shall be filled by election.
C. The Board will include the elected officers: President, Vice President/President Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, Review Editor, the immediate Past President and the Chairpersons of each standing committee: Book Review, Nominating, Membership, Distinguished Books, Performers’ Showcase, Budget, and Editorial (Managing Editor).
D. It shall be the duty of the President to preside over all meetings of the members and the Board, to serve as ex-officio member of all committees, to enforce due observance of the Constitution and Bylaws, to decide all questions of order, to be responsible for all regular meetings.
E. It shall be the duty of the Vice-President (President Elect), in the absence of the President, to perform all duties of that office and to monitor the ACL Institute planning. The Vice-President (President-Elect) shall appoint Chairpersons-Elect to each standing committee by the August meeting.
F. It shall be the duty of the Secretary, or a person delegated by the Board, to keep a record of the minutes of all meetings and to write other communications as needed.
G. It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to receive all monies, and to keep a record of and disburse the funds of the Association in accordance with the instructions of the Board, and to make statements of accounts annually and at such times as the Association requires.
H. It shall be the duty of the Board to serve as an advisory board to the President and the members, and to authorize expenditures. A quorum for a board meeting shall be five.
SECTION IV – COMMITTEES
A. The Book Review Committee will consist of a Book Review Chair and as many committee members as deemed necessary to complete the following responsibilities: coordinate with publishers to receive review copies, receive and store reviewed and unreviewed books, find suitable organizations to receive books not sold at the booksale, keep track of books assigned for reviewing, collect reviews, prepare list of reviewed titles for use by attendees at meetings, give book reviewing information and assign mentors to new reviewers.
B. The Nominating Committee will consist of a Chairperson and two additional members. It will be the duty of the nominating committee to present a panel of candidates for elective offices at the meeting one or two months before the election.
C. The Membership Committee shall make available membership application/renewal forms, maintain a roster of members, and keep a record of members’ names and addresses.
D. The Editorial Committee will consist of a Managing Editor, Review Editor, and any additional members (such as copy-editors, bibliographic checkers, and paid typists) deemed necessary to complete the following responsibilities:
The Managing Editor will create Bay News editorial content, maintain social networking sites (such as but not limited to a blog, Twitter, and Facebook accounts), and work closely with the ACL President on organizational communications.
The Review Editor will oversee content editing, copy editing, & bibliographic checking during the meetings; receive, edit, & prepare for publication the members’ book reviews; communicate with the typist and final copy-editor before publication, maintain the organization’s “Guide for Bay Views Reviewers,” communicate feedback to reviewers as needed, and work closely with the Managing Editor and/or President on reviewing standards.
The Managing Editor and the Review Editor will recruit other members as needed, and they will alternate responsibility for planning annual professional development workshops or presentations at meetings related to book reviewing.
E. The Performers’ Showcase Committee is responsible for organizing and presenting a program, separate from regular meetings, designed to assist members and others attending in selecting quality entertainers for programming needs.
F. The Budget Committee will consist of the Treasurer, Vice President/President Elect, Performers’ Showcase Chair, and two additional members, one of these five to serve as Chairperson. The committee will prepare and propose an annual budget to the Board for approval, and report status quarterly to the Board.
G. Chairpersons of all standing or special committees shall submit an annual report in writing to the President to be kept as a permanent record and submit a copy of this report to the Vice President (President Elect).
H. The Institute Committee is responsible for organizing and presenting a special annual program on a topic of their choice once it has met approval of the board; this Institute is intended to engage our members in a professional development topic. This is customarily held in place of one of our meetings in Spring.
I. The Professional Development Committee shall recruit and schedule the Professional Development sessions of our regular meetings as well as ad hoc sessions as identified by the Committee and/or Board. There will be money budgeted for some sessions, and some sessions will be offered for free by members. The committee will obtain ideas from the membership as well as adding ideas of their own for these sessions.
SECTION V – MEETINGS
A. Regular meeting will be monthly. Special meetings may be called by the President on approval of the Board. One of the regular meetings shall be the Institute. A meeting may be canceled by a plurality vote of the members present at any meeting.
B. Two-thirds of the active members shall constitute a quorum.
C. In most cases a majority vote will carry a motion. This is interpreted to mean a majority of those voting. Those not voting are not counted either aye or nay.
CONSTITUTION
ARTICLE I – NAME AND PURPOSE
SECTION 1. The name of this organization is THE ASSOCIATION OF CHILDREN’S LIBRARIANS OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA (ACL).
SECTION 2. This organization is an association of people interested in library work with children and young adults. Its purpose shall be to strengthen and maintain work with youth in the libraries of Northern and Central California according to the highest standards of professional librarianship by:
- Reviewing and evaluating children’s books and other materials produced for young people
- Working actively to further the cause of library work with children
- Discussing various phases and problems of this work
- Cooperating in the solution of problems of mutual concern
- Encouraging and stimulating the personal friendships of its members
ARTICLE II – MEMBERSHIP
SECTION 1. Any librarians or other persons actively engaged in, responsible for, or interested in, library work with children and/or young adults is eligible for membership in the Association.
SECTION 2. Any person desiring to become a member of this Association may do so by paying the annual dues as set forth in the By-Laws.
SECTION 3. The types of membership are as follows:
- ACTIVE MEMBERS: Any librarian residing in California north of and including Kern County, currently engaged, active in, or retired from, library work with children and/or young adults, may become an active member, hold office, and vote, on payment of dues.
- ASSOCIATE MEMBERS: Any person interested in library work with children, but who is not qualified for active membership by residence and/or occupation, may become an associate member on payment of dues, and may vote, but not hold elective office.
- HONORARY MEMBERS: Any person who has rendered outstanding service to ACL and/or library work with children and/or young adults may be elected by the members to honorary life membership. An honorary member may vote and hold elective office, but does not pay dues.
ARTICLE III – ORGANIZATION
SECTION 1. The officers of this Association shall be a President, Vice President/President Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, and Review Editor. Each officer shall perform the duties usually incumbent upon that office and as outlined in the By-Laws. Each elected officer shall be an active member. Officers will be elected from a panel of candidates offered by the Nominating Committee as provided in the By-Laws.
All records will be turned over to the newly-elected officers at the last meeting of the official year, and the incoming officers shall assume their full responsibility at the first meeting of the official year.
SECTION 2. The Board shall be the governing body of the Association and it shall be its duty to formulate policies and propose plans to carry out the purposes of the Association. The Board shall consist of the elected officers, the retiring President, the Chairperson(s) of the Book Review Committee, and other members appointed by the President and provided in the By-Laws.
SECTION 3. A Book Review Chairperson (or Chairpersons) and Committee shall be appointed as provided in the By-Laws.
A Nominating Committee shall be appointed as provided by the By-Laws.
A Distinguished Book Chairperson and Committee shall be appointed as provided by the By-Laws.
Special Committees may be appointed by the President as deemed necessary.
The President shall serve as ex-officio member of all committees.
Section 4. All officers, elected and appointed, shall hold office for one official year.
ARTICLE IV – MEETINGS
SECTION 1. Regular meetings shall be held monthly as provided in the By-Laws.
SECTION 2. Special meetings may be called by the President at any time on approval of the Board.
ARTICLE V – FINANCES
SECTION 1. Annual dues shall be paid as provided by the By-Laws.
SECTION 2. The fiscal year shall coincide with the official year as provided in the By-Laws.
ARTICLE VI – AMENDMENTS
SECTION 1. The Constitution may be amended by the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the voting members present at a regular meeting, provided that written notice was given to all members thirty days in advance.
SECTION 2. By-Laws may be amended, repealed, or adopted by the affirmative vote of a majority of the voting members present at the regular meeting, provided that written notice was given thirty days in advance.
In order that the Association’s Constitution conform with the requirements for non-profit status it is necessary that we add the following statements:
ARTICLE VII – NON-PROFIT STATUS
Upon the winding up and dissolution of this Association, after paying or adequately providing for all debts and obligations of the Association, the remaining assets shall be distributed to a nonprofit fund, foundation, or corporation, which is organized and operated exclusively for charitable, educational, or religious and/or scientific purposes and which has established its tax-exempt status under Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
No part of the net earnings of this Association shall ever inure to or for the benefit of or be distributable to its members, trustees, officers, or other private persons, except that the Association shall be empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the express purposes for which it was formed.
Notwithstanding any other provisions of these articles, the Association shall not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried on by an Association exempt from Federal Income Tax under Sections 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954.
ACL BYLAWS AND CONSTITUTION – January 2024