By-Laws
Reference Round Table
Texas Library Association
Article
I: Name
The name of this organization shall be the
Reference Round Table of the Texas Library Association.
Article
II: Objective
The purpose of the Reference Round Table shall
be to advance the informational, bibliographical, and research services of all
types of libraries within the State of Texas.
Article
III: Membership
Any member of TLA who is interested in
library reference service shall be eligible for full membership.
Article
IV: Administration
Section 1. Officers
The officers of Reference Round Table shall
be Chair, Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect, Secretary/Treasurer, Councilor and Alternate
Councilor.
Section 2. Term of Office
The chair's, vice-chair's, and secretary-treasurer's
term shall be for one year beginning immediately following the Annual
Conference. The councilor's and alternate councilor's term shall be for three
years, or until a successor is elected.
Section 3. Elections
Election of officers shall be made by mail
ballot. A nominating committee shall present the Executive Board by Annual
Assembly a slate of nominees for all officers (except chair) and for a
nomination committee of at least three members. The nominating committee will
include the previous year's committee chair who shall serve without election.
Ballots shall be mailed to the membership in the fall and be returned to the
chair of the nominating committee. The ballot shall in all instances provide
space for write-in candidates. The membership shall be notified of the results
of the election in the spring.
At least two candidates shall be nominated
for councilor. The candidate with the highest number of votes shall be elected
as councilor and the candidate with the next highest vote shall be elected alternate
councilor to serve in the absence of the councilor.
Section 4. Duties of Officers
(a) The Chair shall (1) attend Annual
Assembly and the Annual Conference of TLA, (2) preside at meetings of the
Executive Board and business meeting of the RRT, (3) appoint committees and
designate chairs with the exceptions of the Nominating Committee and the
Program Committee, (4) be responsible for the overall conference planning, (5)
coordinate all activities of the RRT.
(b) The Vice-Chair shall (1) attend the Annual
Assembly and the Annual Conference of TLA, (2) assume the office of chair if
that office is vacant, (3) serve on the Executive Board, (4) appoint the
Program Committee and serve as its chair.
(c) The Secretary-Treasurer shall (1) attend
the Annual Assembly and the Annual Conference of TLA, (2) serve on the
Executive Board, (3) prepare minutes of all meetings, (4) keep records of all
expenses of the RRT, (5) make an annual financial report at the meeting of the
RRT at the Annual Conference of TLA.
(d) The Councilor and Alternate Councilor
shall (1) attend the Annual Assembly and the Annual Conference of TLA, (2)
represent the RRT on the Texas Library Association Council, (3) serve on the
Executive Board, (4) report to the RRT on the actions of the TLA Council.
(e) The past chair shall (1) attend the
Annual Assembly and the Annual Conference of TLA, (2) serve on the Executive
Board.
Section 5. Vacancies
A vacancy in the office of the chair shall
be filled by the vice-chair who shall serve as chair for the unexpired term and
the following year.
If the office of both chair and vice-chair
become vacant, the remaining members of the Executive Board shall elect one of
its members to fulfill the duties of chair for the remainder of that term. A
chair and vice-chair shall be chosen at the next election.
A vacancy in the office of Councilor shall
be filled by the alternate councilor who shall serve as councilor for the
unexpired term.
The chair shall appoint a former chair to
fill a past-chair vacancy.
A vacancy in any of the other offices, other
than vice-chair, shall be filled by appointment by the chair with the approval
of the Executive Board.
Section 6. Executive Board
The Executive Board shall consist of the
officers and immediate past-chair, and shall administer the affairs of the RRT
when it is not in session. A majority of the members of the Board shall
constitute a quorum.
Article
VI: Committees
Section 1. Standing Committees
Standing Committees are (1) Nominating
Committee, whose duties shall be to place in nomination at Annual Assembly two
names for the offices of vice-chair, secretary-treasurer, and every third year,
for councilor and alternate councilor, (2) Program Committee, whose duties
shall be to develop, receive approval from the Executive Board and sponsor the
RRT program at Annual Conference, (3) Planning Committee, whose duties shall
include evaluating requests for assistance with bibliographic and other
reference projects for the Reference Round Table, and (4) standing committees authorized
by the general membership at an annual meeting. The chair of the Nominating
Committee shall be elected from within the membership of the Nominating
Committee by the Nominating Committee as their first item of business.
The purpose and procedures to be followed by
standing committees authorized by the general membership at an annual meeting,
shall be presented at the same annual meeting for approval. The purpose and
procedures to be followed for all standing committees authorized by the general
membership shall be included as annexes to these bylaws. The chair of the RRT
shall appoint the chair and members of the standing committees, except the
Nominating Committee and Program Committee. The term of appointment for
committee members shall be one year to begin immediately following Annual
Conference.
Section 2. Ad Hoc Committees
Ad Hoc committees may be authorized by the
chair of the RRT. Chairs of the committees shall be appointed by the chair of
the RRT. A committee chair may, with the approval of the RRT chair, appoint
members of the committee. The chair of the RRT, with approval of the Executive
Board, shall provide these committees with a written charge of their purpose,
including a certain date that these committees are to report back to the Executive
Board. Members of the committees shall serve until their purpose has been
fulfilled.
Article
VI: Affiliation
The RRT shall be affiliated with the
Reference and Adult Services Division (RASD) of the American Library
Association and shall send a representative to the RASD Council of State and
Regional Groups. The chair of RRT shall serve as the representative or appoint
a suitable representative to attend the Council and report back to the RRT
membership.
Article
VII: Meetings
Section 1. Regular Meetings
A regular meeting of the general membership
shall be held during the Annual Conference of the TLA and shall be for the
purpose of transacting the business of the RRT.
Section 2. Special Meetings
Special meetings of the general membership
may be called by the chair, and shall be called upon written request of
one-fifth of the members.
Section 3. Quorum
A quorum is achieved when at least (15)
members of the RRT are present.
Article
VIII: Parliamentary Authority
The parliamentary authority governing this organization
is Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised, unless inconsistent with the Bylaws
and Standing Rules of the TLA, which shall govern.
Article
IX: Bylaws
The RRT is under the governance of the TLA
Bylaws and Standing Rules, and nothing in the Bylaws of the RRT shall be
interpreted as superseding the TLA Bylaws and Standing Rules.
The RRT may suspend the Bylaws of the RRT at
any regular meeting of the general membership by a two-thirds vote of the
membership present, provided the results of such action are not inconsistent
with the Bylaws and Standing Rules of the TLA. The RRT may adopt or amend the
Bylaws of the RRT at any regular meeting of the general membership by a
two-thirds vote of the membership present, provided the Bylaws to be adopted or
amended have been furnished to the membership in writing at least one month in
advance of the vote. Again the results of such action shall not be inconsistent
with the Bylaws and Standing Rules of the TLA.
--Adopted April 1995
Annex
A: Lois Bebout Award Committee
Annex
B: Texas Reference Source Award
Committee (added 1996)