Bylaws

GODORT of Michigan Bylaws

Article I: Name

The name of this association shall be Government Documents Round Table (GODORT) of Michigan.

ARTICLE II: OBJECTIVES

The objectives of the Government Documents Round Table of Michigan (herein-after referred to as the Association) shall be to promote the effective use of publications issued by all levels of government by :

  1. providing an association of individuals and organizations having a professional interest in government documents,
  2. providing a forum for discussion and for exchanges of information and ideas,
  3. providing a force for initiating and supporting programs to increase availability, use, and bibliographic control of documents, and
  4. contributing to education and training in the use of government documents.

Article III: Affiliation

This association shall be affiliated with the Government Documents Round Table of the American Library Association.

Article IV: MEMBERS

  • Section 1. The membership of this Association shall be open to individuals and organizations interested in government documents.
  • Section 2. The annual membership fees shall be established by the Executive Board at the annual spring meeting. This applies both to individual and organization memberships. The membership year shall be July 1st to June 30th.
  • Section 3. In the case of organization memberships, a single member of the organization shall be designated as its representative. Said individual, or in his/her absence a designated proxy shall be responsible for the casting of the organization’s vote and shall alone be eligible for the organization member rate.

ARTICLE V: OFFICERS

  • Section 1. The officers of this Association shall be:
    • President;
    • President-Elect;
    • the immediate Past President;
    • Secretary;
    • Treasurer;
    • Director-at-large;
    • Liaison to Michigan Council of Depository Libraries; and
    • Editor(s) of the Association’s official newsletter, RED TAPE.

These officers shall perform the duties prescribed in these bylaws and by the parliamentary authority adopted by the Association.

  • Section 2. The President shall act as chief administrative officer of the Association, and shall preside over all meetings of the Association and the Executive Board.
  • Section 3. The President-Elect shall serve as Program Co-ordinator, in the absence of the President shall preside at meetings of the Association and the Executive Board and any other duties the President may assign.
  • Section 4. The Past President shall serve as advisor to the Board, and shall perform such other duties as the President may assign.
  • Section 5. The Secretary shall serve as recording and corresponding officer and custodian of the records of the Association.
  • Section 6. The Treasurer shall be responsible for the collection, safekeeping, and expenditure of all funds of the Association, for keeping an accurate financial record and current membership list, and for the submission of a report on the finances of the Association to the membership at the annual meeting and when requested by the Executive Board.
  • Section 7. The Director-at-Large shall co-ordinate award nominations and perform other duties as the President may assign.
  • Section 8. The Liaison to Michigan Council of Depository Libraries shall attend meetings of the Michigan Federal Depository Libraries Council (MFDLC), solicit the views and positions of the members of GODORT of Michigan and represent these views and positions to the MFDLC. The Liaison shall present a written or oral report to the Executive Board after each meeting of the MFDLC. The Liaison may be asked to present the report to the general membership at its regularly scheduled meeting.
  • Section 9. The Editor(s) of RED TAPE shall be responsible for the publication of said newsletter at regular intervals. Said newsletter shall be the primary instrument of dissemination to the membership of information regarding the activities of the Association, including notices and agenda for upcoming meetings and programs, minutes of previous meetings, and any other information pertinent to the objectives of the Association. The Editor(s) serves at the pleasure of the Executive Board.
  • Section 10. The terms of office of the President, the President-Elect, the Past President, and the Director-at-Large shall be one year. The terms of office of the Secretary and Treasurer shall be two years. The terms of office of the Secretary and Treasurer shall be staggered in such a way that they will expire on alternating years. The term of office of the Liaison to Michigan Council of Depository Libraries shall be three years. The Editor(s) has (have) no fixed term of office, and shall be appointed by the Board.
  • Section 11. In January of each year, the President shall appoint a Nominating Committee. It shall be the duty of this committee to nominate a candidate for each expiring office, excluding those of the President and Past President, to be filled at the annual spring meeting. Written consent of candidates for office must be obtained. The Committee shall report to the membership by mail at least four weeks prior to the election. At the annual spring meeting additional nominations from the floor shall be permitted.
  • Section 12. Officers for all expiring elective offices, excluding President and Past President, shall be elected at the annual spring meeting by ballot, to serve for one term or until their successors are elected, and their terms of office shall begin at the close of the annual spring meeting at which they are elected. At this time the President succeeds to the office of Past President, and the President-Elect succeeds to the office of President.
  • Section 13. No member except the Editor(s) of RED TAPE shall serve more than two consecutive terms in the same office.
  • Section 14. Vacancies which may arise in any office except those of President and President-Elect shall be filled upon a majority vote of the Officers of the Association. In the event of disability, absence or withdrawal of the President, the title and all duties and obligations shall be assumed by the President-Elect, who shall also still be responsible for seeing that the duties of the President-Elect are carried out. In the event of a vacancy in the office of President-Elect, it shall be decided by majority vote of the Board whether to hold a special election or to hold the office vacant until the next annual spring meeting, at which time the membership would elect both a new President and President-Elect.

ARTICLE VI: MEETINGS

  • Section 1. A minimum of two program and business meetings of this Association shall be held each year unless otherwise determined by the Association or by the officers of the Association
  • Section 2. The annual meeting shall be held in the Spring and shall include the election of officers, reports of officers and committees and other business that may arise.
  • Section 3. Special meetings can be called by the officers of the Association or upon the request of ten members of the Association. The purpose of the special meeting shall be stated in the call and no other business than that shall be considered. At least two weeks notice shall be given to all members.
  • Section 4. A quorum for the transaction of business shall be ten Association members.

ARTICLE VII: EXECUTIVE BOARD

  • Section 1. The officers of the Association as enumerated in Article V, Section 1 shall constitute and be known as the Executive Board.
  • Section 2. The Executive Board shall have general supervision of the affairs of the Association between its business meetings, establish the date and place of meetings, speak for the Association on relevant policy issues, and perform other duties as are specified in these bylaws.
  • Section 3. The Board shall hold at least two meetings annually and shall hold additional meetings upon the call of the President or upon written request of any member of the Board. Four members of the Board shall constitute a quorum.

ARTICLE VIII: COMMITTEES

  • Section 1. Standing or special committees shall be established by the Executive Board as needed. The President shall appoint members and designate chairs of all committees. Appointment to standing committees shall be for one year.
  • Section 2. Each standing committee chair shall maintain a record of the committee’s activities to pass on to successive chairs. Each special committee chair shall maintain a record of the committee’s activities to pass on to the President upon the completion of the committee’s business. Each committee shall report to the membership at the annual spring meeting.
  • Section 3. Committee chairs may participate in meetings of the Executive Board but shall not have the right to vote.
  • Section 4. Standing committees are:
    1. Awards Committee
    2. Nominating Committee

Details of the committees are stipulated in the Policy Manual of the Association.

ARTICLE IX: AWARDS

  • Section 1: The Association sponsors the following awards for which the Executive Board has oversight:
    1. Eleanor Boyles Professional Development Award.
      1. The Eleanor Boyles Professional Development Award, named in honor of Ms. Eleanor Boyles, may be presented to a GODORT of Michigan member in support of professional development activities related to government documents librarianship. Up to two awards may be offered during any given GODORT of Michigan membership year. The same person may not receive the award twice in any three year span.
      2. Jennie Award.
        1. The Jennie Award, named in honor of Jennie Cross, may be presented to a member of the Michigan documents community in recognition of current outstanding achievement or special service. This award may be given annually.
      3. Lifetime Achievement Award.
        1. A Lifetime Achievement Award may be presented to a past or present member of the Association in recognition of an exemplary career in government documents service. This award is given irregularly.
      4. Paul W. Thurston Award.
        1. The Paul W Thurston Award is presented in recognition of a contribution to the professional literature by any practising document or other librarian which improves access to government information at the international, federal, state or local level. An annual call for nominations in made to the entire library community. If a person is selected to receive the award, it is presented at the GODORT Annual Business Meeting held in conjunction with the American Library Association Annual Conference.
  • Section 2: The Director-at-Large serves as the coordinator for the award process. Specific details for each award are stipulated in the Policy Manual.

 ARTICLE X: PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

The rules contained in the current edition of ROBERT’S RULES OF ORDER NEWLY REVISED shall govern the Association 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 Association may adopt.

ARTICLE XI: AMENDMENT OF BYLAWS

  • Section 1. These bylaws can be amended at any business meeting of the Association by a two-thirds vote of those members present, provided that the amendment has been submitted to the membership in writing at least four weeks prior to that meeting.
  • Section 2. Amendments may be proposed by the Executive Board, a Bylaws Committee, or five members in good standing of the Association. Proposals originating in the Executive Board or in a Bylaws Committee shall be approved by a two-thirds vote of the Board before submission to the members. Proposals originating by petition shall be submitted in writing to the Executive Board and shall be presented to the members with the recommendations of the Board.

Revised: May 1985; May 1992; April 1993; and November 2000.