State Advisory Council on Libraries Bylaws
NAME:
The name of the organization will be the Nebraska State Advisory Council on
Libraries.
PURPOSE AND FUNCTION:
The Nebraska State Advisory Council on Libraries is established by the
Nebraska Library Commission to advise the Commission on statewide library
development and planning. In addition, the Nebraska State Advisory Council
on Libraries will be utilized for:
1. Advice and planning on such other matters on which the Commission may
seek counsel.
2. Review and evaluation of interlibrary cooperative and resource sharing
plans and programs.
3. Development, review and evaluation of the Library Services and Technology
Act (LSTA) state program and five-year plan.
MEMBERSHIP:
1. The membership of the State Advisory Council on Libraries shall be
broadly representative of the public, school, academic, special and
institutional libraries in the State and of persons using such libraries,
including disadvantaged persons, and geographic areas of the state.
2. The Council membership shall include eighteen members appointed at-large
by the Nebraska Library Commission. Nominations from the library community
will be solicited. Appointments shall be made to assure a broad
representation of library types and interests. At least one member shall
represent a major urban public library. Ex-Officio representation shall be
provided for the Nebraska Library Association and the Nebraska School
Librarians Association, who shall be the vice-president/president-elect, or other
designee as determined by the respective association. Ex-Officio
representatives shall be voting members of the Council.
3. Terms of membership will be three years on a staggered basis. No member
shall serve more than two consecutive terms.
ELECTION OF OFFICERS AND DUTIES:
1. Chairperson
a. The Chairperson will be elected by the Council at the last meeting of the
calendar year if the Vice/Chairperson-Elect cannot fill the office.
b. The Chairperson will preside at all meetings of the Council.
c. The Chairperson may establish committees for the accomplishment of works.
The Chairperson will appoint all committees from the membership except where
Council has approved the appointment of non-members. The Chairperson shall
appoint members to the Talking Book and Braille Service Advisory Council.
d. The Chairperson will serve as a liaison between the Council and the
Commission and will make an annual report of the activities of the Council
to the Commission.
2. Vice-Chairperson/Chairperson-Elect
a. The Vice-Chairperson/Chairperson-Elect will be elected annually by the
Council at the first meeting of the calendar year.
b. The Vice-Chairperson/Chairperson-Elect will perform all duties of the
Chairperson in any absence or disability of that officer.
c. The Vice-Chairperson/Chairperson-Elect will perform such other duties as
may be assigned by the Chairperson.
3. Secretary
a. The Secretary will be the Director of the Nebraska Library Commission or
a designated representative.
b. The Secretary, or designated representative, will record and disseminate
the minutes of the meetings of the Council and issue appropriate news
releases concerning the Council's activities.
c. The Secretary will serve the Council as the chief resource person on the
LSTA and the State Library Agency.
d. The Secretary will be an ex-officio non-voting member.
MEETINGS:
The Council will meet at least two times a year. Additional meetings may be
called at the discretion of the officers. A quorum for any meeting will
consist of one-half of the membership. Meetings will be open to the general
public with appropriate notice given by the Secretary.
ATTENDANCE:
No member will be excused without having notified the Secretary a minimum of
48 hours prior to the time of the meeting, unless prevented from attending
by sickness or other sufficient cause.
Failure to attend or notify the Secretary for two consecutive meetings is
just cause for removal.
VOTING:
All questions coming before the Council will be determined by vote of the
members. An affirmative vote of the majority of all members of the Council
present at the time shall be necessary to approve any action before the
Council. All questions determined by a majority of the members present will
represent the advice of the Council. The Chairperson will not be compelled
to vote except in the case of a tie vote.
COMMITTEES:
Standing Committees may be established by the Council with approval of a
two-thirds majority of the members present. Special committees to accomplish
specified works may be established by the Chairperson.
EXPENSES:
Members of the Council will be reimbursed for actual expenses incurred while
attending official meetings of the council or performing official
assignments of the Council. Reimbursement will be in accord with State of
Nebraska expense reimbursement policies.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST:
No person on the Council, who is a public official, officer, or affiliated
with a grant recipient, will participate in a final decision with respect to
a project, if such a decision can be expected to result in any benefit
either direct or indirect or remuneration, including without limitation, a
royalty, commission, contingent fee, or other benefit, to him/her or to any
member of his/her immediate family or other agency, institution,
organization that he/she represents.
AMENDMENTS:
These bylaws may be altered, amended or repealed and new bylaws may be
adopted by a majority of the members at any meeting, if at least ten day's
written notice is given by the Secretary to all members of the intention to
alter, amend, or repeal or to adopt new bylaws at such meeting.
PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY:
Robert, Sarah Corkin, Robert's Rules
of Order, latest edition, will serve as the parliamentary authority for
Council meetings, insofar as it is not contrary to these bylaws.
September, 1977
Revised December, 1979
Revised March 10, 1983
Revised October 16, 1987
Revised September 14, 1990
Revised July 15, 2011
Revised November 18, 2011