DBIO Bylaws

Section 1. The name of this organization shall be the Biomedical and Life Sciences Division, Special Libraries Association, hereafter referred to as the "Division."

Section 2. The objectives of this Division shall be those of the Special Libraries Association: to provide an association of individuals and organizations having a professional, scientific, or technical interest in library and information science, especially as these are applied in the recording, retrieval, and dissemination of knowledge and information in areas such as the physical, biological, technical, and social sciences and the humanities; and to promote and improve the communication, dissemination and use of such information and knowledge for the benefit of libraries or other educational organizations.

Section 3. The scope of the Biomedical and Life Sciences Division encompasses all aspects of the life sciences, both pure and applied, including: biology and biochemistry, zoology and botany, microbiology, genetics, biotechnology, evolution, ecology, veterinary and human medicine, health sciences, and other aspects of the life sciences not specifically noted, or encompassed by another SLA Division. The Division promotes the exchange of information and ideas about trends and advances in information storage, retrieval and analysis, collection management, and dissemination in these fields to support research, education, and commercial endeavors.


ARTICLE II. MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. The membership of the Division shall be all those members of Special Libraries Association who elect to affiliate with the Division.

Section 2. Members, Associate Members, and Retired Members of the Association who are members of the Division shall have the right to vote and to hold any elective or appointive office in the Division.

Section 3. Student Members of the Association who are members of the Division shall have the right to vote and to hold any appointive, but not elective, office in the Division.

Section 4. The rights and benefits of Sustaining Members and Honorary Members shall be determined by the Association Board of Directors.

Section 5. An online version of the official bulletin of the Division shall be freely available.


ARTICLE III. EXECUTIVE BOARD

Section 1. There shall be an Executive Board that shall have the power and authority to manage the Division's property and to regulate and govern its affairs. The Board shall determine policies and changes therein within the limits of the Bylaws of the Association and of the Division and shall take such actions as it considers necessary to carry out the objectives of the Division, and shall perform other such functions as the membership may direct.

Section 2. The Board shall consist of six members elected by the membership: the chair, the chair-elect, the past chair, the secretary, the treasurer, and director. All members of the Board shall be Members, Associate Members, or Retired Members of Special Libraries Association.

Section 3. Four members of the Board shall constitute a quorum.

Section 4. A vacancy in the membership of the Executive Board, except in the office of chair, chair-elect, or past chair shall be filled from the Division membership eligible for election by majority vote of the remaining members of the Board. A Board-elected member shall serve the remainder of the term of office to which he/she has been elected by the Board. If there is a vacancy in the office of chair, the chair-elect becomes chair, to serve the remainder of that term. Any vacancy in the office of chair-elect shall be filled by Board election of one of the other Board members, excluding the past chair. The Board-elected chair-elect will serve out the term of chair-elect and subsequently become chair. The Board position which then becomes vacant will be filled using the procedure above. A vacancy in the office of past chair will not be filled.

Section 5. The term of office of the chair, chair-elect, and past chair shall be one year. The term of office of the secretary, treasurer, and director shall be two years. The secretary and the director will be elected in odd years; the treasurer will be elected in even years. All members of the Board shall serve until their successors are elected and assume their duties. The term of office shall commence at the adjournment of the Association's annual business meeting.


ARTICLE IV. OFFICERS

Section 1. The chair shall be the chief executive officer of the Division and, subject to the Executive Board, shall have general supervision and control over its affairs; shall be responsible for supervision of Division program planning for the Association Annual Conference during the year the office is held; shall preside at all business meetings of the Division and of the Executive Board; shall recommend to the Board such measures considered desirable to further the objectives and broaden the effectiveness of the Division; shall appoint Division committee chairs and members per Article VI of these bylaws; with the treasurer, shall sign all contracts and other legal documents; shall be a member ex officio of all committees except the Nominations and Elections Committee; with the chair-elect, shall represent the Division at meetings of the Division Cabinet and the Joint Cabinet during the Association Year in which the office is held, or, if either is unable to attend, shall designate a Member, Associate Member, or Retired Member of the Division to serve as alternate representative; shall prepare such reports as may be required by the Association and shall be responsible for the preparation of such reports as required of other Division officers by the Association.

Section 2. The chair-elect shall assist the chair in the performance of the duties of the chair and shall carry out such duties and special projects as the chair may assign; with the chair, shall represent the Division at meetings of the Division Cabinet and the Joint Cabinet during the Association Year in which the office is held; and in the event of absence or withdrawal of the chair, shall assume all the duties and obligations of the chair.

Section 3. The secretary shall keep a record of all meetings of the Division and of the Executive Board and shall perform other duties as the chair may assign.

Section 4. The treasurer shall have custody of the Division funds; shall sign all checks drawn upon Division funds unless determined otherwise by the Executive Board; with the chair, shall sign all contracts and other legal documents; and shall furnish such financial statements as may be required by the Executive Board, the chair, and the Association.

Section 5. The past chair shall be a member of the Executive Board; shall act as the Bylaws Committee Chair as needed; and shall carry out such duties and special projects as the chair may assign.

Section 6. The director shall be a member of the Executive Board; shall act as parliamentarian for the Division; shall keep the Division Recommended Practices up-to-date; shall be responsible for review and revision of the Division strategic plan; and shall carry out such duties and special projects as the chair may assign.


ARTICLE V. MEETINGS

Section 1. The Division annual business meeting shall be held during the Association Annual Conference, or, if there is no Conference, upon the call of the chair. At least one business meeting shall be held during the term of office of each elected Executive Board.

Section 2. Special meetings may be held upon the call of the Executive Board or on petition of twenty members of the Division to the Executive Board. Notice of a special meeting shall specify the business to be transacted, and no business other than that stated in the notice shall be considered.

Section 3. Notice of meetings in writing or printed in the Division official bulletin shall be sent to each member at least thirty days before the meeting.

Section 4. A quorum for the transaction of business shall be twenty Division members.

Section 5. Whenever, in the judgment of the Executive Board, a question arises which cannot wait until the annual business meeting, the Executive Board may submit the question to the Division membership for a vote by mail. The closing date for the return of mail ballots shall be established by the Board, but with a minimum of three weeks from the date of mailing of ballots. The question presented shall be resolved by a majority vote, provided twenty per cent of the members have voted.

Section 6. When not in conflict with these Bylaws, Robert's rules of order, rev. (latest edition) shall govern all deliberations.


ARTICLE VI. COMMITTEES

Section 1. Standing and special committees shall be established by the Executive Board for the purpose of delegating such powers and functions as the Board finds desirable for the conduct of its business and for carrying out the objectives of the Division. These committees shall be responsible to the Board.

Section 2. The Division chair shall appoint members and designate the chair of all committees, except the Nominations and Elections Committee. Appointments to standing committees shall be for two years unless determined otherwise by the Executive Board. No member may serve continuously on any one committee in excess of four years.

Section 3. Committee chairs may participate in meetings of the Executive Board, but shall not have the right to make individual motions or vote.

Section 4. Each committee chair shall submit to the Executive Board a written report of committee activities throughout the year, together with any recommendations considered necessary or advisable, on or about April 1 in prescribed format. Additional reports may be submitted by a committee or requested by the Board or Division chair at other times.

Section 5. Funds for committee expenses shall be authorized by the Executive Board.

Section 6. New committees are to be evaluated by the Board two years after their formation to insure that they have unique, necessary functions.


ARTICLE VII. SECTIONS

Section 1. Sections relating to definite areas of interest within a Division may be established by the Executive Board upon written petition of fifteen members of the Division who desire to participate in the activities of the proposed section. Sections shall receive needed operating funds from the Division, and shall submit to the Division Executive Board an annual report including a financial statement. Should dissolution of a section occur, its assets shall revert to the Division. Formation or dissolution of a section shall be reported to the Division Cabinet officers and the Association Office.

ARTICLE VIII. FUNDS, CONTRACTS, AND PROPERTY

Section 1. Funds for Division expenses shall be derived from the Association as an allotted share of the annual dues paid by Division members. Eligibility for this allotment is based on submission to the Association of the Division financial statement for the previous year and its acceptance by the Association. Requests for additional funds or loans may be submitted to the Division Cabinet Officers for presentation to the Association Board of Directors for its consideration. All funds received by the Division shall be used for purposes incident to the fulfillment of the Division's objectives. Should dissolution of the Division occur, its assets shall revert to the Association.

Section 2. Any agreement or contract entered into by the Division shall have advance approval of the Executive Board. If liability exceeds the Division's available or budgeted funds, prior notification to the Division Cabinet Officers shall be made for the purpose of obtaining the required advance approval of the Association Board of Directors. All affiliate and contractual relationships shall be directed toward the best interest of the Division and the Association and shall protect its property and identity.

Section 3. Purchase of property by any unit of the Division shall have the written approval of the Executive Board. If the cost is over $5,000, it shall have the advance approval of the Division members. If cost or liability exceeds $5,000, the transaction must be reviewed and signed by the Association's Executive Director; any which exceeds the Division's available or budgeted funds requires advance approval of the Association's Board of Directors.

Section 4. Officers, members of the Board or committee chairs who shall be incurring expenses connected with official programs of the Division shall prepare a budget and obtain prior authorization for the expenditure from the chair or the treasurer. Officers, Board members, and committee chairs shall be reimbursed by the treasurer for authorized expenses upon presentation of itemized receipts and voucher.


ARTICLE IX. NOMINATIONS

Section 1. Each year the Nominations and Elections Committee shall present at least one candidate for Chair-Elect. The elected candidate shall serve a 3-year term - one year each as, consecutively, Chair-Elect, Chair and Past-Chair. In odd years one or two candidates for Secretary and one or two candidates for Director shall be presented. In even years one or two candidates for Treasurer shall be presented. The term of office for Secretary, Director, and Treasurer is two years. The committee shall obtain the written acceptance of each nominee prior to submission of its report.

Section 2. The report of the Nominations and Elections Committee shall be published in the official bulletin or otherwise sent to Division members at least 150 days before the Division annual business meeting. Further nominations, accompanied by written acceptance by the nominee, may be entered by petition of twenty Division members, and shall be filed with the Nominations and Elections Committee at least 120 days before the annual business meeting.

Section 3. Election shall be by printed ballot distributed to each Division member at least ninety days before the Division annual business meeting. Completed ballots must be postmarked not later than sixty days prior to the same meeting. The candidate who receives the largest number of votes for any office shall be elected. In the event of a tie, election shall be by majority vote of the members present at the Division annual business meeting.


ARTICLE X. PUBLICATIONS

Section 1. Control of all publications of the Division for the members shall be vested in the Executive Board.

Section 2. The Division shall not be responsible for statements or opinions advanced in its publications or at meetings of the Division, or for statements by any of its members, except those authorized by the Division Executive Board or those reflecting duly established policies of the Division or Association.


ARTICLE XI. DIVISION REPRESENTATION AND AFFILIATION

Section 1. Division representatives to joint committees and meetings of other societies having objectives allied to those of the Division and of the Association shall be appointed by the chair. Such representatives shall submit at least one written report to the Executive Board on or about April 1 in prescribed format.

Section 2. Upon approval by a majority of the Division members voting at any regular Division meeting, the Division may affiliate with a common interest organization provided that: 1. The objectives of such organizations are consistent with those of the Division and of the Association and 2. The activities or such organizations are not in conflict with Article I, Sections 3, 4, and 5 of the Association Bylaws. The Division may disaffiliate with the common interest organization on the recommendation of the Executive Board and a majority vote of members present at any regular Division Meeting. Any other affiliation, including that with a national or international organization, shall be approved by the Association Board of Directors. Notices of affiliations and disaffiliations shall be reported to the Association.


ARTICLE XII. DISSOLUTION AND MERGER

Section 1. The Division may petition for dissolution, or for merger with another Division, by mail vote of its membership, the ballots to be mailed not more than forty-five days after an annual business meeting at which a majority of the members present votes that it no longer meets the needs of the membership. If two-thirds of the mail ballots returned favor dissolution, or merger, the petition shall be submitted to the Division Cabinet Officers for presentation to the Association Board of Directors which shall make the final decision.

Section 2. In the event of dissolution, all assets of the Division shall revert to the Association. In the event of merger, assets shall become a part of the new merged unit, as decided upon by the bodies concerned. Any other assets shall revert to the Association.


ARTICLE XIII. AMENDMENTS

Section 1. These Bylaws may be amended by a two thirds vote of the members present and voting at any Division meeting, provided written notice containing the text of the proposed amendment has been sent to each member at least thirty days before the meeting at which it is to be considered.

Section 2. Amendments may be proposed by the Executive Board, the Bylaws Committee, or ten members of the Division. Proposals originating in the Executive Board or in the 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.

Section 3. Any revision in or amendments to the Division Bylaws shall be submitted to the Association Bylaws Committee for review before presentation to the Division membership.

Rev. July 2007