DBIO Recommended Practices - Division Chair-Elect

Function: The Chair-elect serves as a member of the Division Executive Board and participates at the request of the Chair in the general supervision of Division activities.  The Chair-elect may represent the Division upon the request of the Chair and assume the duties of Chair in event of the absence or withdrawal of the Chair.  The Chair-elect simultaneously serves as the Fund Development Committee Chair for the upcoming Annual Meeting.  The Chair-elect succeeds to Chair on January 1st of the following year.

Appointments: The Chair-elect should begin appointments of chairs of all Division standing committees by November 1st of the year before the Chair-elect becomes the Chair.  A full roster of committee chairs will be called for by SLA Headquarters (HQ) by January 1st.

1. To learn the management of the Division's affairs by becoming apprised of development, issues, procedures, history and so forth.
2. To support the current Chair by providing advice, counsel, ideas, and proposals.
3. To become more knowledgeable about SLA as an organization and getting to know more people both within DBIO and in other Divisions.
4. To attend all Division Executive Board meetings and to preside at meetings of these groups in the absence of the Chair.
5. Distributing the names, addresses, phone numbers, etc. of Division officers and committee members to appropriate SLA offices by SLA deadlines and to the Bulletin Editor and editor of the Division Web page. Keeping track of roster changes throughout the year.
6. See position description for Fund Development Chair.
7. To represent the Division at meetings of the Special Libraries Association, including the Leadership Summit and Annual Conference.  If unable to attend, to appoint a Division member, preferably an officer, to represent the Division; prior to the meeting, the appointee shall be briefed fully on business to be transacted.

1. Transfer of all pertinent files to the incoming Chair-elect.
2. An annual report from the Chair-elect to the Chair normally is not required unless the Chair has assigned special duties to the Chair-elect.
3. Sending to the Division Archives all worthwhile papers of genuine historical importance during years of tenure, as described in Archivist section.  The files should include fax or e-mail messages, correspondence and summaries of all verbal communications which relate to the business of the Division and should be maintained in the records.
4. Selecting a Program Committee for the annual conference at which the Chair-elect will be Chair. The selection of a new Program Chair occurs in October or November, 19-20 months prior to the conference at which the Chair-elect will be Chair. This enables the new Program Chair to make plans to attend the Leadership Summit in January of the year prior to the actual Annual Conference for which they will be planning.

Expenses: The Division may provide financial support of up to $1500 for each meeting to defray expenses in conjunction with attendance at the SLA Leadership Summit and the Annual Conference, if the incumbent's organization does not provide travel funds.  Funds must be requested from the Treasurer, within 3 months of travel, using the Division's travel voucher and must include required receipts.  See also:  Appendix A - Qualifications, Expenses, Records and Reporting for Executive Board, Advisory Board/Council and Committees.