SLA Biomedical and Life Sciences Division

DBIO Procedures Manual - Professional Development Committee

Function: The Committee is responsible for programs designed to update the professional knowledge of members of the Biomedical and Life Sciences Division.

Qualifications: The Chair and all committee members must be members, associate members, or retired members of the Association, as well as members of the Biomedical and Life Sciences Division. All Committee members must have a strong interest in the continuing education of special librarians. No member may serve on the Committee more than four years.

Appointment: Appointments are made by the Division Chair in consultation with the current Committee Chair, along with a minimum two other members to assist with the activities of the committee. The term of appointment is two years, renewable once.

Duties:
  1. Generate ideas for possible continuing education programs at the SLA Annual Conference. These may include SLA CE courses, workshops or seminars, special sessions on topics of interest to biomedical/life sciences librarians, and field trips. BIO membership can be surveyed for suggestions, and the Division Chair may also generate ideas for the committee to develop.
  2. Submit program ideas to the Division Chair.
  3. Final approval for programs, except CE courses, is the Division Chair's responsibility. Final approval for CE courses is the SLA Professional Development Committee's responsibility.
  4. Submit CE approval form to the SLA Professional Committee by the deadline that is set each year. The Chair of that committee will respond in writing with approval or denial of the CE courses.
  5. After receiving program approval, plan events, including local arrangements, by the announced deadline.
  6. Fill out Conference program checklist for each event and submit to the Division Chair by the announced deadline. This form will be used to publicize BIO events in the pre-conference program.
  7. Inform the Manager, SLA Conference and Meetings, of detailed plans for programs. Consult with the Division Chair regarding which program arrangements are handled by the SLA Headquarters and which are handled by the DBIO Professional Development Committee. For example, the committee submits paperwork for conference registration of program speakers and CE instructors.
  8. To review the appropriate sections of the Procedures Manual in February and submit corrections, revisions, and so forth to the Director for inclusion in the next edition.
  9. By deadline determined each year (typically August), the Committee Chair shall submit an estimated budget to the Treasurer.
Reports: An annual report is submitted to the Division Chair in accepted format by April 1 or another mutually agreed upon date.

Records: Outgoing officers and committee chairs shall send the files which they used during their tenure to their successors at the end of their terms of office, along with their copy of the Procedures Manual. All files they received the year earlier (from predecessor) should be reviewed as to the usefulness for archival retention (see information on retention in the Archivist section). Files include, but are not limited to, important correspondence, fax, e-mail, and summaries of verbal communications deemed important to the business of the Division. The officers and committee chairs may keep copies of any relevant materials but original materials should be transmitted to the DBIO Archivist on the regular schedule.

Expenses: The Division will provide funding for expenses including postage and telephone calls if not borne by the incumbent's organization. Other expenses will be approved by the Division's Executive Board. Expenses incurred for organization business will be paid in accordance with SLA guidelines. All expenses must be submitted with a Committee Expenses Form or a Travel Voucher form and be accompanied by the original receipts for reimbursement. Direct payment of bills can be made if the bill is accompanied by a Committee Expenses Form or a Check Request and Payment Approval Form. Advances for expenses may be obtained from the Division's Treasurer. Requests for advances should be made in writing and include an estimate for each item. A final report of expenses for reimbursement shall be filed with the Treasurer prior to or at the annual business meeting.

Rev. 4/00, J. Perez