Constitution and Bylaws

Article I. Name

• The official name of this body shall be the Indiana University Librarians Association, hereinafter referred to as the Association. The official acronym of the Association shall be InULA.

Article II. Purposes

• The purposes of the Association shall be to promote excellence in library service and to provide opportunities for continuing education and professional growth.

Article III. Membership

Sec. 1. Membership eligibility

• A. Regular membership. Regular membership. Regular membership is available to any person who holds a full-time position with a reporting line to the Indiana University Libraries.
• B. Associate membership. Associate membership is available to anyone who agrees with the Organization’s purposes as stated in Article II, and is not eligible for a regular membership, including, but not limited to:
  • Former librarians and staff of the Indiana University Libraries.
  • Faculty members of the Indiana University Department of Information and Library Science.
  • Retired librarians and staff of Indiana University Libraries.

  Full-time employees with a reporting line to the Indiana University Libraries are ineligible for associate membership.

• C. Student membership. Student membership is available to any student on any campus of Indiana University who agrees with the Organization’s purposes as stated in Article II, and is not eligible for a regular or associate membership.

Sec. 2. Dues

• A. Any eligible person may become a regular, associate or student member upon payment of dues or as otherwise stipulated in the Bylaws.
• B. The amount of dues shall be set by the Executive Board, after consultation with the members.

Sec. 3. The rights and privileges of members

• A. All members shall have the right to vote.
• B. Only regular members shall have the right to hold office.
• C. Only regular members shall have the right to serve as voting members of committees.
• D. Associate and student members shall have the right to serve on all committees except Scholarships and Grants.

Sec. 4. General meetings

• A. The President shall call a business meeting of all members in May for the nomination of officers and the Representative(s)-at-Large and for any other official business. He or she shall call other general meetings during the year as needed.
• B. All members shall be notified of the purpose, time and place of each meeting. Those meetings which require consideration of changes in the Constitution or Bylaws shall require notification in writing and/or by e-mail, including the proposed changes prior to the meeting at which the changes are to be discussed.
• C. A quorum for a general meeting shall be 25 per cent of the regular membership.
• D. Any question shall be voted on by ballot if it is so ruled by a majority of the regular members present.
• E. All ballots shall have a time limit of fourteen days. The deadline shall be marked on each ballot. All ballots received after that date shall be considered void.
• F. Elections of officers and Representatives at-Large shall be by ballot.

Article IV. Officers

• Sec. 1. The officers of the Association shall be a President, a Vice President/President-Elect, an Immediate Past President, a Secretary, and a Treasurer.
• Sec. 2. The voting members of the Executive Board shall be the five officers, the Webmaster, and four Representatives-at-Large.
• Sec. 3. At least one Representative-at-Large must be a regular member from IUPUI or a regional campus of Indiana University
• Sec. 4. At the beginning of the membership year, the Executive Board shall designate from among the officers and Representatives-at-Large one liaison to each of the standing committees defined in the bylaws.
• Sec. 5. An election of officers and Representative(s)-at- Large shall be held each May, with the newly elected officials assuming their duties on the first day of July following.
• Sec. 6. The Secretary and Treasurer shall serve for two years with the Secretary being elected one year, and the Treasurer being elected the alternate year
• Sec. 7. Representatives-at-Large shall serve for two years with two Representatives being elected one year, and the other two Representatives being elected the alternate year. All other terms of office shall be one year.
• Sec. 8. The Webmaster will serve a four-year term, sharing the fourth year with the incoming webmaster to ensure a smooth transition. The first webmaster will be appointed by the Executive Board and is a non-voting member; thereafter, the webmaster is elected and a voting member.
• Sec. 9. If the President is unable to serve his or her elected term, he or she shall be succeeded by the Vice President/President-Elect.
• Sec. 10. Whenever there is a vacancy in the office of the Vice President/President-Elect, the Executive Board shall direct the Election Committee to conduct a general election to fill the vacancy.
• Sec. 11. The Executive Board shall have the power to appoint a successor to any member of the Board, except the President and Vice President/President-Elect, to serve through the last day of the following June.
• Sec. 12. Any member of the Executive Board may be removed from office for cause by a three-fourths vote of the Executive Board.
• Sec. 13. One person may not hold two executive positions in the Association concurrently.

Article V. Duties of Officers

• Sec. 1. It shall be the duty of the President, with the advice and consent of the remainder of the Executive Board, to lead the Association in fulfilling the purposes stated in Article II, to conduct all general meetings, to conduct the affairs of the Association, and to make an annual report on the year’s activities. He or she shall serve as chairperson of the Executive Board. The President shall be a nonvoting member of all Association committees.
• Sec. 2. It shall be the duty of the Vice President/President-Elect to act as President in the temporary absence of the President and to succeed to the Presidency in case of the permanent absence of the President. The Vice President/President-Elect shall be responsible for coordinating the internal communications of the Association and any publicity involving the Association.
• Sec. 3. It shall be the duty of the Secretary to keep a record of the transactions of all Executive Board and general membership meetings, to maintain an archive of all official reports, publications and policy statements of the Executive Board and its committees, and to take care of all necessary correspondence and notices relating to the activities of the Executive Board.
• Sec. 4. It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to collect dues, to notify all Association members of dues changes, to have charge of all monies belonging to the Association, and to disburse same upon order of the Executive Board. The Treasurer shall submit quarterly reports to the Executive Board, an interim report at the annual business meeting, a final report to the Executive Board on or before August 15 covering the previous fiscal year, and other reports as requested by the Executive Board.
• Sec. 5. It shall be the responsibility of the four Representatives-at-Large to serve on the Membership Committee, together with any board-appointed members of the committee. Duties shall include conducting the annual membership drive, contacting new librarians during the year to inform them about the Association and invite their membership, and assessing the needs and interests of members in order to advise the Executive Board in its planning.
• Sec 6. It shall be the responsibility of the Webmaster to maintain the InULA website, including pages, rosters, links, and forms; post updates and posts periodically as needed;  perform and maintain website backups; maintain Microsoft Teams folders; post approved minutes (board and business) to Archives of Institutional Memory as approved by board/membership; and distribute electronic surveys (excluding officer ballots).

Article VI. The Executive Board

• Sec. 1. The Executive Board shall be responsible for the general management of the Association.
• Sec. 2. It shall be the duty of the Executive Board to review annually the expenditures and anticipated expenses of the Association and to recommend changes in the dues.
• Sec. 3. The Executive Board shall appoint committee chairpersons and members as stipulated in the Bylaws.
• Sec. 4. The Executive Board shall meet at the call of the President or on petition of two members of the Board or five regular members.
• Sec. 5. Executive Board meetings shall be open to any InULA member. Anyone who intends to speak at the meeting must do so on the invitation of a Board member, or with prior consent of the Board. (Executive sessions may be closed, at the discretion of the Executive Board.)
• Sec. 6. Two-thirds of the voting members of the Executive Board shall constitute a quorum.
• Sec. 7. In the case of a tie vote by the Executive Board, the President’s vote shall be controlling.

Article VII. Amendments to the Constitution

• Sec. 1. Proposals for amending this Constitution may originate with the Executive Board or with any regular member of the Association.
• Sec. 2. Proposed amendments must be submitted in writing and/or by e-mail to the entire regular membership of the Association at least fourteen days prior to the meeting at which they are to be introduced.
• Sec. 3. A proposed amendment shall be discussed at one general meeting of the Association called by the President and the vote shall be by ballot after the meeting. 
• Sec. 4. A proposed amendment shall become effective as stated on the ballot, providing it receives a two thirds majority of votes cast by the Association’s regular membership.

Article VIII. Parliamentary Authority

• Sec. 1. Among the standing committees of the Association shall be a Constitution and Bylaws Committee.
• Sec. 2. The chairperson of the Constitution and Bylaws Committee shall act as the Parliamentarian of the Association and shall have the authority to interpret and apply the provisions of the Constitution and the Bylaws of the Association.
• Sec. 3. The latest edition of Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised shall govern the Association in all cases to which it can be applied and in which it is not inconsistent with the Bylaws or any special rules of order of the Association as established by the Executive Board.

Ratification: This Constitution shall take effect upon approval by two-thirds of the regular members of the Indiana University Librarians Association.

Revisions: 7/1988, 6/1991, 6/2000, 6/2002, 7/2007, 7/2008, 7/2012, 7/2017, 3/2020

Article I. Dues and Calendar

• Sec. 1.Regular membership.The annual dues for a regular member of the Association shall be payable at any time during the year. Membership shall be free to those joining during the first year of their appointment as a library faculty member at Indiana University. Membership shall also be free to retired librarians.
• Sec. 2. Membership year.The membership year shall be from July 1 through June 30.
• Sec. 3. Fiscal year.The fiscal year shall be July 1 through June 30. The fiscal year shall govern all business activities of the Association, except as otherwise provided in the Constitution and Bylaws.
• Sec. 4. Dues of the Association shall be used to support its purposes as stated in Article II of the Constitution.

Article II. Nominations and Elections

• Sec. 1. By March 1st the Executive Board shall select by lot from the regular membership an Election Committee of five members, no one of whom shall be a member of the Executive Board or a candidate for an elective position. The Executive Board shall designate three of the five the Nominations Subcommittee. The remaining two shall be designated the Electoral Subcommittee. Alternate members shall be selected by lot to replace those unable to serve.
  • A. Nominations Subcommittee
    • 1. The Nominations Subcommittee shall nominate at least two candidates for each of the elective positions.
    • 2. The Nominations Subcommittee shall present their nominations in writing and/or by e-mail to the general membership at least fourteen days prior to the May business meeting or any other designated meeting.
    • 3. Additional nominations may be received from the floor of the meeting or received by the Subcommittee before midnight on the day of the meeting.
    • 4. The Nominations Subcommittee shall prepare a ballot and e-mail it to the regular membership within two weeks after the slate is presented.
  • B. Electoral Subcommittee
    • 1. The Electoral Subcommittee shall receive, validate, and count all ballots.
    • 2. For each office, the candidate receiving the largest number of votes shall be elected, provided that at least one Representative-at-Large shall be a regular member from IUPUI or a regional campus of Indiana University. The results of the election shall be so reported to the Executive Board by the Electoral Subcommittee. In the case of the tie vote, the successful candidate shall be determined by lot by the Electoral Subcommittee in the presence of the Executive Board and the candidates involved, with candidates from IUPUI or regional campuses participating remotely, if they so elect.

• Sec. 2. The Election Committee shall serve throughout the membership year.
• Sec. 3. The Election Committee shall conduct the annual election of officers and all other elections as directed by the Executive Board.

Article III. Standing Committees

• Sec. 1 Standing committees shall consist of at least three members, and one of the members of each committee shall agree to serve as vice-chair/chair-elect.
• Sec. 2. Appointment to standing committees shall be for two membership years, with half of the membership appointed each year. The Executive Board shall appoint standing committee chairpersons and members. The Executive Board shall select the committee chairperson from the members of the previous year’s committee. The chairperson must be a Regular member.
• Sec. 3. Whenever there is a vacancy within a standing committee, the Executive Board shall choose a successor to complete the term of the original appointee.
• Sec. 4. Any member of a standing committee may be removed from office for cause by a three-fourths vote of the Executive Board.
• Sec. 5. Standing committees may appoint subcommittees including non-committee members to work on specific projects or problems.
• Sec. 6. The standing committees and their charges shall be as follows:
  • A. Book Sale Committee. This committee shall organize a book sale normally held in conjunction with National Library Week.
  • B. Constitution and Bylaws Committee. This committee shall consider proposals for amending the Association’s Constitution and Bylaws, and shall present such proposals to the membership for approval as specified in Article VII of the Constitution. The Committee chairperson shall also perform the duties specified in Article VIII of the Constitution.
  • C. Grants and Scholarship Committee. This committee shall receive and review applications for the research incentive fund and scholarship program applications and submit their recommendations to the Executive Board for approval and funding.
  • D. Program and Social Committee. This committee shall organize at least one program of interest to the members. This committee shall also design, administer and publicize such activities as workshops, institutes or conferences for the professional development of librarianship. It may also organize a fund-raising event to support the InULA Research Incentive Fund.
  • E. Communications Committee. This committee shall administer the InULA listserv and the InULA Web site. It shall compile, edit, prepare and distribute all publications, both print and electronic, of the Association.
  • F. Membership Committee. This committee shall conduct the annual membership drive, contacting new librarians during the year to inform them of the Association and invite their membership, and to assess the needs and interests of members in order to advise the Executive Board in its planning.

Article IV. Special Committees and Affiliated Groups

• Sec. 1. Special committees shall perform duties which are specified at the time of the committee’s appointment or as otherwise specified in the Bylaws.
• Sec. 2. Special committees as needed shall be appointed by the Executive Board. They may be dissolved at the request of the committee by approval of the Executive Board, or at the discretion of the Board. By-laws governing specific committees shall take precedence over the Board’s discretion.
• Sec. 3. The Association welcomes the formation and affiliation of special interest groups whose concerns are compatible with the purposes of the Association.
• Sec. 4. No one shall speak for the Association without the approval of the Executive Board.

Article V. Fiscal Arrangements

• Sec. 1. In August or September, the Executive Board shall determine committee appropriations for the following membership year.
• Sec. 2. Committees must obtain approval from the Executive Board before expending more than their allocated appropriations.
• Sec. 3. Bills should be submitted to the Treasurer for payment on or before June 1. The Treasurer shall close the books on June 30 and prepare a final report for the Executive Board to be submitted by August 1.
• Sec. 4. The Executive Board shall have the Treasurer’s final report audited by a non-Board member. The audited report shall be received by the Board by September 15.
• Sec. 5. The Executive Board shall vote to accept the audited final report of the Treasurer by October 1.

Article VI. Charter

• Sec. 1. Name. See InULA Constitution, Article I.
• Sec. 2. Purpose. InULA is organized exclusively for charitable, religious, educational, and scientific purposes, for such purposes the making of distributions to organizations that qualify as exempt organizations under 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code; or the corresponding section of any future federal tax code. Also see InULA Constitution Article II.
• Sec. 3. Restricted Activities. No part of the net earnings of InULA shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributable to its members, trustees, officers, or other private persons, except that the Association shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the purposes set forth in Article V., Section 2. No substantial part of the activities of the Association shall be the carrying on of propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation, and the Association shall not participate in or intervene in (including the publishing or distribution of statements) any political campaign on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate for public office. Notwithstanding any other provision of these articles, the Association shall not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried on (a) by an association exempt from federal income tax under section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or the corresponding section of any future federal tax code, or (b) by an association, contributions to which are deductible under section 170 (c) (2) of the Internal Revenue Code, or the corresponding section of any future federal tax code.
• Sec. 4. Dissolution. Upon dissolution of InULA, the Executive Board, after paying or making provisions for the payment of all the liabilities of InULA, shall dispose of all the assets of InULA exclusively for the purposes of InULA. Assets shall be distributed for one or more exempt purposes within the meaning of section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or the corresponding section of any future tax code, or shall be distributed to the federal government, or to a state or local government, for a public purpose. Any such assets not so disposed of shall be disposed of by a Court of Competent Jurisdiction of the county in which the principal office of InULA is then located, exclusively for such purposes or to such organization or organizations as said Court shall determine, which are organized and operated exclusively for such purposes.

Article VII. Amendments to the Bylaws

• Sec. 1. Proposals for amending the Bylaws may originate with the Executive Board or with any regular member of the Association.
• Sec. 2. Proposals shall be presented in writing and/or by e-mail to the entire regular membership at least fourteen days prior to the meeting at which they are to be introduced.
• Sec. 3. A proposed amendment shall become effective as stated on the ballot, providing it receives a majority of the votes cast by the Association’s regular membership.

Revisions: 7/1987, 6/1990, 6/1991, 6/2000, 6/2002, 12/2006, 7/2007, 7/2008, 7/2012, 7/2017, 3/2020