Bylaws

The bylaws governing the activities of the Social Responsibilities Round Table

Bylaws

Amended March 2020

Contents

I. Name
II. Purpose
III. Membership
IV. Action Council
V. Finances of the Social Responsibilities Round Table
VI. Task Forces and Project Groups
VII. Amendment

I. Name.

The name of this organization shall be the Social Responsibilities Round Table of the American Library Association.

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II. Purpose.

The purpose of the Social Responsibilities Round Table shall be:

  1. to provide a forum for the discussion of the responsibilities which librarians and libraries have in relation to the important problems of social change which face institutions and librarians today;
  2. to provide for the exchange of information about library activities among all ALA units with the goal of increasing understanding of current social problems;
  3. to act as a stimulus to ALA and its various units in making libraries more responsive to current social needs;
  4. to present programs, arrange exhibits and carry out other appropriate activities.

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III. Membership.

Membership will consist of personal members, regular, student, international, and other, and of affiliate members. In addition, organizational members of ALA may choose to support SRRT and receive communications, upon payment of annual dues to be determined year by year, but shall not be entitled to membership privileges.

  1. Any personal member of ALA may elect to become a personal member of SRRT upon payment of annual dues, with the right to vote and to volunteer to serve as an officer. A personal member is free to act in three ways:
    1. as an individual, through discussion and action at the annual meeting, through volunteering for committees which serve SRRT, through correspondence, publication and other appropriate activities;
    2. by working with a Task Force or project group, through studies and surveys with reports and recommendations and other activities;
    3. by organizing and working with local affiliate member groups.
  2. Any group organized regionally, locally, nationally, or internationally to work on problems of social responsibilities of libraries or librarians will be welcome to associate with SRRT as an affiliate member. Affiliate membership status will be voted on by Action Council after a written request for status has been made by the group requesting recognition and shall be reviewed every three years with consideration given to the group's representation at SRRT meetings and reporting in the SRRT Newsletter. Affiliate membership shall entitle the group to receive publications of SRRT and to participate by reporting on activities for dissemination to all of the SRRT membership. It shall not entitle members of the group who are not personal members of the Round Table to vote or hold office in the Round Table. An affiliate member group is free to take advantage of SRRT communications via newsletters, and can ask for advice and support or other appropriate activities from the Round Table.

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IV. Action Council.

  1. The coordinating body of the Social Responsibilities Round Table shall be an Action Council consisting of 10 SRRT members (elected by the SRRT membership), one designated ALA Councilor (also elected by the SRRT membership), one member from each Task Force (selected by that Task Force) and one representative from each recognized affiliate.
  2. The ten elected (at-large) members of Action Council shall be elected by ballot procedures outlined below and shall take office immediately following the Annual Conference. At the final Action Council meeting of the Annual Conference, Action Council will select a Coordinator-elect, Treasurer, Recording Secretary, Nominations Committee Chair, and a Membership/Recruitment Committee Chair for a one-year term. These officers will preferably be elected from the at-large members of Action Council, but may be selected from the Task Force representatives or the affiliate representatives. Except in extraordinary circumstances, no single person shall serve Action Council in more than one of the designated offices. At this same meeting, Annual Action Council second meeting, the existing Coordinator-Elect will be recognized as the new Coordinator and take office upon adjournment of the ALA Annual Meeting. The Coordinator, who has just completed her/his one year term, shall become Past Coordinator and remain on Action Council for the ensuing year. The Coordinator-Elect, Coordinator, and Past Coordinator shall be eligible to receive appropriate communications and reports from the Office for Diversity, Literacy, and Outreach Services (ODLOS) and the ALA Round Table Coordinating Assembly throughout their terms. The Coordinator may consult with the Coordinator-Elect and Past Coordinator on various issues, yet they maintain primary responsibility for coordinating the round table’s affairs.
  3. All Action Council members must be members of ALA and SRRT.
  4. All members of the SRRT Newsletter editorial staff shall be selected from current SRRT members. The editor of the SRRT Newsletter shall serve by appointment of Action Council through an application process. The newsletter editor shall serve a term of 3 years and may be reappointed for additional terms. The editor shall be considered an ex-officio member of Action Council. An editorial board of 5 to 7 members shall serve by appointment of Action Council. Recommendations of the newsletter editor and editorial board will be considered. Both Action Council members and SRRT members at-large shall be represented on the editorial board. The term of office for members of the editorial board shall be 3 years, with the option to be reappointed for additional terms. Editorial board appointments will be staggered on a 3-year rotation, such that approximately 1/3 of appointees shall turn over annually. The editorial board shall have collective responsibility for the SRRT newsletter.
  5. Action Council shall have the responsibilities of:
    1. Determining the membership program at the annual conference;
    2. Submitting projects or endorsing projects of volunteer Task Forces of SRRT;
    3. Soliciting volunteers and appointing SRRT members to ALA unit positions which accrue to the coordinator ex-officio and to committees to help the Council meet its organizational responsibilities. Such liaisons will serve a 3-year term and may be re-appointed;
    4. Coordinating the dissemination of information to the SRRT membership.
    5. Approving the budgets and expenditures of the Round Table and the Task Forces.
  6. Action Council elections.
    1. Terms of office shall be for 3 years, with the right to run for re-election. Three or four members will run each year to replace the outgoing members.
    2. The Action Council Coordinator will take responsibility for coordinating SRRT elections. The Coordinator or Nominations Committee Chair will publicize a call for nominees to run for open positions, including At-Large Action Council Member, SRRT Councilor, or any other elected positions. The call for nominees will include job description(s), the link to the relevant ALA online nomination form, and deadline information. Individual members who wish to volunteer to serve will notify the Coordinator and submit the ALA Nomination form by the required date. The Coordinator will then be responsible for confirming nominees with the ODLOS Office to ensure accuracy of the SRRT ballot in the annual ALA Spring election.
  7. Members of Action Council are responsible for attending all Action Council meetings. Requests for exemption should be addressed to the Coordinator before the Annual or Midwinter meetings. Council members will be considered disqualified from office if they fail to attend 2 meetings during a Conference (either Midwinter or Annual) without notifying the Action Council Coordinator. Any Action Council member may be removed from office for misfeasance, malfeasance, or nonfeasance by vote of the Action Council. The proceedings are to be held in executive session. The vote must have a two-thirds majority and be a recorded roll-call. Positions that become available on Action Council shall be filled by the next runner-up in the most recent election, or by appointment from the Action Council.
  8. Action Council will present an annual report to a scheduled membership meeting at each Annual Conference.
  9. Action Council is responsible for the scheduling of all meetings of its own sponsorship and of its Task Forces, committees, and project groups. No SRRT meetings can be scheduled to conflict with Action Council meetings, SRRT membership meetings, or other meetings given this status by Action Council. Action Council may hold one of its Midwinter meetings and/or Annual Conference meetings virtually before or after the ALA Conference.
  10. A voting quorum for both Action Council and membership meetings will be defined as the number of voting members present at a meeting. Each Task Force and each affiliate member shall receive only one vote on Action Council regardless of the number of coordinators or co-coordinators or representatives which they choose to have present. All members of the Action Council may vote on all issues except financial ones. Only at-large members, elected by the entire Round Table, may vote on these matters. Special virtual membership meetings may be called by Action Council. At least thirty (30) days’ notice shall be given and only business specified in the call to meeting will be transacted.

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V. Finances of the Social Responsibilities Round Table.

  1. The second Action Council meeting of the Midwinter Conference shall be the budget meeting. Each Task Force will automatically receive an amount set by the SRRT Action Council each year for use that year. The funds do not carry over from year to year. Supplemental budget requests may also be submitted to the Coordinator at a later date if necessary. The Coordinator will then consult Action Council members by phone, electronic meeting, mail, or email as necessary concerning these supplemental requests.
  2. The Treasurer of Action Council will be responsible for SRRT financial records.
  3. Finance of the activities of SRRT will come from dues of the general membership and voluntary contributions to SRRT or to individual groups under its supervision.
    1. Dues for personal and for organizational member shall be required. The dues shall be set by Action Council.
    2. The Treasurer is authorized to approve requests for reimbursement and payment of bills on receipt of proper invoices or records of payments by authorized persons out of SRRT funds in the ALA accounts.
    3. Task Forces may not keep funds in outside sources. All funds must be in the appropriate Task Force sub-fund in the SRRT account.

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VI. Task Forces and project groups.

  1. All SRRT members are encouraged to volunteer for groups in which they have an interest. Personal members may choose to join groups or form their own for specific purposes, in line with the goals of the Social Responsibilities Round Table. These groups may be Task Forces (usually long-term) or project groups (usually of a very short duration).
  2. Organization of a Task Force requires a statement of goals, projected activities and programs, a proposed budget and the names and addresses of 10 members of the Round Table interested in forming such a Task Force. This proposal may be reviewed by Action Council at two successive meetings, or at the Annual and Midwinter meetings successively. The Task Force may be given probationary status during this time. After a review, Action Council must vote on approval of the new group.
  3. All Task Forces are encouraged but not required to have some form of written by- laws. All such by-laws, and any changes in them, must be approved by Action Council to ensure that there is no conflict between Task Force and Round Table policies. All Task should submit reports to the SRRT Newsletter.
  4. If an established Task Force does not meet for two successive conference meetings (annual and midwinter meetings) it will be considered to be discontinued.
  5. Project groups may be created for short term actions by Action Council at any time. A short statement of purpose, contemplated work or action, budget, and membership involved shall be submitted by the group to Action Council for its vote of approval. A statement on the duration of the project group and its activities shall accompany the petition.
  6. Task Forces and project groups are asked to encourage their members who are not SRRT members to join SRRT.

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VII. Amendment.

  1. This statement of Organization may be amended by a majority vote of Round Table in attendance and voting at any annual meeting, provided notice of the proposed revision has been sent to members and/or printed in the SRRT Newsletter and/or American Libraries at least thirty days in advance.
  2. Proposals for revisions may be sent by any member to the Coordinator of the Action Council for its consideration, and published in the SRRT Newsletter for consideration at a membership meeting.
  3. Any personal member may send a proposal for revision to the editor of the newsletter for printing if accompanied by twenty-five signatures of SRRT members. This constitutional revision will then be published and subsequently voted on.
  4. Action Council may make such editorial changes in these bylaws as may not change their substance and meaning. Those changes shall take effect upon such action and shall be reported in the next publication of the SRRT Bylaws and announced in the next SRRT Newsletter.

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