By the Book: EMIERT By-laws

Article I: Name

The name of the organization shall be the Ethnic and Multicultural Information Exchange Round Table of the American Library Association.

Article II: Purpose

The Ethnic and Multicultural Information Exchange Round Table is an organization authorized by the Council of the American Library Association. Its purpose shall be to provide a forum for the exchange of information on library materials and resources in English and other languages and to promote service for all ethnolinguistic and multicultural communities in general.

Article III: Membership

Section 1. Classification:

  1. Any personal, institutional, or organizational member of the American Library Association may become a member of the Round Table upon payment of dues.
  2. Personal Members are: librarians and library employees; international librarians; library and information science students; individuals who are interested in supporting the work of the Round Table.
  3. Organizational Members are: library associations; affiliated library organizations; international library organizations; and nonprofit organizations other than libraries and library schools.
  4. Institutional Members are: libraries and library schools; educational, cultural, and scientific institutions; official government, non-library institutions.
  5. Honorary Members are: persons, organizations, or institutions nominated, and so appointed, by the elected officers of the Round Table.

Section 2. Rights and Privileges:

Only personal members of the Round Table shall have the right to vote and hold office. Only personal members shall have the right to be appointed to a committee or task force.

Section 3. Dues:

The dues shall be paid on an annual basis according to the fiscal year established by the American Library Association. The current dues schedule shall be published on the EMIERT website and in the EMIERT membership brochure. The dues schedule shall be reviewed at least every five years at the discretion of the elected officers of the Round Table.

Section 4. Unpaid Dues:

Members whose dues are unpaid upon the expiration of their membership year, and who shall continue such delinquency for one month after notice of the same has been sent, shall be dropped from membership. Lapsed members may be reinstated upon payment of dues for the current year.

Article IV: Officers

Section 1. Elected Officers:

Elected officers of the Round Table shall be the chairperson; vice-chairperson/chairperson-elect; secretary; treasurer; immediate past chairperson; round table councilor, and three members-at-large. Elected officers must be personal members of EMIERT.

Section 2. Executive Board:

The elected officers shall function as the Executive Board. The Executive Board shall be presided over by the chairperson.

  1. A vacancy in the elected membership of the Executive Board, including a vacancy created by the election of a member to the office of chairperson or other elective office, shall be filled by Executive Board appointment, the appointee to serve until the following election.
  2. The Executive Board shall report on its activities to membership monthly through Executive Board meeting minutes and at the Midwinter and Annual conferences of the American Library Association.
  3. One plus half of Executive Board members shall constitute a quorum of the Executive Board.

Section 3. Duties of officers:

The members of the executive board are expected to attend and present reports at EMIERT executive meetings at ALA Midwinter (virtual) and ALA Annual (face-to-face), and to participate in EMIERT monthly virtual meetings throughout the year, and other such duties to facilitate the work of the round table

Chair

The chair shall preside at all meetings of the Round Table and of the executive board; . The chair shall oversee that the bylaws are observed by the officers and members of the executive board and that decisions of the executive board and of the Round Table are carried out. The chair shall recommend to the executive board and to the Round Table such actions as are deemed to be in the interest of the Round Table. The chair shall be EMIERT’s representative to the ODLOS Advisory Committee, OR shall choose a representative. The chair shall also be a representative to the Round Table Coordinating Assembly (RTCA) along with the vice-chair.

Vice-Chair

The vice-chair shall develop the call for program proposals and chair the ALA Annual program planning committee. The vice-chair shall be a working member of one EMIERT committee or task force, and a liaison to an ALA roundtable or caucus of choice. The vice-chair shall participate in EMIERT Executive Board meetings at Midwinter and ALA Annual, and participate in EMIERT monthly virtual meetings throughout the year. The vice-chair shall work closely with the chair and past chair on initiatives, and will serve as a representative to the Round Table Coordinating Assembly (RTCA) along with the chair. The vice-chair shall appoint all standing, special, and ad hoc committees. In the absence of the chair, the vice-chair shall preside.

Secretary

The secretary shall prepare the agenda for EMIERT Executive Board meetings and takes minutes for meetings of EMIERT’s general membership and executive board. The secretary shall make the minutes available for membership by posting them to ALA Connect. The secretary shall maintain official records for EMIERT. The secretary shall be a voting member of the executive board. In the absence of the chair and vice-chair, the secretary shall preside

Treasurer

The treasurer shall prepare monthly and annual financial reports for EMIERT. The treasurer shall work with the staff liaison to prepare the annual budget for the round table and will be EMIERT’s representative to the ALA Budget Analysis and Review Committee (BARC) and Planning and Budget Assembly (PBA). The treasurer shall also liaise with the treasurer of the Coretta Scott King Community. The treasurer shall be a voting member of the executive board.

Round Table Councilor

The round table councilor shall represent EMIERT on ALA Council in accordance with ALA’s Bylaws Article IV and will attend Council meetings at Midwinter and Annual conferences. The councilor shall serve as the round table’s conduit when bringing any issues to ALA Council.

Member-at-Large

The Member‐at‐Large shall represent the general membership on issues of interest or concern as they relate to the mission of EMIERT. Duties shall include developing topics for EMIERT sponsored webinars, facilitating the exchange of resources on multiculturalism by issuing calls to EMIERT membership and fostering discussion that highlight some aspect of multiculturalism, and participating in monthly EMIERT Board meetings and at conferences.

The Member‐at‐Large shall be a voting member of the executive board.

Section 4: Terms of office:

All elected officers shall serve until the adjournment of the Round Table business meeting at the Annual Conference of the American Library Association of the year in which their term is slated to expire

  1. The Chair serves a three year term: in the first year as Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect, in the second year as Chair, and in the third year as Past-Chair.
  2. The secretary and treasurer shall be elected from the membership and each serves for a two-year term and can be reelected once to a second two-year term. They may not serve more than two consecutive terms.
  3. The round table councilor serves a three-year term in accordance with ALA’s Bylaws Article IV, Section 3 and may be reelected once to a second three-year term. They may not serve more than two consecutive terms.
  4. Three members-at-large shall serve staggered terms of two years each and may be reelected once to a second two-year term. They may not serve more than two consecutive terms;

Section 5. Termination of office:

Any elected officer may be terminated by a majority vote of the Executive Board. Cause for termination may include nonattendance at two consecutive ALA Conference (Midwinter and Annual) meetings of the Executive Board and/or dereliction of duties or if the elected officer is deemed unsuitable to represent the core values and mission of EMIERT. The secretary, under the direction of the Executive Board, shall notify the officer in writing the cause for termination action taken against him/her.

Article V: Meetings

Section 1. The meetings of the Round Table shall be as follows:

  1. The annual membership meeting of the Round Table shall be held during the Annual Conference of the American Library Association. Reports on the activities of the Executive Board and Committees shall be made to the membership;
  2. The Executive Board will meet monthly via Skype or other virtual platform and at Midwinter meetings and Annual ALA Conferences; the Executive Board may determine to meet virtually for the Midwinter meeting;
  3. At all meetings, Robert's' Rules of Order (latest edition) will be followed.

Section 2. Voting:

Electronic votes may be authorized by the Executive Board between meetings. Responses by one plus half of those executive board members voting shall be required to carry a motion. For votes by the membership of the Round Table, such as in the spring election, responses by twenty-five percent of the voting membership shall constitute a quorum and a majority of those voting shall be required to carry a motion.

Section 3. Quorum:

Those members of the Round Table present shall constitute a quorum at membership meetings. At Executive Board meetings, one plus half of the Board shall constitute a quorum.

Article VI: Nominations and Elections

Section 1. Nomination of officers:

  1. Any personal member of EMIERT may self-nominate for any vacant position on the EMIERT Executive Board. Candidates are required to attend the in-person membership and Executive Board meetings scheduled for the Annual Conferences and Midwinter Meetings as well as other official meetings of the Executive Board that may include any regularly scheduled conference calls, virtual meetings, etc. as applicable to current Executive Board practice during their term of office
    1. The elected positions for the Coretta Scott King Book Award Community follow a different method, and utilize a Nominating Committee. Refer to the CSK website and bylaws, or reach out to EMIERT staff liaison or Coretta Scott King Book Awards Coordinator for information on their process.
  2. Should any position on the Executive Board become vacant, the Executive Board shall arrange for the duties to be fulfilled by members of the Executive Board;
  3. No person shall be nominated for more than one elective office;
  4. No person shall be nominated who is not a personal member of the American Library Association and a member of EMIERT.

Section 2. Election of officers:

Officers shall be elected by the membership as part of the spring ballot using the ALA election system. Candidates and a short biography will appear on the ballot of the American Library Association. In the case of a tie vote, the Executive Board shall be responsible for breaking the tie by electing one of the two candidates. A simple majority of the Executive Board shall carry.

Section 3. Re-election of officers:

Officers may be re-elected but may not serve more than two consecutive terms for the same office.

Article VII: Committees and Task Forces

Section 1. Standing Committees:

The following Committees shall be Standing Committees of the Round Table:

Awards Committee

Coretta Scott King Book Awards Committee

Electronic Communications Committee

Jewish Information Committee

Membership Committee

Outreach Committee

Programming Committee

Chairs of the Standing Committee shall attend meetings of the Executive Board and have voting rights.

Section 2. Committees:

Committees shall be established and abolished by a majority vote of the Executive Board of the Round Table.

Chairs of Committees shall attend Board meetings and shall have voting rights.

Section 3. Appointment of Chairs and Committee Functions:

The chair and members of each Committee shall be appointed by the Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect n of the Round Table (with the exception of the Coretta Scott King Book Awards Committee Chair)according to the guidelines and/or requirements for each respective Committee as established by the Executive Board and described on the EMIERT website

  1. The term for a chair of a Committee shall be two years and shall not exceed two consecutive terms;
  2. Committee members shall be appointed on an annual basis
  3. Committee members shall be appointed for two years, staggered so that no more than one-half of the members of each Committee shall be retired in any one year;
  4. Appointments shall be made using the ALA Volunteer Form;
  5. Each Committee shall meet either virtually or in-person at the Midwinter and Annual Conference of the American Library Association;
  6. A written report must be submitted to the Chairperson of the Round Table at the ALA Midwinter and Annual Conferences. If the Committee chairperson cannot attend, a report must be submitted prior to the meeting.

Section 5. Task Forces:

Task Force groups and the chair of each Task Force shall be established by the Executive Board of the Round Table. The chair of the Task Force shall submit a statement of objectives to the Executive Board for approval before a Task Force can be created. The chair of the Task Force shall submit monthly reports to the Executive Board. The life of a Task Force shall be until the objectives have been completed. A simple majority vote of the Executive Board is required to disband a Task Force.

Article IX: Finances

Section 1. Financial Practices:

All financial practices of the Round Table shall be in accord with the practices of the American Library Association.

Section 2. Authorization and payment of expenditures:

No Officer, Committee, or Task Force group, as well as an individual member of the Round Table, shall incur any expense on behalf of the Round Table unless duly authorized by the Chair of the Round Table.

Section 3. Reporting:

A report shall be made available to the membership at the Midwinter and Annual Conferences of the American Library Association, by the Treasurer or duly authorized Officer of the Executive Board, detailing receipts and expenditures, explaining the Round Table's fiscal status, including an estimate of anticipated revenues for the next budget year and procedure and schedule for budget requests to be approved and established for Committees, Task Force groups, and the Executive Board for that same year.

Article X: Amendments

Amendments to the by-laws may be proposed by any member to the Executive Board or by recommendation of the Executive Board. The proposed amendment shall be submitted to ALA by the deadline to appear on the annual ALA election ballot and voted upon by membership. They may be amended by a simple majority vote.

End of By-Laws

Revised July 9, 2000, at the American Library Association Annual Meeting in Chicago

Revised February 2015; Submitted for vote on the ALA election ballot. Accepted April 2015.

Revised December 2016; Submitted for vote on the ALA election ballot. Accepted April 2017.

Revised February 2018; Submitted for vote on the ALA election ballot. Accepted April 2018.

Revised February 2019; Submitted for vote on the ALA ballot. Accepted April 2019.