Purpose

Organizational Information

Communication Tools

MEMBERSHIP

Members

Any ALA member may become a member of Core upon payment of dues. The cost of annual dues is determined by the Board of Directors. Every personal member of Core has the right to vote, to hold office, and to volunteer.

Membership Types

Core membership types are personal and organizational. The Board of Directors may establish additional membership types as needed.

Membership Year

The association’s membership and fiscal year will be the same as that of ALA.

OFFICERS

The officers of the association will be the President, President-Elect, and Past President. The officers will serve a one-year term in their respective offices. For the office of president, the officers will serve staggered three-year terms, moving through the roles of President-Elect, President, and Past President in sequence for one year per role. The officers will perform the duties pertaining to their respective offices and other such duties as may be defined by the Board of Directors.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The Board of Directors consists of the Officers:

  • ALA Division Councilor
  • Five Directors-at-Large
  • President
  • Past president
  • President-elect

Four ex officio members:

The division councilor will be elected to a three-year term by the Core membership and will represent the division on the ALA Council.

Directors-at-Large will be elected to staggered three-year terms by the Core membership.

The chairs of the Budget & Finance Committee, the Organization & Bylaws Committee, and Diversity & Inclusion Committee will be ex officio members, without a vote, and will be appointed to a single, two-year term by the Appointments Committee.

The Executive Director will be an ex officio member, without vote, and is appointed by the ALA Executive Director in concurrence with the Board.

Responsibility and Authority

The Board of Directors will be the governing body of the association, will actively create and support its strategies, and will establish financial policies and be accountable for association assets. A majority of the voting members of the Board will constitute a quorum.

  • Currently this is 5 voting members

Meetings

The Board of Directors will have open meetings in conjunction with ALA conferences and at other times as determined by the President.

Meetings will generally be quarterly with Core member notifications through the Core Members Connect group.

Board meeting documents are available online.

Vacancies

If the office of President becomes vacant, the President-Elect will become President completing that term of office prior to serving the following term as President. All other vacancies will be filled by interim appointments made by the President with the approval of the Board until the next election when the unexpired term(s) will be filled.

Board Request/Recommendation Form

Board Expectations

Outline of Duties of Core Officers

SECTIONS

Sections exist to provide continuing education, information and networking around a broad area unique to the members it serves. Each section will be managed by its own volunteer leadership team in accordance with policies and practices established by the Board. The Board can create or dissolve sections as necessary, based on the interests of members.

Section Report Form

Section Request for a New Committee or Interest Group

Section Leadership Manuals are available on each Section’s page under the Resources heading:

Section Election Procedures

INTEREST GROUPS

Interest groups exist to provide continuing education, information and networking around a narrow topic unique to the members it serves. Interest groups will be managed by at least one member volunteer in accordance with policies and practices established by the Board. 

There are two types of interest groups: division and section. The Board can create or discontinue division interest groups as necessary, based on the interests of members. The leadership team of a section, in consultation with the Board, can create or discontinue section interest groups as necessary, based on the interests of members.

Interest Group Chairs Handbook

Interest Group Report Form

How to create/dissolve an interest group

COMMITTEES & OTHER MEMBER GROUPS

Division Committees include the Budget & Finance, Organization & Bylaws Committee, and Diversity & Inclusion Committee. The Board can establish other standing, ad hoc, interdivisional committees, and other member groups as needed to carry out the work of the division. The President-Elect will make appointments to division committees.

The leadership team of a section, in consultation with the Board, can establish standing, ad hoc, and other section member groups as needed to carry out the work of the section. The leadership team of a section will make appointments to its section committees.

Terms and reappointments will be codified under the policies and procedures of the division and will vary based on the type of committee, member group, and work to be done. Generally committee members may be appointed to two two-year terms for a total of four years of continuous service. 

Division Level Chairs Orientation recording (July 2023 – updated annually)

Section Leader and Chairs Orientation recording (July 2023 – updated annually)

Chairs Toolkit

Template for Committee Charges (review every May)

Annual Committee Commitment Survey

Committee Report Form

Volunteer Appointment Process

NOMINATION AND ELECTIONS

The President-Elect will appoint a committee to prepare a slate of candidates for each election. No member of the Board of Directors may serve as a member of the Nominating Committee. The Executive Director will be the only leadership liaison to the committee. The Chair will serve a one-year term. Members of the Nominating Committee will serve staggered two-year terms and will not be eligible for immediate reappointment. Any candidate for office must be a personal member of the division.

A candidate may also be nominated by a petition signed by 40 personal members of the association and filed with the Executive Director before the ALA biographical form closes.

Elections will be held in accordance with ALA bylaws and procedures.

Elections

DIVISION ANNUAL MEETING

An annual meeting for the division as a whole may be called by the Board of Directors and held in conjunction with the ALA Annual Conference.

Special meetings may be called by the Board of Directors or upon the written request of 75 personal members of the division. At least 30 days notice will be given and only business specified in the meeting notice will be transacted. If a quorum is present, an affirmative vote of a simple majority of the voting members will be required to pass a motion. If a quorum is not present, a motion cannot be passed.

Seventy-five personal members will constitute a quorum at either the annual meeting or a special meeting.

VOTING

Votes of the membership or of the Board of Directors may be conducted via mail, electronically, virtually, or in-person. A simple majority of personal members who cast votes is required for a vote to pass.

Procedures for electronic voting (coming soon)

AMENDMENT OF BYLAWS

Amendments to the bylaws may be proposed by the Board of Directors or by a petition signed by 75 or more members of the division. A proposed amendment to the bylaws will be voted upon by division members after it has been approved by a majority of the Board of Directors. Notice of the amended text will be provided to members at least 30 days before consideration. Unless otherwise specified, a proposed amendment becomes effective when it has been approved. The Board of Directors may make editorial changes to the bylaws that do not affect their substance and meaning. These changes will take effect upon such action.

Additional guidelines on bylaws amendments

PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

The parliamentary authority used by the division will be the same as that used by ALA.

Please feel free to contact us anytime with any questions, concerns, or suggestions.