Preamble

The mission of the Florida Health Sciences Library Association (FHSLA) is to promote and strengthen its members through professional development, advocacy and networking.

The following are major program areas which are necessary to accomplish the mission:

  1. Promote health sciences information access from professional library sources.
  2. Sponsor Continuing Education courses.
  3. Support professional standards for health sciences libraries.
  4. Improve information network development in Florida.
  5. Develop cooperative relationships with other health care and information organizations.

Bylaws

ARTICLE I. NAME

The name of this organization shall be the Florida Health Sciences Library Association (FHSLA)

ARTICLE II. MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. Membership Classes

A) Active members shall be persons employed as full-time or part-time health sciences librarians, or persons interested in or affiliated with health sciences library work, including volunteers.

B) Honorary Members may have membership conferred for distinguished service or as a tribute of respect or appreciation. A recommendation for honorary membership will be presented to the Honor and Awards Committee for consideration and they will forward their recommendation(s) to the Executive Committee for approval. If the Executive Committee approves the recommendation(s), the candidate(s) will be announced at the Annual Meeting and elected by acclamation. An Honorary Member may not vote or hold office in the organization unless said member has been an Active Member in good standing for at least five years prior to their election.

Section 2. Membership Status

A) Active membership takes effect upon receipt of the current year's dues by the Treasurer. Only active members and Honorary Active members comprise the voting membership.

B) Membership in the Organization is terminated by: Written letter of resignation sent to the Treasurer (or) non-payment of dues.

C) Reinstatement of Membership

A member who has resigned in good standing may reinstate membership upon payment of the dues for the current fiscal year.

Section 3. Dues

A) Each member shall pay dues as follows:

1) Active Members shall pay annually the amount of dues that has been previously determined by a plurality vote of the membership

2) Honorary Members shall pay no dues.

Section 4. Fiscal Year

A) The fiscal year of the Organization shall be the Calendar year.

B) Dues are due and payable at the beginning of the fiscal year and become delinquent after April 30. After that date, all inactive members will be deleted from the FHSLA membership listserv. Dues are for a calendar year, January-December. Dues paid by new members in the last quarter of the year will be considered paid for the ensuing year.

ARTICLE III MEETINGS

Section 1. Annual Meeting

A) One annual meeting will be held, usually in the Spring, as agreed upon by the prospective host and the Executive Committee.

B) Ten (10) percent of the voting membership, excluding the available officers, shall constitute a quorum at any meeting of the association.

Section 2. Special Meetings

A) Special meetings may be called by the President, by the Executive Committee, or by the written request of one-third of the Active Members.

B) Notice of the date and business to be brought before the special meeting shall be sent to the membership in writing at least five (5) days in advance of the meeting.

ARTICLE IV. OFFICERS AND DUTIES

Section 1. Elected Officers

A) The elected officers of the Association shall be a President, a Vice-President/President-Elect, a Secretary and a Treasurer.

Section 2. Duties

A) The President shall preside at all meetings of the Florida Health Science Library Association and of the Executive Committee. The President shall appoint all chairmen of committees and shall be an ex officio member of all committees.

B) The Vice-President/President-Elect shall, in the absence of the President, preside and assume all the duties of the President. The Vice-President shall serve as co-chairman of the Program Committee with the host of the annual meeting.

C) The Secretary shall be responsible for recording and disseminating the minutes of the official meeting(s), as designated by the President, and shall be responsible for sending out meeting notices to all members, prospective members and other interested parties.

D) The Treasurer shall be responsible for the receipt, custody and disbursement of the funds of the Association and shall be responsible for maintaining the official membership records. The Treasurer shall serve as liaison between the Membership Committee and the Executive Committee and keep the Membership Chairman informed of additions and changes in the official membership list.

E) The Immediate Past President shall serve as the non-voting chairman of the Nominating Committee. The Immediate Past President also serves as the Chair of the Strategic Planning Committee (voting member) for the year following their presidency and as a non-voting member the following year.

Section 3. Term of Office

A) The term of office of the President shall be one year as Vice President/President-Elect and one year as President.

B) The term of office of the Vice-President/President-Elect shall be one year.

C) The term of office of the Secretary and the Treasurer shall be two (2) years.

D) No officer shall be eligible to serve in the same capacity for more than two (2) consecutive terms.

E) Officers shall assume office at the close of the business meeting at the Annual Meeting.

Section 4. Vacancies

A) Vacancies in office other than that of President shall be filled by presidential appointment. A vacancy of the office of President shall be filled by the Vice-President who shall complete the unexpired term and continue as President for the succeeding year.

ARTICLE V. COMMITTEES

Section 1. Executive Committee

A) The Executive Committee of FHSLA shall be composed of the President, the Vice President/President-Elect, the Secretary, the Treasurer, and the Immediate Past President. They shall act for the Florida Health Science Library Association between Annual Meetings and shall be responsible for locating and accepting an Invitation to host the Annual Meeting. The Membership Chair and Editor of any Association Publication shall be an ex-officio members of the Executive Committee.

Section 2. Other Committees

A) Standing and special committees shall be established by the Executive Committee for the purpose of delegating such powers and functions as this Committee finds desirable for the conduct of its business and for carrying out the objectives of the Association. These committees shall be responsible to the Executive Committee and shall submit reports and recommendations as requested by them or the President. All chairmen of these committees shall be appointed by the President and these chairmen shall appoint their committee, with the exception of the Nominating Committee.

Section 3. Strategic Planning Committee

A) The Strategic Planning Committee shall be a standing committee. The Committee consists of six (6) members appointed for three (3) years with staggered terms, plus the chair for a total of seven (7) voting members.  The Immediate Past Strategic Planning Chair, the President and the Vice President serve as non-voting ex officio members. The Immediate Past President shall chair the Committee for one year and be a non-voting member for the following year. Committee members are representative of the member professional areas and the state's various geographic regions. The Strategic Planning Committee will formulate the Association's Strategic Plan in accordance with the Association's mission, evaluate this plan yearly and submit recommendations to the Executive Committee for approval by the membership.  The Strategic Plan will address long-term as well as yearly objectives for the Association.

Section 4. Membership Committee

A) The Membership Committee shall be a standing committee. The Chairman shall appoint sufficient members to support its activities. The Treasurer shall be a liaison with the Membership Committee. The Committee will prepare a directory of members, updating and distributing it as directed by the Executive Committee.

Section 5. Nominating Committee

A) The Nominating Committee shall be a standing committee appointed by the Immediate Past President or designee at least six (6) months prior to the Annual Meeting. It shall consist of three (3) members and they shall nominate at least one (1) candidate for each office. Further nominations may be made from the floor at the time of the Annual Meeting. The Immediate Past President shall serve as its non-voting chairman.

Section 6. Program Committee

A) The Program Committee shall be a standing committee, co-chaired by the Vice-President/President-Elect and the host of the Annual Meeting. The Co-chairman shall appoint sufficient members to support the activities of the committee.

Section 7. Honors and Awards Committee

A) The Honors and Awards Committee shall be a standing committee for the purpose of recommending to the Executive Committee nominees for honors and awards of the Association. The Chairman shall appoint sufficient members to support the activities of the committee.

Section 8. Continuing Education Committee

A) The Continuing Education Committee shall be a standing committee for the purpose of providing relevant and cost-efficient continuing education courses for the Florida Health Sciences Library Association membership at their annual conference. The Chairman shall appoint sufficient members to support the activities of the committee.

Section 9. Vacancies.

A) Vacancies within committees shall be appointed by the chair of the Committee in compliance with the descriptions of each Committee as listed in Article V. Committees.

ARTICLE VI. NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS

Section 1. Nominations

A) The list of names of the candidates for each elective office and a written acceptance by each candidate must be submitted by the Nominating Committee to the President at least six (6) weeks prior to the Annual Meeting. It shall consist of at least one candidate for each elective office. The Chairman of the Nominating Committee shall present the slate of the candidates at the Annual Meeting. In the absence of the Chairman or any member of the Nominating Committee, the President may submit the slate of candidates. Further nominations may be made from the floor at this time.

Section 2. Elections

A) The election of the officers shall take place at the Annual Meeting. Election shall be by ballot except when there is but one candidate for any office. In which event election may be by voice. A plurality shall elect. In case of a tie, the election shall be decided by the lot.

ARTICLE VII. PUBLICATIONS

Section 1. Authority

A) The authority and control for all publications shall be vested in the Executive Committee. The Editor shall be appointed by the President with the approval of the Executive Committee. The Editor of any Association Publication shall be an ex-officio non-voting member of the Executive Committee. The Editor may appoint a committee to assist with the publication/production of any publication. An updated list of members shall be furnished to the Editor by the Treasurer.

B) The Association shall not be responsible for statements or opinions advanced in its publications, except those authorized by the Executive Committee.

ARTICLE VIII. PARLIAMENTARLY AUTHORITY

Section 1. Rules

A) The rules contained in the Roberts Rules of Order (H.M. Robert, Parliamentary Law Revised) shall govern this Association in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these Bylaws.

Section 2. Parliamentarian

A) The President shall appoint a Parliamentarian annually.

ARTICLE IX. AMENDMENTS

Section 1. Amendments

A) These Bylaws may be amended at any annual business meeting of the Association by a one-half vote of the members present and voting, or they may be amended by a mail ballot with the approval of one-half of the registered membership. The proposed amendment(s) must be submitted in writing at the previous Annual Meeting or at least six (6) weeks before the proposed vote.

B) A Bylaws Chairman shall be appointed by the President and given guidelines for amending the Bylaws as proposed by the Executive Committee.

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