The Policy and Procedures Manual provides written guidelines for officers, committee chairs, and other principals in the execution of their assigned duties. These guidelines will be handed down from year to year as positions change, and will be revised accordingly.

OFFICERS

PRESIDENT (09/05)

The Vice-President assumes the duties and responsibilities of President at the close of the Annual Meeting.

Charge:

The charge of the President is to maintain the Association and accomplish the Mission Statement objectives as stated in the Bylaws.

Duties:

  1. Call to order and preside at all meetings of the FHSLA and the Executive Committee. At least one meeting should be held for planning in the fall of each year.
  2. Appoint all standing and ad-hoc committee chairs, as soon as possible, after taking office and in accordance with the Bylaws. Serve as ex-officio member of all committees.
  3. Write a "Presidents Page" column for each issue of the ALERT.
  4. Write vendors in January requesting (soliciting) support of Annual Meeting.
  5. Write thank you letters to sponsors supporting Annual Meeting.
  6. Review progress of Annual Meeting plans.
  7. Approve expenses of officers and committees in performance of their duties.
  8. Organize Annual Business Meeting. A motion was passed at the 2009 Annual Meeting that instead of supplying printed packets of all the minutes and annual reports needing approval for each meeting attendees, a binder of documents be available at the registration desk along with 1-2 packets for each table. They will also be posted on the FHSLA website 2 weeks prior to the meeting. Reports must be in size 12 font, and if possible, projected on a screen during the Business Meeting.
  9. Obtain written annual reports from each committee chair and officer.
  10. Coordinate planning of Annual Meeting program with the Vice President and hosts the Annual Meeting as well as all Annual Meeting activities.
  11. Coordinate the work of all committees to see that work is completed on time and in the required format.
  12. Coordinate publication of the newsletter with the Editor and Publisher.
  13. Appoint Newsletter Editor every three years at close of Annual Meeting. The responsibility of publication of the newsletter is rotated among the four academic medical institutions. (See also "Newsletter Editor")
  14. Coordinate publication of the membership directory with Membership Committee, to be published following the Annual Meeting of each year.
  15. Solicit invitations for meeting sites for the next year's Annual Meeting to be announced at the Annual Meeting.
  16. Prepare agenda for Annual Business Meeting to be put in attendees' registration packets, or have copies available to pass out to members at the beginning of the business meeting.
  17. Issue complimentary registration, banquet or luncheon tickets, to non-members who assist the Program Chair with the Annual Meeting. This is decided at the discretion of the Program Chair and the President. (Usually these non-members are paraprofessional staff working at the institution of the Program Chair.) Annual Meeting responsibilities:
    1. Welcome attendees and turn program over to Vice President.
    2. Conduct Annual Business Meeting.
    3. Recognize and introduce vendors supporting the meeting.
    4. Turn over gavel to in-coming President at the end of the business meeting.
  18. President writes a letter to scholarship recipients' Library School Dean or Administration to acknowledge their award.
  19. President writes a letter to the administration of the person awarded the Librarian of the Year.
  20. President signs prepared certificates which the Honors and Awards Committee Chair passes out during the Business Meeting.
  21. Send thank you letters to all participating vendors after the Annual Meeting.
  22. Send letters of appreciation to all outgoing officers, committee chairs and meeting host.
  23. Verify that Treasurer completes and returns the "Nonprofit Corporation Annual Report" prior to May 1st each year to maintain the association's corporation status and the Upon completion of filing, the Secretary will be notified for recording purposes.
  24. Verify that Treasurer completes and returns the "Consumer's Certificate of Exemption" which is renewed every five years (see Treasurer duties for next renewal). Upon completion of filing, the Secretary will be notified for recording purposes.
  25. Send the volunteer information from the completed Membership Application/Volunteer Forms received from the Treasurer to the representative Committees Chairs.
  26. Forward a copy of the President's and other (Officers, Committee chairs, and Principals) Annual Reports to the President for placement in the archives.
  27. Forward current files to the new President. Send files of Past President (if any) to FHSLA Archives at address above.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

April:

Write thank you letters to sponsors, past officers, meeting hosts. Appoint committees and committee chairs. Appoint other positions such as Archivist/Historian, Discussion List Coordinator, Membership Database Editor, Newsletter Editor, and Webmaster.

Summer:

Write column for the ALERT.

September:

Organize fall Executive Committee meeting. This meeting can be coordinated with Strategic Planning Committee (SPC). Travel expenses are paid for by the Association. Look for a meeting place for next year. Take into account a schedule of locations that shift geographical area from year to year.

Fall:

Write column for the ALERT, if a third issue is published.

December:

Appoint Nominating Committee with Vice-President (VP) as Chair. A copy of the "Slate of Officers" shall be included in each Registration Packet at the Annual Meeting.

January:

Write column for the ALERT. Coordinate tax reports with the Treasurer. Solicit sponsors for Annual Meeting.

February:

Check on progress of meeting plans. Organize Annual Business Meeting (write rough draft of agenda). Notify each committee chair and others to submit written reports at the Annual Meeting

April:

Attend Annual Meeting. Write thank you letters.

Apr/May:

Appoint Newsletter Editor, every three years. See Newsletter Editor section for rotation list.

Write acknowledgement letters to the Administration of scholarships and Librarian of the Year award recipients.

VICE-PRESIDENT (12/05)

The Vice-President assumes the duties and responsibilities of the Office of the President at the close of the Annual Meeting.

Duties:

  1. Co-chair the Program Committee (see Program Committee's description for details.)
  2. Works with the committees of Local Arrangements, Continuing Education, and Honor and Awards for the Annual Meeting.

IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT (4/09)

The Immediate Past President shall serve as the non-voting Chair 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.

Duties:

  1. Appoints members of the Nominating Committee six (6) months prior to the Annual Meeting.
  2. Serves as the Chair of the Nominating Committee as a non-voting member.
  3. Serves as the Chair of the Strategic Planning Committee as a voting member.
  4. Serves one year following position as Immediate Past President as a member of the Strategic Planning Committee as a non-voting member.

SECRETARY (12/05)

The Secretary assumes the duties and responsibilities of the Office of Secretary at the close of the Annual Meeting. The Secretary serves a two-year term.

Duties:

  1. Maintain a notebook for all correspondence
  2. Send committee meeting notices as directed by the President.
  3. Record minutes of official meetings, as designated by the President. Send the minutes to the President for review within one (1) month after the meeting.
  4. Disseminate minutes as designated by the President.
  5. Write correspondence as directed by the President.
  6. Serve as member of the Executive Committee.
  7. After filing the "Nonprofit Corporation Annual Report" (due prior to May 1st each year), the Treasurer will notify the Secretary for recording
  8. Submit a copy of any meeting reports to the President for placement in the archives.

TREASURER (08/05)

The Treasurer assumes the duties and responsibilities of the Office of Treasurer at the close of the Annual Meeting. The Treasurer serves a two-year term, according to the Bylaws amendment, in effect since 4/27/90.

FHSLA is a not-for-profit corporation (certificate number: 39-00-224602-85C) with the State of Florida and qualifies for a Florida sales tax exemption on direct purchases. According to the Internal Revenue Service Letter of Determination, FHSLA is also exempt from Federal income tax under section 501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code as an organization described in section 501(c)(3). The Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN) / Tax ID Number (TIN) is # 59-2829362. This number stays the same each year, as does the FHSLA bank account (with only name changes as needed).

Duties:

  1. Serve as a member of the Executive Committee.
  2. Assist the Executive Committee in the development of the Association's budget.
  3. Present budget and/or income/expense report at each Executive Committee meeting, and the Annual Meeting.
  4. Review all financial documents, and submit any necessary action items to the Executive Committee.
  5. Maintain bank and/or financial statements of the Association.
  6. Complete and return the "Not-for-Profit Corporation Uniform Business Report" (UBR also called the Annual Report) along with the required filing fee, to the Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations. The Annual Report is sometimes mailed from the Florida Secretary of State to the Treasurer listed on the previous year's report. If the form is not sent, it can be found on the Florida Department of State’s web site. If the Office of the Treasurer has changed, then it is the responsibility of the immediate past treasurer to forward the Report to the current treasurer.
    1. This annual report must be filed prior to May 1st each year to maintain FHSLA nonprofit corporation status.
    2. It is advisable to wait until after the FHSLA Annual Meeting, if possible, so the UBR reflects the current officers. Upon completion of filing, notify the President and Secretary.
  7. Renew the Florida State "Consumer's Certificate of Exemption" which exempts us from Florida sales tax. This is done every five years. (Next due date is June 2012.)
  8. After receiving Membership Application/Volunteer Forms and dues, the Treasurer forwards copies for the Membership Application/Volunteer form to the Vice President, President, Immediate Past President, Membership Database Editor, and the Electronic List Coordinator.
  9. Serve as liaison between the Executive and Membership Committees. Inform Membership Chair of additions and changes in the membership list
  10. Follows the Policy of "Discrepancy in payment between an individual and the Treasurer's receipt of dues."
  11. Membership dues received in the last quarter of the year (Oct.-Dec.) will be credited to the next year's membership.
  12. Treasurer and Vice President/Program Chair work closely together to facilitate handling the meeting expenses.
  13. Coordinate with the Program Chair or Registration Coordinator to transfer meeting registration monies to Treasurer for deposit in bank account.
  14. Pay expenses related to Annual Meeting and/or CE classes (i.e., hotel, instructors, presenters, reimbursements, travel, etc.) in a timely manner.
  15. Semi-annual checks the Florida Statute 112.061 for the current Florida mileage reimbursement rate.
  16. Submit a copy of any treasurer reports to the President for placement in the archives.

COMMITTEES

CONTINUING EDUCATION COMMITTEE (09/05)

The Continuing Education (CE) Committee assumes the duties and responsibilities at the close of the Annual Meeting or as soon as appointed.

Charge:

The charge of the CE Committee is to arrange for the CE courses offered at the Annual Meeting. This includes surveying the members either formally or informally; and coordinating arrangements with the instructors, the program committee and the hotel or meeting place.

Duties:

  1. Gather input from the Strategic Planning Committee (SPC), Florida consortia, or any CE surveys to determine the desired courses. Also consult regional or national databases of available accredited CE courses such as the MLA Continuing Education Clearinghouse.
  2. Prepare a "ballpark" budget for the Program Committee. The Program Committee will need to know the "break-even" number of registrants for each course. In the past, FHSLA has tried to have courses which break even or require minimal subsidization. Courses should be priced so that it is not advantageous for non-members. The difference between member and non-member costs should exceed the cost of FHSLA dues.
  3. Appoint one or more local FHSLA members to assist with room inspection, obtaining anything the instructor may need, etc.
  4. Initial contact with prospective instructors should be made by telephone. It is customary for FHSLA to pay traveling expenses, which includes one night at the hotel, food and the honorarium. Most honorariums are in the range of $200-$250. If the instructor is a federal employee and cannot accept an honorarium, make arrangements with the Program Committee for a gift or appropriate contribution to be made to an organization/society/association of that instructor's choice.
  5. The CE Chair will confirm all arrangements by letter. Include a copy of the official FHSLA CE Instructor/Keynote Speaker Contract which the instructors will sign and return. Remember to include a self-addressed stamped envelope for the returned contract. The original signed contract will be given to the Treasurer.
  6. Contact the instructors to verify the course description and ask for a current biographical sketch. This information will be given to the Program Committee to include in the registration and/or meeting packet.
  7. Once the Program Chair has received instructor information and any AV requirements listed in the instructor’s contract, the CE Chair should ask the Program Chair to include a registration packet for the meeting to all course instructors as well as actually makes the hotel reservations for the instructors.
  8. Obtain a list of registrants for each course from the person who is handling the meeting registration. This list will be sent to MLA along with the course evaluations. (See step #10 for directions on how to obtain MLA evaluations). If desired by instructors, prepare a course roster and include name, institution, and email address.
  9. Contact instructors one week prior to the meeting to confirm all arrangements. If instructors need to be met at the airport or have other transportation needs, make those arrangements. Contact hotel to verify all arrangements for each meeting room.
  10. Contact the MLA’s Continuing Education Associate for a CE certificate template for all accredited courses offered at the Annual Meeting. A CE certificate template as well as the MLA Evaluation form will be sent via email. Prepare all class certificates to be passed out at the end of the class.
  11. Prepare CE survey if the Strategic Planning Committee so desires.
  12. Just prior to, or on the morning of class, check CE rooms to see if instructors have any last minute needs.
  13. At the end of each course collect all completed evaluation forms and class rosters from instructor or appointed volunteer.
  14. Evaluations and a roster of class participants will need to be returned to the Continuing Education Association within 10 days after the Annual Meeting.
  15. Write thank you letters to instructors; also send along a copy of the tabulated CE evaluation.
  16. Prepare a report for the Program Chair. Update the CE manual for the next Continuing Education Committee.
  17. Send the CE Class Attendance rosters to the FHSLA President or archive placement. All FHSLA sponsored CE records should be kept for a minimum period of 7 years. A 7-year retention period should be sufficient since MLA is now re-certifying every 5 years. FHSLA will provide verification of attendance if a certificate is lost.
  18. Submit a copy of any meeting reports, rosters, class descriptions, etc. to the President for placement in the archives.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Prior to Mid-Year SPC Meeting:

  1. Write Annual Report for mid-year Strategic Planning Meeting with activities and planned CEs for Annual Meeting.

After the SPC Meeting:

  1. Prepare budget; contact instructors; gather information on instructors AV needs, computer requirements, room set-ups, syllabus purchase, printing or duplication needs.
  2. Copy the Program Chair on all correspondence or reports.

Prior to Annual Meeting: 8-9 weeks before meeting

  1. Prepare an annotated course list for inclusion in the packet.
  2. Provide Program Committee with budget.

Prior to Annual Meeting: 1-2 weeks before meeting

  1. Prepare course rosters, obtain MLA evaluation forms, CE Certificate template, and prepare course certificates.
  2. Prepare packets for each course.
    1. Class roster (to be returned to MLA).
    2. All certificates. Include at least 2 extra blank certificates per course for any walk-ins (will also take care of someone who loses a certificate at the meeting).
    3. Course evaluation forms + 2 extras.
    4. List of each instructor's AV/computer/room set-up requirements. Having this list available helps in dealing with the hotel staff, should there be any problems.
    5. Large 9 x 12 envelope for the instructor to return forms and unused certificates to you. Put the course name, number, and instructor's name on the envelope.

Annual Meeting:

  1. Attend joint SPC and Executive Committee meeting. Inform members of any information regarding CE they will need for next year's meeting.
  2. Provide oral report at the Business Meeting on the number of courses, number of registrants and any other pertinent information.

Post Meeting:

  1. Write thank you notes.
  2. Tabulate and mail class rosters and evaluation forms to MLA.
  3. Prepare report for Program Chair.
  4. Mail a copy of the CE Attendance rosters to the FHSLA President.
  5. Update notebook for next year's CE Committee.
  6. Submit a copy of any meeting reports, rosters, class descriptions, etc. to the President for placement in the archives.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE (12/05)

The Executive Committee is composed of the elected officers, including the Immediate Past President, and other former Presidents if needed. The current President serves as Chair. The Membership Chair and Newsletter Editor serve as ex-officio members.

Duties:

  1. Provide leadership and direction for the Association.
  2. Provide direction and guidance in support of the Mission Statement of the Association.
  3. Assume the responsibility for soliciting invitations for meeting sites to host the Annual Meeting. The rotation of meetings will be in the following manner with Gainesville/Jacksonville and Miami/Nova Southeastern alternating:
    • 2007: Nova Southeastern, Ft. Lauderdale
    • 2008: University of South Florida, Tampa
    • 2009: University of Florida, Gainesville
    • 2010: (Florida State University, Tallahassee) - Business Meeting to be held at SC/MLA
    • 2011: University of Miami, Miami
  4. Act in an advisory capacity for Association decisions.
  5. Conduct any necessary business for the Association that occurs between Annual Meetings.
  6. Meet at the discretion of the President.
  7. Submit a copy of any meeting reports to the President for placement in the archives.

HONORS AND AWARDS (04/05) (08/08)

Charge:

The charge of the Honors and Awards Committee is to recommend to the Executive Committee an individual(s) for each Honor or Award from the nominees that are submitted to this Committee.

Awards & Honors:

The awards for which the committee is responsible are:

The procedures for applying for these awards are outlined on the Scholarship / Awards menu on the FHSLA web site.

Honors and Awards Appointments:

The Honors and Awards is a standing committee that reports to the President. The President appoints the Chair. The Honors and Awards Chair then appoints other committee members with the following representation: one (1) hospital librarian, one (1) academic librarian, and the President serves on the committee as an ex-officio member.

Duties and Responsibilities of the Committee:

  1. Design the nomination forms for the above Honors and Awards. Coordinate with Alert Newsletter Editor(s) to have the forms included in the appropriate issues. Send a copy to the Webmaster for posting on the FHSLA web site.
  2. Make a recommendation to the Executive Committee each year regarding the amount of the student and librarian/paraprofessional scholarships and the number of scholarships to award. Once approved, notify the webmaster so appropriate web pages can be updated.
  3. Issue a call for nominees and applications via the Alert Newsletter and e-mail, which will include information concerning the available forms; procedures, eligibility, and selection criteria; as well as relevant deadlines. The procedures, eligibility, and selection criteria should also be sent to the Webmaster for posting on the web site. Announcements of the student scholarships should be sent to the director of each library school in the state as soon as the annual meeting information and deadlines are published.
    1. The Chair calls for applications or nominations for the specific Honor or Award anytime after August 1st. The criteria and procedures for a particular Honor or Award may be viewed on the FHSLA webpage. As a matter of courtesy, applicants and nominators will be notified that their forms have been received.
    2. It is recommended that scholarship application deadlines be set at 6-8 weeks before the Annual Meeting, or two weeks before the early registration deadline, so that nominees can be chosen and notified before the Annual Meeting early registration deadline. Librarian of the Year and Honorary Member nominations deadlines may be at the same time as the scholarships.
    3. Members of the committee will review applications/nominations using a ranked score sheet and select the appropriate person(s). Recommendations will be forwarded to the Executive Committee for final approval. If no one qualifies, the recommendation can be that no award be given. In the event that the committee is unable to make a recommendation due to time constraints, unavailability, or other factors, the Chair may submit applications or nominations to the Executive Committee for their action.
    4. After approval from the Executive Committee, the Honors and Awards Chair notifies scholarship winners using the standard letter on FHSLA letterhead designed for this purpose. The letter should include instructions about registration, costs to be covered by scholarship funds, post-meeting responsibilities of the recipient(s). A copy of each letter also is sent to the Association's President for placement in the archives.
    5. Scholarship winners are instructed to include a copy of the above-mentioned letter with their meeting registration. Registration and CE costs, up to the total of the award, will be credited to their account. Student scholarship winners will receive reimbursement for additional costs, up to the total of the award, upon submission of an expense report to the President.
    6. The President is responsible for sending acknowledgement letters to each award recipients' administration or library school dean. A copy of each letter also is sent to the Association's Archivist.
    7. After the Annual Meeting, the Chair requests the follow-up reports (250-300 words) from the scholarship winner(s) for the newsletter and submit to the FHSLA Alert Editor.
  4. The Librarian of the Year recipient will receive an individual plaque, as well as the traveling plaque at the FHSLA Annual Meeting. FHSLA’s President will send a letter to the recipient’s administration acknowledging the prestigious achievement.
    1. The Chair of this committee is responsible for having plaques and nameplate for the traveling plaque made for the recipient. A receipt for the cost of the plaques is sent to the FHSLA treasurer, who will reimburse that person.
    2. The Chair must contact the previous award recipient to retrieve and update the traveling plaque prior to the next FHSLA Annual Meeting.
    3. If the winning recipient is a member of Southern Chapter/Medical Library Association, the President will submit their name as a nominee for Southern Chapter Academic or Hospital Librarian of the Year award, or other compliable Honors and Awards.
  5. Prepare completion of service certificates to be distributed during the Business Meeting at the Annual Meeting. Certificates will go to all officers, appointed positions, committee chairs, and committee members. The Honors and Awards Chair should contact committee chairs to verify committee member status of service. Honorary Members shall receive a framed certificate prepared by the Honors and Awards Chair.
  6. The Honors and Awards Chair will submit two committee reports during the year reporting on the committee’s activities. A mid-year committee report is submitted to the Executive Committee and a second report is prepared for presentation at the Annual Meeting. The Chair will also submit a copy of all meeting reports and correspondence to the President for placement in the archives.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

May-August:

  1. Form committee.
  2. Ensure that procedures, eligibility, selection criteria for applying for awards are correct on the FHSLA web site.
  3. Make any necessary changes to the Nomination form.

September-December:

  1. Send recommendation to Executive Committee as to number and dollar amount of scholarships to be awarded.
  2. Once approved, notify webmaster so it can be added to the scholarship information pages.
  3. Solicit nominations for Honors and Awards via FHSLA Alert Newsletter and electronic discussion list.

November-December:

  1. Submit mid-year committee report to the President.
  2. Solicit nominations / applications for Honors and Awards via FHSLA Alert Newsletter and electronic discussion list.

January-April:

  1. Solicit nominations / applications for Honors and Awards via FHSLA Alert Newsletter and electronic discussion list.
  2. Send announcement to library school directors for student scholarships as well as to known instructors who teach health sciences library classes.
  3. Scholarship application deadlines are 6-8 weeks before the Annual Meeting or two weeks before the early registration deadline.
  4. Nominations for Librarian of the Year and Honorary Member can be at the same time as the scholarships.
  5. Honors and Awards Committee votes on nominees and Chair forwards recommendations to Executive Committee.
  6. After approval of the Executive Committee, notify scholarship winners of their awards with letter designed for this purpose.

March/April:

  1. Retrieve the traveling plaque from prior recipient and has new nameplate made.
  2. Have individual plaque made for recipient.
  3. Using the Honors and Awards template, prepare certificates for each officer, appointed positions, committee chairs, and committee members to be handed out at the Annual Meeting.
  4. Prepare framed certificate(s) for new Honorary Member(s).
  5. Prepare Annual Report and send to the President.

Annual Meeting:

  1. Attend Executive Committee meeting with Committee Chairs held at the Annual Meeting.
  2. Present awards and certificates at the Annual Meeting.
  3. Follow-up with the President that he/she sends acknowledgement letters to each award recipient's administration or library school dean.

After Annual Meeting:

  1. Send certificates to those individuals not attending the meeting.
  2. Update policy and procedural manuals.
  3. Request the follow-up reports (250-300 words) from the scholarship winner(s) for the newsletter and submit to the FHSLA Alert Editor.
  4. Pass all needed materials to the new Chair of the committee.
  5. Send a copy of the final Annual Report and award letters to the President for placement in the archives.

MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE (12/05)

(See also Newsletter Editor and Database Directory Editor)

Charge:

The charge of the Membership Committee is to maintain the present level of Association membership and annually reassess growth potential.

Objectives:

  1. Expand recruiting for membership to include library schools, junior colleges with allied health programs, public libraries with consumer health programs, non-professional library managers, and newly appointed librarians in the State. Add them to the Association mailing list and make appropriate further contacts.
  2. Include Membership Application/Committee Volunteer form in each issue of the newsletter, titled FHSLA Alert.
  3. Contact:
    1. Individuals and institutions who previously were members of the Association.
    2. Florida members of associations such as MLA, SC/MLA, etc. (Also suggest sending an FHSLA representative to Annual Meeting of FLA to exhibit and distribute membership brochures.

Membership:

The Membership Chair shall appoint sufficient members from various geographical areas to support its activities. The Membership Chair also serves on the Executive Committee as an ex-officio member.

Duties and Responsibilities of the Committee:

  1. Design Membership Application/Committee Volunteer form and distribute with each issue of the Alert. Coordinate with Newsletter Editor to meet appropriate deadlines. Send a copy to the Webmaster for display on the FHSLA Web site.
  2. Design, publish, and distribute brochures or place ads in state publications to publicize the Association and recruit new members as directed by the Executive Committee. (e.g., FHSLA placed an ad in the FLA publication Flash.
  3. Send out special mailings to former or prospective members as deemed necessary to maintain and build membership. Mailings should be timed so that responses can be received prior to the Annual Meeting. Coordinate with the President on all special mailings. (See also Objective 1 above, taken from the Strategic Plan.
  4. Membership Chair will report on all activities at Executive and Annual Business Meetings, submit an Annual Report to the President, and submit a copy of any meeting reports to the President for placement in the archives.
  5. Send e-mail address of new members and changes in current members' addresses to the Electronic Discussion List Coordinator, the Database Directory Editor, and the Web Master.
  6. Membership Chair will contact all honorary members on an annual basis to verify mailing address. The current Honorary Membership Form may be used for this purpose.
  7. Submit a copy of any Annual Report and any brochures, etc. to the President for placement in the archives.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

May:

Pending approval by the Executive Committee, prepare an exhibit to take to the FLA Annual Meeting.

Update Membership Application/Committee Volunteer form and notify web master and Alert Editor of any changes (dates, etc.).

Fall:

Distribute Membership Application/Committee Volunteer forms in Alert, if third issue is published.

November-December:

Prepare and submit mid-year status report to the Executive Committee.

February:

Send out any special mailings to prospective or former members.

April:

Prepare reports for Executive and Annual Meetings. Be sure to bring the list of names of members with unpaid dues to Annual Meeting and be prepared to accept membership renewals.

After Annual Meeting:

Submit a copy of any Annual Report and any brochures, etc. to the President for placement in the archives.

Committee Chair shall appoint committee members.

NOMINATING COMMITTEE (2/10)

The Nominating Committee is a standing committee that reports to the President. The Immediate Past President serves as the Nominating Committee Chair as a non-voting member. The committee consists of three (3) members with representation from both academic and hospital librarians.

Charge:

The charge of the Nominating Committee is to solicit at least one candidate for each open elective office.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

October-January:

Nominating Committee Chair forms a committee with representatives from both academic and hospital sectors.

February:

Names of candidates for each elective office and a written acceptance by each candidate must be submitted to the President by the Immediate Past President at least six (6) weeks prior to the Annual Meeting.

Annual Meeting:

The Chair of the Nominating Committee presents the slate of the candidates at the Annual Meeting. In the absence of the Chair 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.

 

PROGRAM COMMITTEE (12/05)

The Program Committee is a standing committee that reports to the President.

Charge:

The charge of the Program Committee is to provide support for the changing roles of the membership through the Association's activities.

Objectives:

(See Strategic Plan Mission Statement)

The objectives are listed in the "Programming" section of the Strategic Plan. These objectives are the responsibility of the committee as a whole and can change as the one year and five-year plans are revised.

Membership Appointments:

The President and Vice-President share the co-chairmanship and serve one year in each office. Members are appointed by the co-chairs. They assist the Chair with program planning and distribution, local arrangements and publicity, hospitality, registration, etc., for the Annual Meeting.

Duties and Responsibilities of the Committee:

  1. Schedule all events which constitute the official program.
  2. Select meeting theme.
  3. Invite speakers.
  4. Present program plan for the Annual Meeting to the Executive Committee for approval.
  5. Follow, as closely as possible, the goal and objectives for the meeting content and format, as stated in the Strategic Plan. Send program information to the Newsletter Editor for publication in the Alert.
  6. Suggest criteria for the Annual Meeting content and format - revise as necessary.
  7. Prepare a budget and submit expenses to be incurred. Registration fees will be determined by the expenses projected. These figures will be presented to the Executive Committee for approval prior to development of the program brochures.
  8. The registration coordinator creates a "Master Account List" to account for each attendee's name, institution, and payment amount. Coordinate with Treasurer in transfer of Registration monies. Staple copy of each check and stub, to a copy of the appropriate Registration form. Send these copies, along with the "Master Account List", to the Treasurer.
  9. Issue complimentary registration, banquet or luncheon tickets, to non-members who assist the Program Chair with the Annual Meeting. This is decided at the discretion of the Program Chair and the President. (Usually these non-members are paraprofessional staff working at the institution of the Program Chair.).
  10. Allow purchase of social event tickets by honorary members and guests of registrants to the Annual Meeting.
  11. Assigns a "buddy" from the Local Arrangements Committee to the Keynote speaker and to first time attendees, to help them feel more comfortable.
  12. Send thank you letters to the speakers.
  13. Submit Annual Report to the President for placement in the archives.

STRATEGIC PLANNING COMMITTEE (SPC) (03/08)

The Strategic Planning Committee will formulate the Association's Strategic Plan in accordance with the Association's Mission.

Charge:

The charge of the SPC is to identify and develop strategies to facilitate the accomplishment of the goals and objectives of FHSLA.

Objectives:

The objective is to create a Strategic Plan that meets the goals, needs and desires of the membership to increase the vitality of the organization.

Membership Appointments:

The SPC is a standing committee that reports to the President and is chaired by the Immediate Past President. The committee is comprised of 7 members, including the Chair, from various geographical regions of the state, as follows: three (3) from academic health sciences libraries, three (3) from hospital libraries, and one (1) “at large". The President and the Vice President serve as ex officio members. SPC members serve for 3 years with staggered terms so 2 new members are appointed each year as 2 members rotate off the committee. The SPC Chair appoints committee members.

General Duties of the Strategic Planning Committee:

  1. Formulate the Association's Strategic Plan (SP) for approval by the membership.
  2. Formulate an evaluation process for the SP.
  3. Execute responsibilities assigned by the SP.

Duties and Responsibilities of the Chair:

  1. Ensure that the goals and objectives of the SPC are carried out via communication and work by members.
  2. Encourage and guide the SPC to be dynamic and forward looking with the various goals and objectives; communicate with the Program Committee to insure that the one and five year plans are represented at the Annual Meeting by various reports, CE's programs, themes, etc.
  3. Conduct a mid-year SPC meeting to evaluate and revise the one year and five year plans, cover unfinished business from the last meeting, and discuss new business for the coming year. Those attending the meeting are the 7 SPC members, the President and Vice-President. The Secretary may be invited as deemed necessary for taking minutes.
  4. Send drafts of the revised Strategic Plans to the Executive Committee for review and approval.
  5. Once feedback is received from the Executive Committee on the revised Strategic Plans, the SPC Chair and FHSLA President coordinate communication of the revised Strategic Plans to all standing and/or ad hoc committee chairs for review.
  6. Feedback or recommendations from the SPC meetings to further the mission of FHSLA are also communicated to the standing and ad hoc committee chairs and coordinated with the President and SPC Chair.
  7. Establish a calendar of events (see below) for the year's committee progress.
  8. Report progress of the SPC mid-year meeting to the membership through the ALERT or other means of communication.
  9. Confer with the President to decide if the Executive Committee Meeting held at the start of the Annual Meeting will include the Strategic Planning Committee held at the Annual FHSLA Meeting will include the complete membership of the SPC or only the Chair. Notify the SPC membership as soon as possible so necessary conference attendance plans can be made. Other principals may also be invited to attend (Past Strategic Planning Committee Chair, Committee Chairs, Newsletter Editor(s), Ad-hoc committee chairs and/or members, appointed positions, and incoming chairs, etc.)
  10. Send revisions of the final draft to the general membership in the pre-conference mailing packet. This draft will alert the membership to the exact plan they will be approving at the Annual Meeting. If the final draft cannot be completed in time for mailing, revised copies of the entire Strategic Plan will be made available at the Annual Meeting.
  11. Present a written SPC Annual Report to the President before the Annual Meeting
  12. The SPC Chair will present the final Strategic Plan to the general membership for approval (vote) at the Annual Business Meeting. A copy is given to the incoming chair.
  13. Make any final changes to the Strategic Plan and revise the Policy and Procedure Manual accordingly.
  14. Pass on all necessary information, such as the final strategic plan, the POLICY AND PROCEDURE, etc. to the incoming chair. At this point, any other collected items should be relinquished.
  15. Submit a copy of any meeting reports to the President for placement in the archives.
  16. Committee information shall be kept in notebooks that are "current year plus four."

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Annual Meeting: (March-April)

Beginning of the yearly cycle. New Strategic Planning Committee Chair begins after the Annual Meeting.

Mid-Year SPC Meeting: July-October

SPC Chair requests input for Strategic Plan revisions from the Executive Committee, Committee Chairs and SPC members.

Mid-Year SPC Meeting: October-January

  1. SPC Chair plans meeting in location convenient for all members; sends out meeting materials and agenda ahead of meeting
  2. Committee to review and revise Strategic Plans (1 and 5 year plans)
  3. Discuss program for Annual Meeting to be sure it reinforces the mission and goals.
  4. Review progress and evaluation action plan.
  5. Review and revise Policy and Procedures Manual
  6. Discuss unfinished business
  7. Plan future action steps

After Mid-Year Meeting: January - February

  1. Complete draft of revised Strategic Plan.
  2. Send draft of revised plan to all SPC members for comments.
  3. Send draft of revises SP to Executive Committee for approval.
  4. Follow up on any outstanding tasks
  5. Coordinate, with FHSLA President, on communicating feedback to Committee Chairs

Prior to Annual Meeting: February-April

  1. Final draft of the five year Strategic Plan is sent to the general membership along with Nominating Committee report and other pre-conference mailing.
  2. If final draft cannot be sent with pre-conference mailing, bring copies to the Annual Business.
  3. Notify SPC members as to whether or not they have been invited to attend the joint meeting of the Executive Committee and the SPC. This will allow members ample time to make conference attendance plans.

Annual Meeting: March-May

  1. SPC Chair (and members, if invited) meeting with the Executive Committee and other Committee Chairs.
  2. The Strategic Plan undergoes final evaluation.
  3. At the Business Meeting the Chair reports on the progress of the committee's work toward meeting the objectives of the previous year's Strategic Plan.
  4. After the oral report (summary of the Annual Report), the revised five-year plan is presented to the membership for approval and vote. If any revisions are made during the joint meeting of the Strategic Planning and Executive Committee Meeting notify the membership to correct copies already distributed.
  5. Submit a copy of any Annual Report and any brochures, etc. to the President for placement in the archives.

OTHER APPOINTED POSITIONS

ARCHIVIST (12/05)

The Archivist/Historian is appointed by the President, with approval of the Executive Committee.

Duties:

  1. Collect materials relating to the history of the organization. This includes all materials that will eventually add to the history of the organization, including any items published by the organization or by its officers.
  2. Organize items collected in such a manner that they are accessible to members seeking information about the organization. Receive CE class attendance, from the CE Coordinator, for the archive collection.
  3. Receive draft of the revised Strategic Plan from the Strategic Planning Committee.
  4. Receive any meeting reports submitted by Officers, Committee Chairs, and other Principals.
  5. Create a list of all reports and items received during the fiscal year and give to the President in the form of an Annual Report prior to the Annual Meeting.
  6. Place a copy of the Archivist’s written annual report, as well as other reports received, in the archives.

DISCUSSION LIST COORDINATOR (12/05)

The Discussion List Coordinator will be appointed by the President, with no definite term of office.

Duties:

  1. Receives information from the Executive Committee, or from any members of the association who are members of the Discussion List.
  2. Checks with the President if there is any question of the appropriateness of any communication for the Discussion List.
  3. Sends out a set of Guidelines to new subscribers.
  4. Receives new email addresses from the Treasurer.
  5. Maintains list of all archived messages.
  6. Submits an annual report to the President before the Annual Meeting.
  7. Maintains email address list for current members and deletes inactive members following the Annual Meeting.

Scope of the list will be:

  1. Announcements and news about FHSLA from officers and committees.
  2. Announcements of new material on the FHSLA Homepage.
  3. Discussion of possible FHSLA activities/projects.
  4. News about health science libraries and librarians.
  5. News from Consortia of health science libraries in Florida.
  6. Job postings for Florida health science library positions.
  7. Information about continuing education opportunities.
  8. Florida-related reference questions.
  9. Reminders of upcoming FHSLA events.

The Discussion List is confidential, meaning that its existence is not publicized on any Internet list of lists.

Subscribers will be added by sending a request to the listowner, including an e-mail address and full personal name.

FHSLA and the discussion list host accept no responsibility for the opinions and information posted by users.

MEMBERSHIP DATABASE EDITOR (12/05)

Charge:

The charge of the Database Directory Editor is to maintain, update, and edit the FHSLA membership database and to publish the annual Association Membership Directory.

The Database Directory editor is appointed by the President, with the approval of the Executive Committee, and is a member of the Membership Committee.

Duties and Responsibilities of the Editor:

  1. Compile the annual Association Membership Directory from the FHSLA membership database following the Annual Meeting. Distribute copies to the FHSLA discussion list and also to those needing surface mailing. This includes the honorary members of the Association.
  2. Receive a completed Membership Application/Committee Volunteer forms from the Treasurer to post information to the FHSLA membership database.
  3. Maintain database of current, prospective, honorary, and former members. Current database of names is flagged according to membership status.
    • According to the Bylaws, Article II, Section 2, B "Membership is terminated by non-payment of dues".
    • Article II, Section 4, B further states: "Dues are due and payable at the beginning of the fiscal year and become delinquent on February 14th”. On this date delinquent members will be marked as inactive from membership.
  4. Print mailing labels for Annual Meeting packets and any members receiving surface mail copies of the Alert. Coordinate with Alert Editor and Local Arrangements Chair to meet appropriate deadlines. No other mailing labels may be printed except for use by the Membership Committee or at the direction of the President.

Calendar of Events

Spring

  1. Maintain membership database with new members; change of contact information.
  2. Create mailing labels for Annual Meeting packets and other association mailings as needed.

Summer:

Compile and publish the annual Florida Health Sciences Association Directory.

After Annual Meeting:

Update the officer and committee appointments in the database prior to the annual directory distribution.

NEWSLETTER EDITOR (01/06)

The Newsletter Editor is appointed by the President, with the approval of the Executive Committee, and is an ex-officio, non-voting, member of the Executive Committee. The Editor may appoint a committee to assist with the production of any Association publication.

The responsibility for publication of the newsletter is rotated in the following manner: USF, UF, FSU, and U of Miami. The term of responsibility is three consecutive years per rotation, with a rotation beginning at the close of the Annual Meeting.

Duties:

  1. Publish a minimum of 2 newsletters a year (Summer and Winter). If enough information is available, the President and Newsletter Editor may decide a third issue is warranted.
  2. Include the Membership form in each newsletter.
  3. In addition to FHSLA and membership news, topic suggestions include developments in information management (such as new technologies and roles, marketing strategies, inter-consortia communication) and general Internet information.
  4. Publicize educational opportunities and activities through the newsletter. Consider acting as a clearinghouse coordinator for educational courses and qualified instructors within Florida and neighboring states.
  5. Occasionally survey the membership for suggested and desired educational opportunities.
  6. Recruit volunteer reporters, in various geographical locations, to submit items for publication. Academic libraries appoint their own reporters. Remind reporters "no news is too small, and no news is bad."
  7. Submit a copy of any meeting reports and an annual report to the President for placement in the archives.
  8. Once a publication of the newsletter is completed, it must be distributed via:

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Spring:

Select dates for the two or three issues of the Alert with the FHSLA President. Issues are published during the Summer following the Annual Meeting and Winter (January or February). A third issue may be published in the Fall.

June-August:

Send out requests for news items for Summer issue.

Summer:

Send out Alert. Include Membership Application/Volunteer Form and the minutes from the Annual Meeting.

December-January:

Send out requests for news items for Winter issue.

January/February:

Send out Alert. Include Membership Application/Volunteer Form and Annual Meeting information. Coordinate Alert with the Vice President & Local Arrangements Chair.

April:

Prepare report for Annual Meeting. Present report at Annual Meeting.

Spring after 3 year rotation:

Turn over material to the new editor.

WEBMASTER (11/99)

The WebMaster will be appointed by the President, with no definite term of office.

Duties:

  1. Receives information from the Executive Committee or any of its members for dissemination to the general membership.
  2. Receives information on the upcoming annual meeting from the Vice President/Program Chair and/or the local arrangements committee.
  3. Receives new membership forms from the Treasurer so library websites may be added to the webpage.
  4. Obtains permission from the President for other requests for information to be displayed on the FHSLA Homepage or for links to other sites.
  5. Puts the information into HTML and provide the links to make the information easily and logically accessible.
  6. Submits an annual report to the President before the Annual Meeting which is also then sent for placement in the archives.