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Bylaws

Article I: NAME
Article II: PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES
Article III: MEMBERSHIP
Article IV: OFFICERS
Article V: EXECUTIVE BOARD
Article VI: NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS

Article VII: COMMITTEES
Article VIII: MEETINGS
Article IX: AFFILIATION
Article X: PUBLICATIONS
Article XI: ADOPTION AND AMENDMENTS
Article XII: RELATIONSHIP TO THE NY-NJ CHAPTER OF MLA

ARTICLE I: NAME

The name of this group shall be the Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, Manhattan and the Bronx Health Sciences Librarians. The acronym will be BQSIMB.

ARTICLE II: PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES

The purpose of BQSIMB is to bring together persons of this constituted geographic area engaged in providing professional health sciences library services for the following objectives: furthering their specialized knowledge; exchange of information; improvements and developments of resources; identifying special needs and coordinating all library services and activities with existing area groups, libraries and programs.

ARTICLE III: MEMBERSHIP

Section 1: Individual Membership

Individual membership is open to persons who are actively interested in providing professional library and information services to the health science professionals of Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, Manhattan and the Bronx.

Section 2: Retired Membership

Retired members who have maintained continuous membership in BQSIMB for five years prior to retirement are granted retired membership with all of its privileges including the right to vote. These members shall be known as "Emeritus" members. They are required to renew their membership every year by submitting a membership form. If they do not renew within two years, counting from April 30th of the current year, their membership will be cancelled and they will be removed from the membership roster. Emeritus members do not pay dues.

Section 3: Affiliated Membership

Affiliated Membership is open to:

a) Former members of BQSIMB: Affiliated Membership is available to current or former members who have not retired but rather move outside our geographic boundaries or stay in the area, work in a library, and are otherwise not qualified for membership in BQSIMB. Affiliated members are requested to maintain membership in their local area consortia groups.

b) Persons outside our geographic boundaries: Affiliated Membership is available for health sciences librarians working in the Greater New York metropolitan area and would otherwise qualify for regular membership except they are located outside BQSIMB's geographic boundaries of New York City's five boroughs.

For the purpose of these bylaws, the Greater New York Metropolitan Area is defined as "New York City and the surrounding counties of States of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania."

Affiliated members pay regular dues.

Benefits of Affiliated Memberships: Members are eligible to attend meetings and CE courses (regular members have preference if space is limited); use BQSIMB listserv; access member area on the web site; serve on a committee; and participate in group purchases if otherwise eligible.

Restrictions on Affiliated Memberships: Members are ineligible to hold a BQSIMB office; chair a committee; participate in the BQSIMB free interlibrary loan group; and they have no voting rights.

Section 4: Dues

Dues shall be determined by the Executive Board and voted upon by the members. The fiscal year runs from May 1st through April 30th of the following year. If dues are not paid by June 30th of the membership year, the dues shall be considered in arrears. After June 30th, the member shall be reminded once and their dues must be received within 30 days of the notice, or their membership will be cancelled, and the member will be removed from the roster. Only dues paying and emeritus members who have renewed their membership shall have a vote, attend meetings, and receive benefits of membership.

Section 5: No Membership

Membership is not offered to representatives of any commercial vendors.

ARTICLE IV: OFFICERS

Section 1: Executive Officers

The executive officers shall be a President, Vice-President / President-Elect, Immediate Past President, Secretary, Treasurer and three Executive Board Members.

Section 2: Election and Term of Office

The officers shall be nominated and elected as provided in the Bylaws. Each officer shall take office at the close of the Spring meeting at which elected, and shall serve until a successor shall have been chosen or until resignation. Should an officer not perform satisfactorily the functions of the office, the Executive Board has the authority to ask for a resignation or vote the individual out of office by a majority vote. With the exception of the office of Vice-President/President-Elect, a new officer will be appointed until the next election is held. In the case of a vacancy in the office of the Vice-President/President Elect, the Executive Board shall instruct the Nominating Committee to immediately hold a special election. Unless otherwise noted, special elections are held in accordance with the Bylaws. Officers shall not serve for more than two consecutive terms. Officers cannot hold more than one elected position at the same time. All officers and nominees must be members in good standing (e.g., dues must be current).

Section 3: President

The President shall be the Chief Executive Officer of BQSIMB and serve as Chair of the Executive Board. The President shall be a member ex-officio, without vote, of all committees except the Nominating Committee. A term of office shall be two years. The President shall be responsible for maintaining and updating the BQSIMB Policy and Procedure Manual.

Section 4: Vice-President/President-Elect

In the absence of, or at the request of the President, the Vice-President/President-Elect shall perform the duties and exercise the functions of the President. A term of office shall be two years. If the President is unable to complete the term of office, the Vice-President / President-Elect shall become Acting President. The Vice-President/President-Elect shall be Chair of the BQSIMB Program Planning Committee.

Section 5: Secretary

The Secretary shall keep the minutes of all meeting, conduct the official correspondence and retain copies of all communications received and written on behalf of BQSIMB. The Secretary shall perform any related duties assigned by the Executive Board. A term of office shall be two years.

Section 6: Treasurer

The term of office of the Treasurer shall be three years. The Treasurer shall direct the financial affairs of BQSIMB; shall be responsible for all monies and funds belonging to BQSIMB; shall collect dues and maintain a list of members in good standing and shall provide the Publicity/Website Committee with this information. Expenditures will be reimbursed by the Treasurer upon approval by the President. In the absence of the President, the Vice-President/President-Elect shall approve expenditures. The Treasurer must maintain the Employer Identification Number (EIN), in order to have an organization bank account, and the Treasurer must file an electronic tax return every April to maintain the EIN #.

Section 7: Immediate Past President

The term of office of the Immediate Past President is two years immediately following his or her term as President. The Immediate Past President serves as the Chair of the Nominating Committee.

Article V: EXECUTIVE BOARD

Section 1: Membership

The Executive Board shall consist of the four Executive Officers, the Immediate Past President, and three additional elected members.

Section 2: Term of Office

The three elected members of the Executive Board shall serve terms of three years each, one member to be elected annually. With the exception of the Vice-President/President-elect, a vacancy in the membership shall be filled by a majority vote of the remaining members of the Executive Board.

Section 3: Duties

The Executive Board shall have the power and authority to manage BQSIMB's property and to regulate and govern its affairs. The Executive Board shall determine policies, take actions necessary to carry out objectives of BQSIMB and perform such other functions as the membership may direct.

Section 4: Meetings

The Executive Board shall hold at least one meeting annually and additional meetings upon the request of the President or upon written request of any three members of the Executive Board.

ARTICLE VI: NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS

Section 1: Nominations

The Nominating Committee shall consist of the Immediate Past President, who will chair the committee, and two other active members. The Nominating Committee shall prepare a slate of at least one nominee for each elective officer whose term is expiring. The Nominating Committee shall verify that all nominees are members in good standing. Ballots shall have a provision for a write in candidate. Members of the Nominating Committee shall not nominate themselves. Ballots shall be in print or electronic format.

Section 2: Elections

The ballots shall be distributed by the Nominating Committee to the voting membership at least 30 days prior to the Spring meeting. Ballots shall be returned to the Nominating Committee Chair by the date previously announced for counting ballots. Candidates shall be declared elected upon receiving the majority of votes cast. Where there are more than two candidates, a plurality shall elect. If a tie occurs, the election shall be decided by a majority vote at the Spring meeting. The results of the election will be announced at the Spring meeting.

Section 3: Special Eections

In the event that the Vice-President/President-Elect is unable to complete their term, the Executive Board shall request that the Nominating Committee prepare a state for Vice-President/President-Elect within 60 days in accordance with the Bylaws and distribute same to the voting membership. The "30 days prior to the Spring meeting rule" shall be waived. The candidate shall be declared elected in accordance with the Bylaws. The results of the election will be communicated to the membership and announced at the next meeting.

ARTICLE VII: COMMITTEES

Section 1: The President shall appoint the following Committee Chairs: Archives, Bylaws, Political Action, Program Planning, Publicity/Website, Shared Resources, Welcoming/Membership, and any other committees considered useful to further the aims and objectives of BQSIMB. Committee Chairs shall hold office for the duration of the President's term. All committee chairs and committee members must be members in good standing.

Section 2: Standing Committees

Part 1: Archives Committee

Purpose: To collect, file and preserve the records of BQSIMB. This may include minutes, publications, reports, correspondence, photographs that represent the history, actions, and ideas of the organization.

Part 2: Bylaws Committee

Purpose: To review, revise, and formulate rules and regulations that may serve as the basic guide to fair and orderly transaction of BQSIMB business in conformity with its established aims and goals. Members: A minimum of three (3) members.

Part 3: Cooperative Purchasing Committee

Purpose: To recommend databases and other cooperative agreements for purchasing by member libraries, to construct special pricing arrangements for site licensing, and to initiate cooperative purchasing programs and services. Members: A minimum of two (2) members.

Part 4: Nominating Committee

Purpose: To prepare a slate of officers when elections are called and to conduct elections. Members: A minimum of three (3) members. The Immediate Past President serves as Chair.

Part 5: Political Action Committee

Purpose: To keep track of legislation that affects medical / health science libraries, to inform the membership of political activities related to librarianship and libraries, to promote the cause of libraries and librarians.

Part 6: Program Planning

Purpose: To further specialized knowledge, to identify specialized needs, to plan educational activities (seminars and workshops), to prepare and distribute meeting notices through the website and the listserv at least 30 days before a meeting. Members: A minimum of two (2) members.

Part 7: Publicity/Website Committee

Purpose: To exchange information, to report activities, to maintain the BQSIMB website (www.bqsimb.org), to maintain a paid and retired membership roster on the website, to maintain the BQSIMB listserv. One member will be the site Webmaster.

Part 8: Shared Resources Committee

Purpose: To develop mechanism for sharing resources, to act as BHSL Network Coordinator, to coordinate projects, review and evaluate requests for new projects, prepare and initiate cooperative projects.

Part 9: Welcoming/Membership Committee

Purpose: To maintain contact with members, to maintain and distribute updated mailing labels to membership upon request, to provide personal ID tags at all meetings, to prepare certificates for officers and committee chairs/members.

ARTICLE VIII: MEETINGS

Section 1: Meetings

At least two general Membership meetings shall be held annually; One in the Spring and one in the Fall.

Section 2: Special Meetings

At any time in the interval between regular meetings a special meeting may be called by the Executive Board or by ten members, upon written request to the Executive Board.

Section 3: Quorum

A quorum for the transaction of business shall be the presence of ten members.

Section 4: Days of Meetings

Meetings will not be held on Federal, New York State, or New York City holidays. Preference will be given to days when there are no major religious holidays or library organizational activities.

ARTICLE IX: AFFILIATION

BQSIMB may affiliate with any society having objectives allied with those of this organization. Affiliation may be proposed by the Executive Board and authorized by a majority of returned ballots.

ARTICLE X: PUBLICATIONS

BQSIMB may publish a newsletter and other publications as the Executive Board authorizes.

ARTICLE XI: ADOPTION AND AMENDMENTS

Section 1: Adoption

The Bylaws have been adopted by a majority vote of the membership of BQSIMB.

Section 2: Amendments

The Bylaws shall be amended at business sections of the meetings by a majority vote of members present. An announcement of the proposed amendment(s) shall be mailed to all members at least three weeks prior to the meeting at which the amendment(s) is to be voted upon.

Section 3: Robert's Rules of Order

Anything not covered by these Bylaws will follow Robert's Rules of Order.

ARTICLE XII: RELATIONSHIP TO THE NY-NJ CHAPTER OF MLA, INC.

In the event of dissolution of BQSIMB, the assets of the organization, after satisfaction of all liabilities and obligations thereof, shall be given to the New York/New Jersey Chapter of MLA, Inc. Bylaws last amended: October 24, 2014.

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Last updated: 5/3/2017     ●     Copyright © 2001-2022 BQSIMB