Revised: June, 1998; June, 2006; June 2009, June 2011

ARTICLE I - NAME

This organization shall be known as the Association of Jewish Libraries, Incorporated, herein referred to as the Association.

ARTICLE II – MISSION AND GOALS

The mission and goals of the Association are stated in the Corporate Charter.

ARTICLE III - MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. Any person, library or other organization interested in promoting the goals of the Association may become a member upon payment of specified dues.

Section 2. Honorary life membership may be conferred upon an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to Judaic library service. This person shall be a non-dues paying member with voting privileges.

ARTICLE IV - STRUCTURE

Section 1. The Association shall be structured to include divisions representing major types of library service. The local chapters represent different geographic locations.

Section 2. Applications for establishment of divisions or chapters shall be made to the Executive Board in accordance with the BY-LAWS.

ARTICLE V - ADMINISTRATION

Section 1. The governing body of the Association shall be the Council which shall consist of the Executive Board, the chairpersons of all committees, the Webmaster, the editors of Judaica Librarianship and the AJL Newsletter, and the coordinator of Hasafran. Three Chapter Presidents, designated by the Chapters’ Coordinator, will represent all chapter presidents as members of Council.

a. The Council shall determine policy for the Association and its decisions shall be binding upon the Association.

b. Any action of the Council may be set aside by a three-fourths vote at any meeting of the Association or by a majority vote by mail, email, or other electronic means in which one-fourth of the members of the Association have voted. Such vote shall be held upon petition of twenty members of the Association.

c. The Association by a vote at a meeting held during the annual convention may refer any matter to the Council with recommendations and may require the Council to report on such matters at any specified meeting of the Association.

d. Any questions of policy may, by a majority of the Council, be submitted to the Association to be voted on either at an annual conference or by mail, email or other electronic means as the Council may determine.

e. The Council shall hold at least one meeting each year at the time and place of the annual convention of the Association. Other meetings may be called by the president or upon the request of seven members of the council.

f. Officers of the Association shall serve as officers of the Council. The presiding officer may vote only in the case of a tie.

g. A member of Council may serve simultaneously in more than one capacity but only has one vote.

h. All elected or appointed Councilors shall serve for terms of two years or until their successors take office.

Section 2. The administrative body of the Association shall be the Executive Board, which shall consist of the elected officers and immediate past president of the Association and the president, vice-president and secretary of each division.

a. The Executive Board shall act for the Council in the administration of established policies and programs. It shall serve as the central management board for the Association subject to review by Council, and shall make recommendations with respect to matters of policy and operations. The Parliamentarian shall be an ex-officio member of the Executive Board.

b. The Executive Board shall report not later than the next meeting of the Council.

c. The Executive Board shall hold at least one meeting each year at the time and place of the annual convention of the Association. Other meetings may be called by the president upon request of the majority of the Board.

ARTICLE VI - OFFICERS

Section 1. The officers of the Association shall be a president, a vice-president/president-elect, a vice-president of membership, a vice-president of publications, a corresponding secretary, a recording secretary, and a treasurer.

Section 2. All officers and elected members of the Executive Board shall take office at the adjournment of the annual convention and serve for a two year term or until their successors take office.

a. The corresponding secretary, recording secretary, treasurer, vice-president of membership and vice-president of publications may stand for reelection and serve up to three consecutive terms.

b. All other officers shall not serve consecutive full terms in office.

Section 3. Officers shall perform the duties of their respective office and such other duties as may be approved by the Executive Board.

Section 4. Vacancy in an office may be filled for the period of the unexpired terms by appointment by the Executive Board with the exception that should the vacancy occur in the office of the president, the vice-president (president-elect) will succeed to the office of the president, to complete that term. He or she will automatically succeed himself or herself to serve his or her regular term as president.

ARTICLE VII - MEETINGS

Section 1. There shall be an annual convention of the Association at such time and place as may be determined by the Executive Board.

Section 2. Special meetings of the Association may be called by the Executive Board, the president or upon request of no less than twenty members. At least two weeks notice shall be given.

ARTICLE VIII - VOTING

Section 1. Each individual and life member shall be entitled to one vote.

Section 2. Votes by mail, email or other electronic means as decided by Council, both of the Association and of the Council, may be authorized by the Executive Board between meetings for exceptional matters that should not be postponed until the next annual meeting. Such mail, email or electronic votes shall be conducted under the same requirements as votes at meetings, except that for votes by Council, a fifty per cent of the voting membership shall constitute a quorum and a three-fourths majority of those voting shall be required to carry.

Section 3. The Executive Board shall have authority to set the time limit during which votes will be recorded; but if no such time limit is set, no vote shall be counted unless received within thirty days from the day the text of the ballot or question voted upon was mailed properly addressed to those entitled to vote on the matter involved. In the case of a vote by mail, email or electronic means by the Association, the Executive Board may designate publication of the ballot or question submitted in the official newsletter of the Association as the appropriate method of submitting the matter to the membership.

ARTICLE IX - PROVISION FOR BYLAWS

Bylaws may be adopted, amended or rescinded by a majority vote of the members present and voting at any regular meeting of the Association, or by mail, email, or other electronic means, providing the entire membership has received ten days prior written notification.

ARTICLE X - AMENDMENTS

Section 1. Proposals for amending the Constitution may originate in the Council or from any member who presents a petition signed by not fewer than seven members.

Section 2. A proposed amendment shall become effective when it shall have been approved by a majority of the members of the Council present and voting, followed by ratification of the membership either by a mail, email, or other electronic vote of the majority of the members voting, or by a majority vote of the membership present and voting at a special meeting of the Association.

Section 3. The Council, on approving a proposed amendment shall specify whether a vote on ratification shall be taken at a meeting of the Association or by mail, email, or other electronic means. If a mail or electronic vote is ordered, the Council shall fix the time for the beginning and closing of the balloting. If a vote at a meeting is ordered, at least thirty days written notice shall be given to the membership of the text of the proposed amendment.

ARTICLE I - NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS

Section 1. a. Prior to the annual convention, held in odd years, the president shall appoint a Nominating Committee of at least three members, representative of the general membership, including at least one member of each division.

b. Such committee shall nominate candidates from among the general membership for the positions of president-elect, vice-president for membership, vice-president for publications, recording secretary, corresponding secretary and treasurer.

Section 2. a. The nominating committee shall report its nominations in the official newsletter of the Association not less than three months before the annual convention.

b. In any national election, additional names may be placed in nomination for any office by any member in good standing. These nominations must be submitted to the chair of the nominating committee no later than two weeks after the proposed slate of officers is officially transmitted to the membership. Nominations must have the support of five members in good standing, and the consent of the nominee.

Section 3. The elections shall be held by mail, email, or other electronic means and the candidate receiving a majority of the votes for each office shall be elected to that office.

ARTICLE II - COMMITTEES

Section 1. a. The standing committees of the Association shall be: Constitution and Bylaws, Finance, and Membership.

b. Chairpersons of the above mentioned committees shall be appointed by the president.

Section 2. Special Committees may be authorized by the Council or the Executive Board. Chairpersons of such committees shall be appointed by the president with approval of the Board.

Section 3. No committee shall incur expense on behalf of the Association except as authorized, nor shall any committee commit the Association by any declaration of policy.

Section 4. The Treasurer shall be a permanent member of the Finance Committee.

Section 5. The president and/or vice-president/president-elect shall be ex-officio members of all committees.

ARTICLE III - QUORUM

Section 1. Twenty members shall constitute a quorum at any regular or special meeting of the Association.

Section 2. A majority shall constitute a quorum for meetings of the Executive Board and eleven members shall constitute a quorum for Council.

ARTICLE IV – DUES

Section 1. The Council of the Association shall have the power to determine various classes of membership and to set the annual dues.

Section 2. Members whose dues are unpaid on February 1 of each 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.

Section 3. Membership year of the Association shall be October 1 - September 30.

Section 4. Dues remitted after July 1 shall be applicable to the following year.

ARTICLE V - FISCAL POLICY

Section 1. The fiscal year of the Association shall be October 1 - September 30.

Section 2. An audit of all accounts shall be made annually by a professional auditor.

Section 3. A report shall be made annually to the membership, by a duly authorized member of the Executive Board, detailing receipts and expenditures, explaining the Association’s fiscal status and reporting on the audit.

Section 4. A budget must be approved by Executive Board no later than the annual meeting preceding the new fiscal year.

Section 5. Any expenditure not allocated in the budget exceeding $100.00 must be approved by a majority vote of the Executive Board.

Section 6. In the event that the Association is dissolved, all funds and property belonging to the Association, shall be transferred in accordance with the wishes of the Council to institutions or organizations which qualify for tax exemption under Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Section 7. In no event shall any of the funds of the Association inure to the benefit of any individual.

ARTICLE VI - DIVISIONS

Section 1. The purpose of a division is to promote library service and librarianship of a particular type or interest. Each division shall represent a field of activity clearly and distinctly different from that of other divisions.

Section 2. a. Any group of not fewer than fifteen members of the Association may petition the Council for division status. Applications must be in writing accompanied by signatures of prospective members and a statement of goals and objectives.

b. The Council by a vote taken at two consecutive meetings may discontinue division status when in the opinion of the Council the usefulness of that division has ceased.

Section 3. Each division may establish its own bylaws, structure and program, providing that these in no way conflict with the constitution and bylaws of the Association.

Section 4. The officers of each division shall serve on the Executive Board.

ARTICLE VII - CHAPTERS

Section 1. The purpose of a chapter is to promote Jewish library service and librarianship within a specific geographic area.

Section 2. Any group of not fewer than five members of the Association may petition the Executive Board for Chapter status. Applications must be in writing accompanied by signatures of prospective members and a statement of goals and objectives. All chapter officers must be members of National AJL.

Section 3. Each chapter may establish its own bylaws, structure and program, providing these areas in no way conflict with the constitution and bylaws of the Association.

Section 4. Each Chapter President shall serve on the Chapter Presidents Council.

Section 5. Any chapter may withdraw from chapter status provided the withdrawal has been submitted to a vote of the chapter membership and is favored by a majority of the members voting.

Section 6. Chapter status may be withdrawn by the Executive Board if the chapter becomes inactive or fails to comply with the provisions of this article.

ARTICLE VIII – PAST PRESIDENTS COUNCIL

All past Association presidents automatically become members of the Past Presidents Council.

ARTICLE IX - PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

Business shall be conducted in accordance with the latest edition of Robert’s Rules of Order unless otherwise specified in the Constitution and Bylaws of the Association.

ARTICLE X - DUTIES OF THE OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSONS

These duties shall be defined in a procedure manual to be adopted by the Council.

Read the AJL certificate of incorporation.