NAHLA Bylaws

ARTICLE 1: NAME & AFFILIATION

The name of the Association shall be the Northern Alberta Health Libraries Association (NAHLA). The Association is a chapter of the Canadian Health Libraries Association/ Association des bibliothèques de la santé du Canada (CHLA/ABSC).

ARTICLE 2: OBJECTIVES

The objectives of the Association shall be to provide professional support and fellowship to the membership and to foster quality health information services in northern Alberta.

ARTICLE 3: MEMBERSHIP

Section 1: Classes

a) The Association shall consist of Personal Members, and such other classes of membership as designated from time to time by the Executive and approved at an annual meeting of the Association.

b) Personal Members shall be such persons as may from time to time apply for and be granted Personal Membership in the Association, and who pay the prescribed fee thereafter.

c) Personal Members shall be entitled to attend General Meetings of the Association, to vote thereat and shall be eligible for election to office in the Association if they are also members of CHLA/ABSC.

Section 2: Fees

a) Payment of the prescribed membership fee shall, subject as hereinafter provided, be deemed to cover membership in the Association for one membership year, which shall coincide with the fiscal year of the Association.

b) The amounts prescribed as the appropriate membership fee may be altered from time to time by resolution of the Executive without amendment to these By-laws, but no such alteration shall take effect otherwise than in respect of a complete membership year.

Section 3: Termination of Membership

a) Membership in the Association shall terminate:
1. upon the member's resignation;
2.upon non-payment of membership fees after the expiration of four (4) months from the date due thereof.

Section 4: Management

a) The affairs of the Association shall be managed by an Executive as hereinafter provided.

b) The fiscal year of the Association shall be October 1 to September 30.

ARTICLE 4: MEETINGS

Section 1: Annual General Meetings

The Annual General Meeting of the Association may be held at such time and place in northern Alberta as may be decided from time to time by the Executive.

Section 2: Special General Meetings

Special General Meetings of the Association may be held at such times and places as may be decided upon by the Executive, or by the President or upon the request in writing or by email of not less than five (5) Personal Members of the Association.

Section 3: General Meetings

General Meetings will be held at such times as decided by the Executive. A minimum of one (1) General Meeting or event will be held in any fiscal year besides the Annual General Meeting.

Section 4: Notice of Meetings

The notice calling any Annual or Special General Meeting shall be in writing or by email to each Member of the Association in good standing, at least, in the case of the Annual General Meeting, 15 days, and in the case of a Special General Meeting, 10 days, prior to the date upon which such meeting is to be held. In the case of Special General Meetings, the notice shall clearly indicate the purpose for which such meeting is being called, and no business other than that mentioned shall be transacted thereat, unless all Members present and entitled to vote at that meeting consent to the transaction of such other business. No omission to notify a Member, nor the non-receipt of any such notice by a Member, shall invalidate the proceedings of any General Meeting.

Section 5: Quorum

A quorum shall consist of 25% of current NAHLA members in good standing for the transaction of business at any General Meeting of the Association

Section 6: Voting

Any question proposed for the consideration of the Members at a General Meeting of the Members shall be determined by a majority of the votes cast by Members entitled to vote at such meeting. Each Personal Member is entitled to one vote and the Chairperson presiding at any such meeting shall have the casting vote in the case of a tie vote.

ARTICLE 5: EXECUTIVE OF THE ASSOCIATION

Section 1: Membership

a) There shall be an Executive of the Association elected from amongst the personal Members in good standing, who are also members of CHLA/ABSC consisting of at least three (3) officers.

Section 2 : Authority of the Executive

a) The Executive shall have all the powers exercised by the Members in General Meetings and shall:
1. supervise generally the affairs of the Association;
2. formulate the policies of the Association;
3. enact new By-laws or amend existing ones.

b) The Executive may establish such Committees as it may deem appropriate from among the Members of the Association

Section 3 : Terms of Office

a) Each officer shall be elected for a two-year term, effective at the Annual General Meeting of 2006/2007, with the exception of the Vice-President, who automatically accepts the position of President in the second year of term, and the President, who automatically accepts the position of Past President in the third year of term.

b) No officer shall be eligible for re-election to the same office for more than two (2) consecutive terms.

c) There shall be a call for elections at least one (1) month before the Annual General Meeting.

d) The vacancy of any Executive Office shall be filled by nomination and election at the next General Meeting. All Personal Members will be notified in writing or by email of the vacancy of such office and asked to submit nominations to the President. In the event that an Executive committee member is unable to complete his/her term in office, a temporary replacement shall be appointed by the sitting Executive committee until the next Annual General Meeting, where the vacant position will be filled by nomination and election.

Section 4: Duties of Officers

a) The Officers of the Association shall be: President, Vice-president, Secretary, Treasurer, Past President and any such positions as designated from time to time by the Executive.

b) The PRESIDENT shall:
1. organize and chair all meetings;
2. hold alternate signing power with the Treasurer in the disbursement of the Association’s funds;
3. prepare the Annual Report to be submitted to CHLA/ABSC in May;
4. attend or ensure Chapter representation at the annual Chapter Presidents’ Lunch at CHLA/ABSC Conference;
5. register and participate on the CHLA/ABSC Chapter Presidents’ Listserv;
6. perform other duties as assigned by the membership.

c) The VICE-PRESIDENT shall:
1. act in the absence of the President;
2. assist the President in the performance of his/her duties;
3. act as correspondent to the Journal of the Canadian Health Libraries Association (JCHLA).

d) The SECRETARY shall:
1. publicize all meetings and take minutes of the meetings;
2. have charge of all correspondence;
3. assist in the organization of meetings (e.g. book rooms, arrange refreshments, etc.);
4. ensure that an Association website is established and maintained;
5. ensure that all website updates are provided to the NAHLA webmaster.

e) The TREASURER shall:
1. administer all funds of the Association, and hold alternate signing power with the President for disbursement of the Association's funds;
2. present a current, written financial report at each Executive meeting;
3. present an Annual statement of accounts at the AGM;
4. prepare and present a budget for the following fiscal year at the AGM;
5. send out membership fee notices;
6. collect fees and issue receipts;
7. maintain a current registry of all members.

f) The PAST-PRESIDENT shall:
1. attend Executive meetings to provide continuity and guidance;
2. perform any other tasks agreed upon between the Executive and the individual occupying the position of Past-president;
3. strike a nominations and election ad hoc committee to oversee the process of electing new Executive members.

Section 4: Executive Meetings

The Executive shall meet at the call of the President or, in his/her absence, at the call of the Vice-President.

ARTICLE 6: AMENDMENT OF BYLAWS

The Executive shall have the authority to repeal, amend, or re-enact any bylaw. Such addition, repeal, amendment, or reenactment shall have force only until the next General Meeting. If those changes are not approved by the Membership at that General Meeting, the changes shall cease to have force at that time.
Developed May 10, 1982
Amended January 21, 1992
Amended April, 2000
Amended September 30, 2002
Amended September 27, 2005