ARTICLE I. NAME
The name of this organization shall be the Western Pacific Chapter of the American Association of Law Libraries.
ARTICLE II. PURPOSE
Section 1. The Western Pacific Chapter is established as a non-profit organization under IRC 501(c)(6) to promote law librarianship, to provide for the further professional education of law librarians, to foster a spirit of cooperation among members in the law library profession, to establish a continuing relationship between law librarians and legal entities in the Western Pacific region, to develop and increase the usefulness of law libraries, and to promote the exchange of information and ideas, especially among those law libraries in the states of Alaska, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming, and in the Pacific territories and possessions of the United States.
Section 2. The Chapter shall conduct its affairs in conformity with the Bylaws of the American Association of Law Libraries.
Section 3. The Bylaws shall be the governing document of the Chapter.
ARTICLE III. MEMBERSHIP AND DUES
Section 1. Antidiscrimination.
Membership in the Chapter or participation in any activity of the Chapter shall not be denied to any individual, or abridged, on account of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, national origin or disability.
Section 2. Classification.
Any individual or organization interested in law libraries may become a member of the Chapter by qualifying under the provisions of one of the classes of membership.
There shall be five classes of membership: active, associate, life, retired and student.
- Active Members. Any individual officially connected with a law library, or with a general library having a separately maintained law section, or who has had such connection within the past three years, may become an active member upon payment of annual dues.
- Associate Members. Any individual or organization not officially connected with a law library may become an associate member upon payment of annual dues.
- Life Members. The Executive Board shall nominate and the membership may at any annual Chapter meeting, by a vote of two-thirds of those present and voting, elect to life membership those persons who have been active members of the Chapter for ten or more years, who have reached the age of 55 years or older, and who have retired from active law library work.
- Retired Members. Any individual who has retired from law library work and who has been an active member of the Chapter may become a retired member upon payment of annual dues.
- Student Members. Any individual enrolled in a library/information science school or a law school may become a student member upon payment of annual dues.
Section 3. Dues.
Dues for active, associate, retired and student members shall be determined by the Executive Board, subject to approval by two-thirds of the members present and voting at any business meeting, provided that a written notice and an explanation of the proposed dues change shall have been distributed to the members at least thirty (30) days in advance of the meeting. Life members shall not be required to pay dues.
Section 4. Payment of Dues.
The fiscal year of the Chapter shall begin on January 1. Written notice of dues shall be sent to the members by the Secretary. Members failing to pay dues after the expiration of three (3) months from the payment date shall be suspended from membership by the Treasurer. Suspended members may be reinstated as members in good standing at any time upon full payment of the current year’s dues.
Section 5. Rights and Privileges of Members.
- The right to hold elective office shall be restricted to active members.
- The right of appointment to a committee chair shall be restricted to active, retired and life members.
- The right to vote shall be restricted to active, life, retired and student members.
- All members shall receive the Chapter’s publications as part of their membership. All individual members shall be eligible for appointment to committee membership.
- Privileges and responsibilities of the various types of membership shall be the same as in the American Association of Law Libraries.
ARTICLE IV. MEETINGS
Section 1. Regular Meetings.
An annual Chapter meeting, which shall include a business meeting, shall be held in the fall at a time and place designated by the Executive Board. A Chapter meeting, which shall include a business meeting, shall be held at the Annual Meeting of AALL, when the schedule permits. Written notice of the time, place and purpose of these meetings shall be distributed to the membership not less than thirty (30) days prior to the meeting. Meetings shall be open to all members of the Chapter, but no person may vote in any meeting who is not a member in good standing.
Section 2. Special Meetings.
Special meetings may be called by the President, the Executive Board, or by the President upon receipt of a written petition, signed by twenty (20) voting members and designating the purpose of such meeting. Written notice of the time, place and purpose of such special meeting shall be distributed to the membership not less than thirty (30) days prior to the meeting.
Section 3. Quorum.
A quorum for any meeting of the membership shall consist of not less than twenty (20) voting members.
Section 4. Presiding Officer.
In the absence of an officer, one of the members shall be elected to conduct the meeting by a simple majority vote.
Section 5. Parliamentary Authority.
Robert’s Rules of Order, current edition, shall govern all deliberations of the Chapter when not in conflict with the Bylaws or special rules of order of the Chapter.
Section 6. Voting.
The affairs of the Chapter shall be conducted by the majority vote of members voting unless otherwise provided in these Bylaws.
ARTICLE V. OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE BOARD
Section 1. Officers.
The officers of this Chapter shall consist of a President, a Vice-President/President-elect, a Secretary and a Treasurer. All officers of the Chapter must be members in good standing of the Chapter and the President and Vice-President/President-elect must also be members in good standing of the American Association of Law Libraries. No officer shall hold more than one office simultaneously. Officers shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for reasonable expenses incurred in discharge of their duties, in accordance with the adopted policies of the Chapter.
Section 2. Terms of Office and Duties of Officers.
a. President.
The Vice-President/President-elect shall become President of the Chapter at the conclusion of the fall annual meeting following his or her term as Vice-President/President-elect and shall serve a term of one year as President, except as otherwise provided for in section 4 of this Article. The President shall be a member of the Executive Board. The President shall preside at meetings of the members and of the Executive Board and shall perform all other duties customarily pertaining to the office of President.
b. Vice-President
The Vice-President/President-elect shall assume office at the conclusion of the fall annual meeting following his or her election and shall serve a term of one year as Vice-President/President-elect, except as otherwise provided for in section 4 of this Article. The Vice-President/President-elect shall be a member of the Executive Board. In the absence of the President, the Vice- President/President-elect shall perform the duties of the President, and when so acting, shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions upon the President. The Vice-President/President-Elect shall serve as chair of the Education Committee, and shall be responsible for program planning. The Vice-President/President-elect shall perform such other duties as from time to time may be assigned to him or her by the President.
c. Secretary.
The Secretary of the Chapter shall assume office at the conclusion of the fall annual meeting in even years following his or her election and shall serve a term of two years, except as otherwise provided for in section 4 of this Article. The Secretary shall be a member of the Executive Board. The Secretary shall in general perform all the duties incident to the office of Secretary and such other duties as from time to time may be assigned to him or her by the President.
d. Treasurer.
The Treasurer of the Chapter shall assume office at the conclusion of the fall annual meeting in odd years following his or her election and shall serve a term of two years, except as otherwise provided for in Section 4 of this Article. The Treasurer shall be a member of the Executive Board. The Treasurer shall in general perform all the duties incident to the office of Treasurer and such other duties as from time to time may be assigned to him or her by the President.
Section 3. Executive Board.
a. Executive Board Members and Duties. The incumbent officers and the immediate Past President shall constitute the Executive Board. The Newsletter Editor shall serve as an ex-officio (non-voting) member of the Executive Board. The Executive Board shall make recommendations to the Chapter, have general supervision of the affairs of the Chapter between its business meetings, determine the time and place of meetings, and perform such other duties as specified by the Bylaws or parliamentary authority. The Executive Board shall have sole power, on behalf of the Association or any of its committees or subunits, to incur indebtedness, solicit funding, make public statements, issue public writings and establish and maintain relations with other organizations. The Executive Board shall meet at least annually at the annual Chapter meeting. Additional meetings of the Executive Board shall be called by the President or by the majority of the members of the Board.
b. Terms of Office of Executive Board Members.
i. President, Vice-President/President-elect, Secretary and Treasurer.
Incumbent officers of the Chapter shall serve terms on the Executive Board coterminous with that of their respective offices, except as otherwise provided for in section 4 of this Article.
ii. Immediate Past President.
The Immediate Past President shall serve a term of one year, commencing at the conclusion of the fall annual meeting following his or her term of office as President, except as otherwise provided for in section 4 of this Article.
Section 4. Succession of Officers and Executive Board Members.
In the event that the President is disabled, resigns, or is, in the judgment of the majority of the Executive Board, otherwise unable to perform the duties of the office, the title, duties and obligations of the office shall be assumed by the Vice-President/President-elect, who shall then serve until the end of his or her own term as President. A special election shall be held to fill the office of Vice-President/President-elect upon the assumption of the office of President by the Vice-President/President-elect. The new Vice-President/President-elect shall serve the unexpired term of his or her own predecessor and shall thereafter succeed to the office of President. In the event that the Vice-President/President-elect is disabled, resigns, or is, in the judgment of the majority of the Executive Board otherwise unable to perform the duties of the office, a special election shall be held to fill the office. The new Vice-President/President-elect shall serve the unexpired term of his or her predecessor and shall thereafter succeed to the office of President. The Executive Board shall have the power to fill any vacancy on the Executive Board, except that of President and Vice-President/President-elect. The active member so appointed by the Executive Board shall serve the unexpired term of his or her predecessor, or for an interim period extending to the conclusion of the fall annual meeting, whichever is shorter. Such appointed members may be nominated as any candidates for office in the next election.
Section 5. Indemnification of Officers and Executive Board.
The Chapter will, by resolution of the membership, provide for the indemnification by the Chapter of any and all of its officers or former officers against expenses actually and necessarily incurred by them in connection with the defense of any action, suit or proceeding in which they or any of them are made parties, or a party, by reason of having been officers of the Chapter, except in relation to matters as to which such an officer or former officer shall be adjudged in such action, suit or proceeding to be liable for negligence or misconduct in the performance of duty and to such matters as shall be settled by agreement predicated on the existence of such liability.
ARTICLE VI. COMMITTEES
Section 1. There shall be such standing or special committees as the President or Executive Board shall create or as shall be created by a majority of those present and voting at any business meeting of the Chapter. Appointments of committee chairs and members shall be made by the President, by a committee formed for that purpose, or as otherwise provided for in the Bylaws. Committee members’ terms shall begin in October of the year in which they are appointed.
Section 2. Standing Committees.
The following standing committees exist for those purposes which require the continuous attention of the Chapter:
a. Archives: This committee is charged with compiling the historical and organizational documentation of this Chapter.
b. Bylaws: This committee is charged with reviewing the Chapter’s Bylaws governing documents and recommending revisions, as necessary.
c. Education. This committee is charged with the responsibility for development of opportunities for the continuing education of the membership.
d. Newsletter: This committee is charged with communicating information on the Chapter’s activities to the membership, including the periodic publication of the Chapter newsletter.
e. Nominations and Elections: This committee is charged with proposing lists of candidates for the Chapter’s offices, as needed, and tabulating the results of elections, both regular and special.
f. Site Selection: This committee is charged with recommending to the Executive Board potential sites for the annual Chapter meeting.
g. Placement: This committee is charged with publicizing appropriate employment opportunities arising within the Chapter’s geographic region and with maintaining applicant files.
h. Government Relations: This committee shall be composed of one member from each state who will monitor that state’s legislative activities and report upon legislation which could either affect libraries or the practice of law. Information regarding such legislation shall be forwarded to the Newsletter editor for publication. The chair of this committee shall also serve as the liaison to the AALL Washington Affairs Office and Government Relations Committee.
i. Grants: This committee is charged with the preparation and review of grant applications for such grants as funding will permit.
j. Public Relations: This committee is charged with promoting law libraries and the profession of law librarianship within the region. The chair of this committee shall serve as liaison to the AALL Public Relations Committees.
k. Membership and Retention: This committee is charged with recruiting new members and with evaluating the opportunities and benefits being provided by the association to its currents members to ensure needs and expectations are being fulfilled to the extent possible.
Other standing committees may be created as provided for in these Bylaws.
Section 3. Special Committees.
Special committees may be created to address specific concerns of the Chapter which require special attention for a limited period of time, as provided for in these Bylaws.
ARTICLE VII. NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS
Section 1. Nominations.
Nominations and Elections Committee. In both regular and special elections the Nominations and Elections Committee shall submit as needed to the Executive Board a list of one or more candidates, together with their written acceptances, for the following offices: Vice-President/President-elect, Secretary, and Treasurer. No member of the Nominations and Elections Committee shall be an officer, a member of the Executive Board, or a candidate for office in the succeeding election.
Section 2. Regular Elections.
The Nominations and Elections Committee shall submit a list of one or more candidates to the Executive Board by the last day of February. The officers shall be elected by secret ballot, prepared by the Secretary, and delivered by the United States Postal Service or electronic mail to the membership sixty (60) prior to July 1. The Nominations and Elections Committee shall count the ballots and notify the president of the results. In case of a tie vote, the successful candidate shall be determined by lot as conducted by the Nominations and Elections Committee.
Section 3. Special Elections.
The Nominations and Elections Committee shall submit a list of one or more candidates to the Executive Board no later than thirty (30) days after the disability or resignation by, or removal of office of the President or Vice-President/President-Elect. Special elections may be conducted by paper or electronic balloting or at a business meeting, as determined by the Executive Board.
Section 4. Ballots.
The election of officers will be conducted every year by paper and/or electronic ballot. The Secretary shall prepare an official ballot. A paper copy of the official ballot shall be preserved in the Secretary’s notebook. In the event paper ballots are used, the Secretary shall mail a copy of the paper ballot to each member of the Chapter via United States Postal Service. Ballots may be mailed as part of the Chapter newsletter. Marked ballots shall be returned to the Chair of the Nominations and Elections Committee by a specified deadline which is to be posted on the official ballot. In the event electronic ballots are to be used, the Executive Board will first compile and approve the details of conducting this type of election. The Board shall ensure that an election conducted by electronic balloting is fundamentally fair and preserves the right of secret ballot. For those members who do not have electronic mail or do not wish to participate in an online election, paper ballots will be provided.
ARTICLE VIII. AMENDMENT OF BYLAWS
Section 1. Any Bylaw may be adopted, repealed, amended, or suspended by a simple majority of the voting members present at the annual Chapter meeting, or when approved by a simple majority of the membership eligible to vote by paper and/or electronic ballot, as determined by the Executive Board.
Section 2.Notice of proposed amendments shall be provided to the chapter’s members, or be published in the chapter’s newsletter, 30 days in advance of the meeting or of the distribution of ballots.
Section 3. No revisions shall be inconsistent with the Bylaws of the American Association of Law Libraries.
Section 4. Amendments of the Bylaws shall be submitted by the secretary to the American Association of Law Libraries Bylaws and Resolutions Committee for review.
ARTICLE IX. EXECUTION OF INSTRUMENTS AND DEPOSITORIES.
Section 1. Execution of Instruments.
All contracts, conveyances, deeds and other instruments on behalf of the Chapter shall be executed by the President or by an officer so authorized by the Executive Board.
Section 2. Depositories.
All funds of the Chapter shall be deposited in the name of the Chapter in such bank, banks, or other financial institutions as the officers may from time to time designate, and shall draw out on checks, drafts or other orders signed on behalf of the Chapter by the Treasurer or such person or persons as the Executive Board may from time to time designate.
ARTICLE X. TAX EXEMPT STATUS AND DISSOLUTION
Section 1. Restrictions
No part of the Chapter’s earnings or assets shall inure to the benefit of any member or officer except as reasonable compensation for services rendered. In addition, the Chapter shall not attempt to influence legislation as a substantial part of its activities and it shall not participate in any campaign activity for or against political candidates.
Section 2. Dissolution
In the event of dissolution, the net assets of the Chapter shall be distributed to the American Association of Law Libraries, so long as it remains a nonprofit, to some other qualifying non-profit organization. In the event this condition is not fulfilled, the net assets shall be distributed upon majority vote of the members to some other qualified nonprofit organization with a purpose similar to that of this Chapter, to be used in such manner as will best accomplish that purpose.
(As revised October 11, 2019) 2019 Annual Meeting, Spokane, WA
