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Slavic Cataloging Manual

BYLAWS OF THE
SLAVIC AND EAST EUROPEAN SECTION
OF THE
ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES

 Art. I. Name

The name of this organization shall be the Slavic and East European Section (SEES) of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL).

Art. II. Object

The Section shall represent those librarians and others in ACRL who specialize or are otherwise professionally involved in the acquisition, organization and use of information sources originating in or relating to the countries of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. This section may cooperate with other professional groups in regard to those aspects of library service that require special knowledge of sources from or concerning Central Eurasia.

Art. III. Membership

Any member of ACRL may elect membership in SEES. Every member of this section has the right to vote and is eligible for office.

Art. IV. Officers

Sec. 1. Officers -- The officers of the Section shall be a chair, a vice-chair/chair-elect, the immediate past chairperson, and a secretary.
Sec. 2. Duties -- The duties of the chair, vice-chair/chair-elect and past chair shall conform with the relevant provisions of the ACRL Guide to Policies and Procedures. The secretary is an officer of the section and a member of its Executive Committee. The secretary shall attend all meetings of the section's committees, record their minutes, and publish the minutes in the section Newsletter.
Sec. 3. Terms -- All officers shall serve for a term of one year, which ends at the adjournment of the annual meeting, excepting the secretary, who serves a term of two years.
Sec. 4. Vacancies -- In the event of a vacancy in the office of the chair, the vice-chair/chair-elect shall succeed to the office of the chair and shall continue in that office until the expiration of the term for which he or she was originally elected to serve as chair. If the office of secretary becomes vacant, the chair shall appoint a member of the section to that office. A vacancy in the office of vice-chair/chair-elect shall be filled by the chair.

Art. V. Executive Committee

Sec. 1. Composition -- The Executive Committee shall consist of the officers and chairs of standing committees.
Sec. 2. Powers and duties -- The Executive Committee shall conduct the business of the Section during the periods between ALA meetings. At each of the ALA meetings the chair shall report on the work of the Executive Committee, at which time that work shall be subject to review by the Section membership.
Sec. 3. Meetings -- Regular meeting of the Executive Committee shall be held at the times and places of ALA Annual and Midwinter meetings. Special meetings may be called at the discretion of the chair. Only members of the Executive Committee may vote at the Executive Committee meetings, although all such meetings shall be open to all members of the Section.
Sec. 4. Quorum -- A majority of members constitutes a quorum at any meeting of the Executive Committee.

Art. VI. Other Committees

Sec. 1. Standing Committees -- Standing committees for considering matters of concern to SEES that require continuity of attention may be authorized by the Executive Committee at the annual section meeting. The size, name and purpose of a standing committee shall be specified at the time of its authorization. Members of a standing committee shall serve terms of two years each. A member of a committee may be reappointed for a second term and a third term, but no person shall serve more than six years on a single committee. The vice-chair/chair-elect shall appoint committee members to fill the vacancies due to occur during his or her term as chair. The vice-chair/chair-elect shall also designate the chairpersons of all committees which shall function during his or term as chair of the Section. Unexpected vacancies on a committee shall be filled by a special appointment made by the chair of the Section. A standing committee may be discontinued by a majority vote of the members present and voting at an annual Executive Committee meeting.
Sec. 2. Special (Ad Hoc) Committees -- Special committees for the performance of particular assignments may be appointed at any time by the chair after consultation with the other members of the Executive Committee. Such special committees shall be discontinued at the end of the term of the chair who appointed them unless extended by the new chairperson. No special committee shall continue to function for more than two years without authorization by the Executive Committee. Art. VII. Discussion Groups

Informal discussion groups, to meet under the auspices of the Section at the time and place of the annual or midwinter meetings of ALA, may be formed by any five or more members of the Section with the approval of the chair, within ALA/ACRL scheduling deadlines.

Art. VII. Meetings

Sec. 1. Annual meetings -- SEES shall hold membership meetings at the time and place of the Annual Conference of the American Library Association (ALA).
Sec. 2. Quorum -- Members of the Section present at an annual meeting shall constitute an quorum.

Art. IX. Nominations and Elections

Sec. 1. Nominations -- The vice-chair/chair-elect shall appoint a Nominating Committee of at least three members, designating one member as Committee chair. No one may be a member of the nominating Committee who is currently serving on the Executive Committee. The Nominating Committee shall choose a slate of at least two nominees for each of the offices of (a) vice-chair/chair-elect annually and (b) every two years, secretary. Additional nominations for these offices may be made by petitions signed by no fewer than five Section members. Nominations put forward by the Nominating Committee, as well as any additional nominations made by petition, shall be filed with both the Executive Directory of ACRL and the secretary of SEES within the deadlines prescribed for nominations by ACRL. All nominees must be members in good standing of SEES and must consent to candidacy in writing. Sec. 2. Elections -- Elections shall be conducted by mail ballot. For each office, the candidate receiving a plurality of the votes cast shall be elected. In case of a tie vote the successful candidate shall be determined by lot.

Art. X. Amendments

Sec. 1. Proposals -- Amendments to these Bylaws may be proposed in writing by the Executive Committee, by a committee appointed specifically for the purpose, or by an five members of the Section. Proposals shall be filed with the secretary at least three months before the annual meeting.
Sec. 2. Notification -- The secretary shall send all members of the Section a copy of any proposed amendments to be voted on at the annual meeting at least thirty days before the annual meeting, or they shall be announced in an issue of College & Research Library News appearing prior to the annual meeting.
Sec. 3. Voting -- An amendment approved by two-thirds of the members present and voting at an annual meeting shall be carried.

Art. XI. General Provisions

Wherever these Bylaws make no specific provisions, the organization and procedures of SEES shall correspond to those set forth in the ACRL Constitution, Bylaws, and Guide to Policies and Procedures.

Approved by SEES Executive Committee, July 1996

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Last updated 12/06