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Bylaws of the Minerva Users' Council

Review the proposed revised Bylaws January 2008

June 4, 2002

ARTICLE 1: NAME

The name of the organization shall be the Maine InfoNet Electronic Resources via Automation Users' Council. Herein after referred to as the Minerva Users' Council (or Users' Council).

ARTICLE 2: PURPOSE

The purpose of the Minerva Users' Council shall be to participate in discussions with and to advise the Maine State Library in order to:

• Ensure the successful ongoing operation of Minerva.
• Foster positive relationships and communication among members of Minerva.
• Represent and advocate on behalf of the membership before such relevant organizations as the Maine State Library, the Maine Library Commission and the Maine InfoNet Subcommittee.
• Assist the Maine State Library in planning and coordinating:
  • Ongoing maintenance and operation of Minerva
  • Scheduling of hardware and software changes
  • Future growth and development of Minerva
  • Formulation of an annual budget to all the members .
• Review and report on the financial status of Minerva to the membership on an annual basis.
• Serve as a forum to influence the development and improvement of the products of Innovative Interfaces, Inc. for the benefit of Minerva members.
• Elect an Executive Committee annually from the body of voting representatives to terms coinciding with the fiscal year, July 1 – June 30.

ARTICLE 3: MEMBERSHIP

• Any library using the Minerva Management System for automation of local library processes automatically becomes a member.
• Each member library shall designate an individual as its Minerva Users' Council Representative. Only individuals formally associated with member libraries are eligible. On occasions when that individual cannot attend a meeting or cast a vote, the library may designate another individual formally associated with it to act as its representative on a temporary basis.

ARTICLE 4: EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

• There shall be an Executive Committee composed of nine Minerva Users' Council representatives. The terms of each Committee member will be of three years in length and will be staggered so that there shall not be a completely new Committee each year. In annual elections, three new Committee members will be voted upon by the full membership of the Minerva Users' Council. Individuals who are nominated must be designated representatives from member libraries.
• The nine representatives shall be composed of the following: 4 from public library members, 3 from college/ postsecondary library members, 1 from health science library members and 1 from school library members . The Council may from time to time amend this section to keep the representation in rough proportion to that within the system itself.
• Elections for the Executive Committee will be held annually in April. Nominations for Committee members shall be solicited by mail from among designated representatives of member libraries no later than January 30, with ballots to be distributed by March 30. Final results shall be tabulated and announced to the membership by April 30.
• In the event that a vacancy should arise on this committee, a person from the full membership will be appointed by the Executive Committee Chair to complete the term being vacated. The individual appointed must come from among the type of library group that the vacancy represents.
• The purpose of the Executive Committee shall be to develop for approval and/ or recommendation actions and/or activities on behalf of the full Minerva User's Council as enumerated in Article 2 , including but not limited to
  • Recommending appropriate allocation of resources,
  • Formulating the Minerva annual budget,
  • Reviewing the financial status of the Minerva
  • Developing polices regarding standards, and
  • Expressing the consensus and preferences of the Minerva Users' Council on all other matters relating to the operation of Minerva .
• The Executive Committee will meet at least 6 times a year.
• Notice of such meetings shall be distributed to each Executive Committee member by the Chair in writing at least one week in advance, with a statement of the time and place, and the agenda.
• Executive Committee meetings are open to all Users' Council members. Notice of meetings and the agenda shall be posted on the Minerva Web site at least one week in advance of a meeting.
• Meeting minutes shall be posted on the Minerva Web site in a timely manner.

ARTICLE 5: OFFICERS

• The Executive Committee shall elect officers annually. These officers shall be a Chair, Vice-Chair, and Secretary.
• Each shall serve a one-year term. An officer may not serve more than two complete terms in succession.
• New officers assume their duties at the beginning of the fiscal year.
• The Vice-Chair will immediately and only succeed the Chair if the Chair is unable to finish his or her term and will serve out the un-expired Chair's term.
• Except for the Chair's vacancy, whose succession is laid out in Article 5 (A) (3), all other Executive Committee Officers vacancies will be filled by special election from within the Executive Committee.

Duties of the Chair

• Coordinate, prepare for and preside at the meetings of the Executive Committee and the Users Council.
• Appoint annually such standing committees or working groups as may be required to carry out the purposes of the Council.
• Perform other duties as are appropriate to the office of the Chair.

Duties of the Vice-Chair

• Perform the duties of the Chair in the event of the Chair's temporary disability or absence from meetings, or if the Chair becomes ineligible to hold office.
• Complete assignments as delegated by the Chair.

Duties of the Secretary

• Record the minutes of the Executive Committee meetings and publish the minutes and agendas on the Minerva web site.
• Maintain correspondence and records of the Minerva Users' Council.
• Report to the Executive Committee and the Minerva members at all meetings and at other times as requested by the Chair.

A member of the Executive Committee shall also sit the Maine InfoNet Subcommittee as a representative of the Minerva Users' Council.

ARTICLE 6: COMMITTEES

• The Executive Committee officers shall establish whatever committees are deemed necessary for the business of the organization.
• The Chair shall at his or her discretion appoint all committee members.

ARTICLE 7: VOTING

• The election of the Executive Committee and changes to the Bylaws must be voted upon by mail/email ballot. For mail/email ballots, each member library has one vote.
• In voting that is conducted at full Council or Executive Committee meetings, each library shall have one vote.

ARTICLE 8: Minerva USERS' COUNCIL MEETINGS

• Meetings of the full Minerva Users' Council shall take place at least 2 times a year.
• Notice of such meetings shall be distributed to each Council Representative by the Chair in writing no less than thirty days in advance, with a statement of the time and place, and the agenda.
• Meeting agendas and minutes of meetings shall be posted on the Minerva web site in a timely manner .

In order to insure that a completely new board is not elected each year, the follow pattern will be set up for the first year:

• 3 members will be elected for a 3 year term
• 3 members will be elected for a 2 year term
• 3 members will be elected for a 1 year term

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