The ILA/ACRL Board would like to notify chapter membership of plans to request an amendment the organizational by-laws at the October 22, 2009 business meeting in Des Moines, Iowa during the Iowa Library Association Annual conference.  The current Article XI outlines the process for amending the bylaws:

These bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the membership present at any business meeting of the Chapter, a quorum being present, or by mailed paper ballot. For a mail ballot, 25 percent of the voting membership will constitute a quorum and a two-thirds majority of those voting will decide the issue. The proposed changes will have been posted on the ILA/ACRL web page or submitted in writing to the membership by the Secretary/Treasurer at least 30 days before the vote. The listserv and newsletter will serve as the vehicles by which members are alerted to bylaw changes. Amendments will take effect immediately unless otherwise specified.

(For more information see the chapter bylaws at: http://www.iowaacrl.org/content/bylaws)

If approved, the proposed changes will allow the chapter to conduct electronic voting which will provide for some cost savings (approximately $75 per year). The changes have been approved by the ILA Bylaws and Organization Manual Committee and Executive Board.

Thank you.

Article VII. Nominations and Elections

Section 6. Elections

Chapter elections will be held electronically and are in compliance with ILA subdivision policies as outlined in the ILA Organizational Manual. Paper notices will be sent to members without email addresses.  Paper ballots must be mailed to voter upon request.

Notice of the elections and instructions for casting ballots will be sent to the Chapter membership one-week following the Annual Business Meeting of the Chapter. The Nominating Committee will have charge of the election and will ensure that the member list is updated. Each ballot message is to state the voting period, the number of responses required for a quorum, the percentage of approvals required for election/passage and information about how the winners’ results will be announced.

For each position, the candidate receiving the largest number of votes will be elected. Thirty-five percent of the membership will constitute a quorum for elections. In the case of a tie vote, the successful candidate will be determined by majority vote of the Executive Board (See Article VI, Section 2, vii). Results will be communicated to the Chapter Executive Board immediately after they have been tabulated and to the membership in the next issue of the Chapter newsletter.

Article XI. Amendments

These bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the membership present at any business meeting of the Chapter, a quorum being present, or by electronic ballot. For an electronic ballot, thirty-five percent of the voting membership will constitute a quorum and a two-thirds majority of those voting will decide the issue.  The Chapter e-mail list will be available from the ILA Office prior to the vote.  Paper ballots will be sent to members without email addresses, or upon request.

The proposed changes will have been posted on the ILA/ACRL web page or submitted in writing to the membership by the Secretary/Treasurer at least 30 days before the vote. Once posted, the amendment may not be modified. The listserv and newsletter will serve as the vehicles by which members are alerted to bylaw changes. Amendments will take effect immediately unless otherwise noted.

If by electronic ballot, each amendment notice message is to state the voting period, the number of responses required for a quorum, the percentage of approvals required for election/passage and information about how the results will be announced.