ARTICLE I: NAME
The name of this association shall be Government Documents Round Table
(GODORT) of Michigan.
ARTICLE II: OBJECTIVES
The objectives of the Government Documents Round Table of Michigan
(herein-after referred to as the Association) shall be to promote
the effective use of publications issued by all levels of government by :
- providing an association of individuals and organizations
having a professional interest in government documents,
- providing a forum for discussion and for exchanges of information and ideas,
- providing a force for initiating and supporting programs to increase
availability, use, and bibliographic control of documents, and
- contributing to education and training in the use of
government documents.
ARTICLE III: AFFILIATION
This association shall be affiliated with the Government Documents Round
Table of the American Library Association.
Article IV: MEMBERS
Section 1. The membership of this Association shall be open to
individuals and organizations interested in government documents.
Section 2. The annual membership fees shall be established by the
Executive Board at the annual spring meeting. This applies both
to individual and organization memberships. The membership year shall be
July 1st to June 30th.
Section 3. In the case of organization memberships, a single member
of the organization shall be designated as its representative.
Said individual, or in his/her absence a designated proxy shall be
responsible for the casting of the organization's vote and shall alone
be eligible for the organization member rate.
ARTICLE V: OFFICERS
Section 1. The officers of this Association shall be:
- President;
- President-Elect;
- the immediate Past President;
- Secretary;
- Treasurer;
- Director-at-large;
- Liaison to Michigan Council of Depository Libraries; and
- Editor(s) of the Association's official newsletter, RED TAPE.
These officers shall perform the duties prescribed in these bylaws and by
the parliamentary authority adopted by the Association.
Section 2. The President shall act as chief administrative officer
of the Association, and shall preside over all meetings of the Association
and the Executive Board.
Section 3. The President-Elect shall serve as Program Co-ordinator,
in the absence of the President shall preside at meetings of the
Association and the Executive Board and any other duties the President may
assign.
Section 4. The Past President shall serve as advisor to the Board,
and shall perform such other duties as the President may assign.
Section 5. The Secretary shall serve as recording and corresponding
officer and custodian of the records of the Association.
Section 6. The Treasurer shall be responsible for the collection,
safekeeping, and expenditure of all funds of the Association,
for keeping an accurate financial record and current membership list,
and for the submission of a report on the finances of the Association
to the membership at the annual meeting and when requested by the
Executive Board.
Section 7. The Director-at-Large shall co-ordinate award nominations and
perform other duties as the President may assign.
Section 8. The Liaison to Michigan Council of Depository Libraries shall attend meetings of the Michigan Federal Depository Libraries Council (MFDLC), solicit the views and positions of the members of GODORT of Michigan and represent these views and positions to the MFDLC. The Liaison shall present a written or oral report to the Executive Board after each meeting of the MFDLC. The Liaison may be asked to present the report to the general membership at its regularly scheduled meeting.
Section 9. The Editor(s) of RED TAPE shall be responsible for the
publication of said newsletter at regular intervals. Said newsletter
shall be the primary instrument of dissemination to the membership of
information regarding the activities of the Association, including notices
and agenda for upcoming meetings and programs, minutes of previous meetings,
and any other information pertinent to the objectives of the Association.
The Editor(s) serves at the pleasure of the Executive Board.
Section 10. The terms of office of the President, the President-Elect,
the Past President, and the Director-at-Large shall be one year. The terms
of office of the Secretary and Treasurer shall be two years. The terms of
office of the Secretary and Treasurer shall be staggered in such a way
that they will expire on alternating years. The term of office of the Liaison to Michigan Council of Depository Libraries shall be three years. The Editor(s) has (have) no
fixed term of office, and shall be appointed by the Board.
Section 11. In January of each year, the President shall appoint a
Nominating Committee. It shall be the duty of this committee to nominate
a candidate for each expiring office, excluding those of the President
and Past President, to be filled at the annual spring meeting.
Written consent of candidates for office must be obtained. The Committee
shall report to the membership by mail at least four weeks prior to the
election. At the annual spring meeting additional nominations from the
floor shall be permitted.
Section 12. Officers for all expiring elective offices,
excluding President and Past President, shall be elected at the
annual spring meeting by ballot, to serve for one term or
until their successors are elected, and their terms of office shall begin
at the close of the annual spring meeting at which they are elected.
At this time the President succeeds to the office of Past President,
and the President-Elect succeeds to the office of President.
Section 13. No member except the Editor(s) of RED TAPE shall serve
more than two consecutive terms in the same office.
Section 14. Vacancies which may arise in any office except those of
President and President-Elect shall be filled upon a majority vote
of the Officers of the Association. In the event of disability, absence or
withdrawal of the President, the title and all duties and obligations
shall be assumed by the President-Elect, who shall also still be responsible
for seeing that the duties of the President-Elect are carried out.
In the event of a vacancy in the office of President-Elect, it shall be
decided by majority vote of the Board whether to hold a special election or
to hold the office vacant until the next annual spring meeting,
at which time the membership would elect both a new President
and President-Elect.
ARTICLE VI: MEETINGS
Section 1. A minimum of two program and business meetings of this
Association shall be held each year unless otherwise determined
by the Association or by the officers of the Association.
Section 2. The annual meeting shall be held in the Spring and
shall include the election of officers, reports of officers and committees
and other business that may arise.
Section 3. Special meetings can be called by the officers of the
Association or upon the request of ten members of the Association.
The purpose of the special meeting shall be stated in the call and no
other business than that shall be considered. At least two weeks notice
shall be given to all members.
Section 4. A quorum for the transaction of business shall be
ten Association members.
ARTICLE VII: EXECUTIVE BOARD
Section 1. The officers of the Association as enumerated
in Article V, Section 1 shall constitute and be known as the Executive Board.
Section 2. The Executive Board shall have general supervision
of the affairs of the Association between its business meetings,
establish the date and place of meetings, speak for the Association on
relevant policy issues, and perform other duties as are specified
in these bylaws.
Section 3. The Board shall hold at least two meetings annually and
shall hold additional meetings upon the call of the President or
upon written request of any member of the Board. Four members of the Board
shall constitute a quorum.
ARTICLE VIII: COMMITTEES
Section 1. Standing or special committees shall be established by the
Executive Board as needed. The President shall appoint members and
designate chairs of all committees. Appointment to standing committees
shall be for one year.
Section 2. Each standing committee chair shall maintain a record of the
committee's activities to pass on to successive chairs. Each special
committee chair shall maintain a record of the committee's activities
to pass on to the President upon the completion of the committee's business.
Each committee shall report to the membership at the annual spring meeting.
Section 3. Committee chairs may participate in meetings of the
Executive Board but shall not have the right to vote.
Section 4. Standing committees are:
- Awards Committee
- Nominating Committee
Details of the committees are stipulated in the Policy Manual of the
Association.
ARTICLE IX: AWARDS
Section 1: The Association sponsors the following awards for which the
Executive Board has oversight:
- Eleanor Boyles Professional Development Award.
The Eleanor Boyles Professional Development Award, named in honor of Ms. Eleanor Boyles, may be presented to a GODORT of Michigan member in support of professional development activities related to government documents librarianship. Up to two awards may be offered during any given GODORT of Michigan membership year. The same person may not receive the award twice in any three year span.
- Jennie Award.
The Jennie Award, named in honor of Jennie Cross, may be presented
to a member of the Michigan documents community in recognition of
current outstanding achievement or special service. This award
may be given annually.
- Lifetime Achievement Award.
A Lifetime Achievement Award may be presented to a past or present member
of the Association in recognition of an exemplary career in government
documents service. This award is given irregularly.
- Paul W. Thurston Award.
The Paul W Thurston Award is presented in recognition of a contribution
to the professional literature by any practising document or other
librarian which improves access to government information
at the international, federal, state or local level. An annual call
for nominations in made to the entire library community. If a person is
selected to receive the award, it is presented at the GODORT Annual
Business Meeting held in conjunction with the
American Library Association Annual Conference.
- Section 2: The Director-at-Large serves as the coordinator for
the award process. Specific details for each award are stipulated
in the Policy Manual.
ARTICLE X: PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
The rules contained in the current edition of ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER NEWLY
REVISED shall govern the Association in all cases to which they are
applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these bylaws
and any special rules of order the Association may adopt.
ARTICLE XI: AMENDMENT OF BYLAWS
- Section 1. These bylaws can be amended at any business meeting
of the Association by a two-thirds vote of those members present,
provided that the amendment has been submitted to the membership
in writing at least four weeks prior to that meeting.
- Section 2. Amendments may be proposed by the Executive Board, a Bylaws
Committee, or five members in good standing of the Association. Proposals
originating in the Executive Board or in a Bylaws Committee shall be approved
by a two-thirds vote of the Board before submission to the members.
Proposals originating by petition shall be submitted in writing
to the Executive Board and shall be presented to the members
with the recommendations of the Board.
Revised: May 1985; May 1992; April 1993; and November 2000.
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