Bylaws

Article I: Name

The name of the conference will be the Grand River Library Conference.

Article II: Mission Statement

The Grand River Library Conference exists to provide its members with a means of communicating with other libraries, networking opportunities, public recognition, advocacy, continuing education, and programming for the development of quality public library service in Missouri.

Article III: Objectives

The objectives of the Grand River Library Conference shall be to promote cordial and mutual beneficial relationships among its members, to maintain, encourage, and to exchange ideas in order to promote better library service throughout the Grand River Library Conference and the State of Missouri, and to help each member library with continuing education for all exempt and non-exempt library staff, including library volunteers; including, but not limited to, cooperative education efforts through member-supported activities, and state, federal, and non-profit sponsored grand opportunities.

Article IV: Membership

Institutional membership shall be open to all libraries with at least one outlet north of Interstate 70. Each library that has paid its dues for the year will have one vote to be cast by the library director or her proxy. Dues are due by the end of the April meeting. 

Article V: Meetings

There shall be at least three (3) meetings each year: On the first Wednesday of the months of April, September, and November. The April and November meetings shall normally be held at Chillicothe and/or Gallatin. The September meeting is usually by invitation of a member library. Special meetings may be called as desired by the executive board or by the request of at least two member libraries. A subsequent meeting date may be changed if a majority of the members present at the previous meeting vote to do so. A quorum shall be the members present.

Members may attend and cast votes at meetings in person or by electronic telecommunications in real time.  Every effort will be made to offer remote attendance options when technologically possible at host sites.  It is the responsibility of the attendee to speak up or call attention to themselves with chat or sound to participate in discussion and voting during the business meeting.

Article VI: Officers

The officers shall be President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer.  An Assistant Treasurer may also be selected for training and support of the Treasurer.

Article VII: Nominations and Elections of Officers

The President shall appoint a nominating committee of three (3) at the November meeting, which shall nominate a slate of officers for presentation and election at the April meeting. 

Article VIII: Terms of Officers

Officers shall be elected in April. They shall take office immediately and serve for two years.

Article IX: Duties of Officers

President: The President, with other members of the Executive Board shall be responsible for the formulation and administration of the policies of the Grand River Library Conference. She/he shall preside at all of the Grand River Library Conference meetings and all meetings of the Executive Board. She/he shall fill the appointive posts or committees of the Conference. The President, along with the Treasurer, will be responsible for the safekeeping and wise disbursement of the funds of the Conference with the approval of the membership. She/he shall appoint a Vice-president, Treasurer, or a Secretary to fill out a term in case of vacancy in said office. She/he will keep a copy of the historical records and minutes of the conference.

Vice-president: The Vice-president shall preside at all meetings of the Conference and the Executive Board in the absence of the President. She/he shall succeed to the office of the President if for any reason the office become vacant before the end of the said term. The Vice-president is also the Program Chair and is responsible for the programs presented at the meeting to the members. A particular responsibility may be assigned to the Vice-president by the President, Executive Board, or by the Conference.

Secretary: The Secretary shall keep and read minutes of the meetings. She/he shall act as custodian of the historical records and minutes of the Conference.

Treasurer: The Treasurer shall keep a record of all income and expenditures. She/he shall keep all financial records of the Conference in accordance with the Missouri Revised Statutes. She/he will present a financial report at each meeting of the Conference. She/he shall provide a full financial report covering the prior calendar year at the annual meeting in April.  The Assistant Treasurer will perform these duties in assistance to or in the absence of the Treasurer.

Article X: Executive Board

The officers listed shall serve as the Executive Board. The Executive Board shall act for the Conference on matters that require immediate attention.

Article XI: Committees

The President shall establish and appoint members of committees as necessary to conduct the business of the Conference. The Conference may appropriate money to pay a guest speaker for his/her mileage and an honorarium, with the approval of the President.

Article XII: Dues and/or Fees

Dues shall be determined annually by the membership.

Article XIII: Parliamentary Authority

Robert's Rules of Order shall be used as authority.

Article XIV: Amendments

The Bylaws may be amended by a 2/3 vote of the members at a regular meeting if the proposed amendment has been sent to each member at least 15 days preceding the meeting.

Last updated June 30, 2005; Revised September 6, 2023.