Bylaws

ARTICLE I. Name and Boundaries

Section 1. Name

The name of this organization shall be Hawaii-Pacific Chapter of the Medical Library Association (hereinafter called HPCMLA).

Section 2. Boundaries

The boundaries of this Chapter shall include Hawaii, Guam, Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of Palau, Republic of the Marshall Islands, and American Samoa.

ARTICLE II. Purpose

The purpose of HPCMLA shall be to promote the educational, scientific, and professional growth of its members and of member organizations in health sciences, library service and in the Medical Library Association, Inc.; to promote cooperation and communication among its members in the Pacific area; and to provide the opportunity for more active participation of those members who cannot attend the annual meeting of The Medical Library Association (MLA).

ARTICLE III. Membership

Section 1. Members

Both members and non-members of MLA may belong to this Chapter.

Section 2. Rights and Privileges

  1. Voting members of HPCMLA shall consist of all members, except that only Voting Members of the Medical Library Association shall be qualified to move or to vote on recommendations to the Chapter Council regarding MLA policies or actions, to vote on the selection of a candidate for the MLA Nominating Committee, or to vote on the selection of HPCMLA’s Representative and Alternate Representative to the Chapter Council.
  2. Officers of HPCMLA shall be Voting Members of the Medical Library Association.

Section 3. Dues

  1. Dues shall be determined by a majority vote of those present and eligible to vote at the Annual Meeting of HPCMLA. Dues shall be assessed on an annual basis for the period of one calendar year. Chapter dues shall not exceed MLA membership dues for Regular Members.
  2. Chapter dues shall be payable via check or other acceptable non-cash method on joining HPCMLA and thereafter on January 1st.
  3. The fiscal year of HPCMLA shall be the calendar year.
  4. If dues are unpaid by April 1st, the dues shall be considered in arrears and without further notice the member shall be suspended from all rights and privileges.

Section 4. Types of Membership

  1. Institutional Membership: An institution may be a member of HPCMLA. The institutional membership may include a membership for one (1) individual who is employed by the institution. The institutional member has one (1) vote.
  2. Individual Membership: An individual may join HPCMLA. The person does not have to reside or work within the boundaries of the Chapter (see Art I. Sect 2 above). An individual member has one (1) vote.
  3. Student Membership: An individual may join HPCMLA if they are enrolled as a degree student in an accredited graduate program in library studies. The person does not have to reside within the boundaries of the Chapter (see Art I, Sect 2 above). A student member has one (1) vote.
  4. Emeritus Membership: Active Chapter members of at least five (5) years prior to retiring from employment in the medical information profession within the boundaries of the Chapter (see Art I. Sect 2 above) shall not be required to pay individual membership. An emeritus member has one (1) vote.

ARTICLE IV. Elected Officers

Section 1. Officers and Officials and Term of Office

  1. Elected officers of HPCMLA shall be a Chair, a Chair-Elect, an Immediate Past-Chair, a Secretary, a Treasurer, a Representative to the Chapter Council, and an Alternate Representative to the Chapter Council.
  2. The term of office of the Chair shall be one (1) year as Chair-Elect, one (1) year as Chair, and one (1) year as Immediate Past-Chair. No one may serve more than 2 successive terms as Chair-Elect/Chair/Immediate Past-Chair.
  3. The term of office of the Secretary shall be two (2) years.
  4. The term of office of the Treasurer shall be two (2) years.
  5. The term of office of the Representative to the Chapter Council shall be three years, except that if the Representative’s term be made shorter by action of the Council or the Bylaws of the Medical Library Association, the term will coincide with that action.
  6. The term of office of the Alternate Representative to the Chapter Council shall be the same as that of the Representative.
  7. Elected officers shall take office at the close of the MLA Annual Meeting and serve, unless they resign, die, become incapacitated, or are removed, until the close of the MLA Annual Meeting at the end of their terms of office or until their successors are elected and assume their duties.

Section 2. Duties

  1. The duties of the Chair shall be to preside over all meetings and to represent HPCMLA at all times and on all occasions not in conflict with any other officer’s defined duties and responsibilities, to appoint non-elective Committee Chairs as needed, to arrange Executive Board Meetings as required, to arrange the Holiday Luncheon, and to submit an Annual Report to MLA Headquarters by the date requested, and to perform all other duties prescribed by these Bylaws and by the parliamentary authority adopted by HPCMLA. A Parliamentarian may be appointed by the Chair to serve a term concurrent with that of the Chair. This person may be reappointed to serve additional terms.
  2. The duties of the Chair-Elect shall be to serve as Chair whenever the Chair is not able to do so, to plan the Annual Meeting, and to perform all other duties prescribed by these Bylaws and by the parliamentary authority adopted by HPCMLA.
  3. The duties of the Immediate Past-Chair shall be to serve as Chair when the Chair and Chair-Elect are unable to do so, serve as a member of the Executive Board, serve as Chair of the Continuing Education Committee, and to perform all other duties prescribed by these Bylaws.
  4. The duties of the Secretary shall be to be responsible for incoming and outgoing correspondence, prepare minutes of all Chapter meetings and Board meetings, maintain records of HPCMLA, sign checks in absence of the Treasurer, and to perform all other duties prescribed by these Bylaws and by the parliamentary authority adopted by HPCMLA.
  5. The duties of the Treasurer shall be to be the custodian of HPCMLA’s funds, receive and account for all monies due to the organization, to maintain funds the HPCMLA’s various bank accounts, disburse funds at the direction of Chapter officers, oversee the interlibrary loan coupon system and account, oversee annual membership dues collections and to perform all other duties prescribed by these Bylaws and by the parliamentary authority adopted by HPCMLA.
  6. The duties of the Representative to the Chapter Council shall be to represent HPCMLA on the MLA Chapter Council by attending the meetings of the Council, to transmit to the Council recommendations that have been approved by HPCMLA, to communicate Council business to the officers and membership of HPCMLA, and to be responsible for all correspondence generated by the Chapter Council.
  7. The duties of the Alternate Representative to the Chapter Council shall be to attend the meetings of the Chapter Council, to serve as Representative whenever the Representative is unable to do so, to assume the office of Representative and serve out the unexpired term should the Representative become unable to complete the term of office.

Section 3. Nominations & Elections

  1. The Nominating & Elections Committee shall prepare annually a slate of (at least one, but more are preferred) nominee(s) for Chair-Elect and for each elective officer whose term expires.
  2. Ballots shall be distributed to the voting membership by the Nominating & Elections Committee at least 30 days prior to HPCMLA’s Annual Meeting and shall be received by the Committee by the date previously announced for counting ballots. Candidates shall be declared elected upon receiving a majority of the votes cast. Where there are more than two candidates, a plurality shall elect. The Committee shall prepare a New Officers List and submit copies to the Secretary and Web site Editor (for posting to the Chapter’s Web site.)

Section 4. Vacancies

  1. A vacancy arising in the office of Chair shall be filled by the Chair-Elect, who shall cease to be Chair-Elect, shall serve out the unexpired term of the Chair, and shall continue as Chair for the full succeeding term to which he or she was elected.
  2. A vacancy arising in the office of Representative to the Chapter Council shall be filled by the Alternate Representative, who shall cease to be Alternate Representative, and shall serve out the unexpired term of the Representative.
  3. A vacancy arising in any other elected office shall be filled by the Executive Board.

Section 5. Candidate for the MLA Nominating Committee Membership

  1. The name of one Voting Member of the Medical Library Association, chosen by the Nominating & Elections Committee, shall be submitted each year to the Chapter Council as a potential candidate for membership on the MLA Nominating Committee by the date previously announced by the Chapter Council. The potential candidate shall prepare a biographical statement and a signed statement of willingness-to-serve if elected as a member of the MLA Nominating Committee. This statement shall accompany the name submitted.
  2. No person shall consent to being a potential candidate or a candidate for membership on the MLA Nominating Committee who is already such a potential candidate or candidate from some other unit of the Medical Library Association; no candidate for membership on the MLA Nominating Committee shall also be a candidate for an elective office of the Medical Library Association, or vice versa.
  3. No one shall serve on the MLA Nominating Committee as a voting member for more than one term during a period of five years.

ARTICLE V. Meetings

Section 1. Meetings

At least one meeting shall be held in each fiscal year. Additional meetings may be held. One meeting of the Chapter shall be called the “Annual Meeting.” All meetings shall be held at a time and place convenient for members. Notice of all meetings shall be disseminated to the membership at least thirty (30) days in advance of the meeting date.

Section 2. Quorum

Seven (7) voting members shall constitute a quorum of this Chapter.

ARTICLE VI. Executive Board

Section 1. Executive Board

The elected officers of this Chapter shall constitute the Executive Board.

Section 2. Duties

The Executive Board shall have general supervision of the affairs of this Chapter between its Business Meetings, fix the time and place of meetings, make recommendations to the membership, and shall perform such other duties as are specified in these bylaws and by the parliamentary authority adopted by the organization.

ARTICLE VII. Committees

Section 1. Standing Committees

  1. The Executive Board shall establish standing committees to consider matters of the Chapter that require continuity of attention by the members. The Executive Board shall recommend the name and size of each committee.
  2. The Chair, in consultation with the Executive Board, shall designate and announce committee members and chairs in advance of the beginning of his or her term of office and when these appointments shall take effect. Unless otherwise approved by the Executive Board, members of standing committees shall be appointed for terms of one (1) year, and may be reappointed for a second term. The Chair shall have the discretion to terminate appointments. Neither the Chair nor the Chair-Elect shall serve on or appoint members to the Nominating & Elections Committee.

Section 2. Special Committees

HPCMLA Chair may appoint such other special committees as are necessary with the advice and consent of the Executive Board.

Section 3. Committee Chairs

Chairs of committees shall be Voting members of the Medical Library Association.

Section 4. Committee Reports

Each committee shall submit an annual report of its activities to HPCMLA Chair prior to the compilation of the Annual Chapter Report for submission to MLA Headquarters.

ARTICLE VIII. Dissolution

In the event of dissolution of this Chapter, all liabilities and obligations shall be paid or adequate provision made for payment. Any assets not so disposed shall be disposed of by consensus of the Executive Board of HPCMLA to one or more organizations that at the time qualify under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (or the corresponding provisions of any United States internal revenue law). No funds shall benefit any individual member of HPCMLA. If no consensus is met, remaining assets shall be distributed to the Medical Library Association, Inc. within six months as long as the Medical Library Association, Inc. shall qualify as an organization described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. HPCMLA charters shall be returned to MLA Headquarters.

ARTICLE IX. Parliamentary Authority

The rules contained in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern this Chapter in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these bylaws and any special rules of order HPCMLA may adopt.

ARTICLE X. Amendment of Bylaws

These bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds vote, provided that the amendment has been submitted in writing to the membership at least thirty (30) days prior to the vote being taken.

REVISED: April 2013; December 2009; May 2002; March 1995; July 2024

BYLAWS PROCEDURES