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About AALS > Bylaws
Article I.
NAME and MISSION
The name of the organization shall be the Alamo Area Library System
(AALS).
It is established under Section 441.123 of the Texas
Library Systems Act.
The mission of the Alamo Area Library System (AALS) is to promote,
coordinate and facilitate communication and resource sharing to
provide quality library and information services to all residents in
the service area. This mission will be achieved through the joint
efforts of librarians, staff, lay representatives, community
partners, and residents.
Article II.
BOUNDARIES
The boundaries of
the Alamo Area Library System shall be the area as established by
the Texas State Library and Archives Commission in §1.42 of The
Library Systems’ Act and Rules for Administering the Library Systems
Act.
Article III. MEMBERSHIP
Membership is
open to all Texas tax-supported libraries accredited by the Texas
State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC) as members of the
Texas Library System. Minimum standards for accreditation of public
libraries in the state library system are defined in §1.71 through
§1.86 of The Library Systems’ Act and Rules for Administering the
Library Systems Act. A library that is not considered a public
library may be extended membership if it is accredited by TSLAC to
be eligible to join the System and by resolution or ordinance of its
governing body and execution of interlibrary contracts for service.
Major Resource Center’s
Responsibilities
The San Antonio Public Library has been
designated as the Major Resource Center and the System headquarters
of the Alamo Area Library System by the Texas State Library and
Archives Commission. Responsiblities are:
1.
Serves as the legal body which administers the System grants through
the City of San Antonio.
2.
Employs the Alamo Area Library System Coordinator and staff.
3.
Serves as a resource within the System for both the staff and for
libraries, programs and services approved by the membership and the
Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
4.
Reviews and approves the annual Plan of Service and the biennial
long-range plan after approval and review from the Advisory Council.
5.
Appoints the Major Resource Center Director in cooperation with the
San Antonio Public Library Board of Trustees.
Member
Libraries’ Responsibilities
1.
The governing body of each AALS member library shall appoint
or elect a lay representative to participate in System planning
activities, serve on System committees as appointed and stand for
election to the Advisory Council as provided in the Library Systems
Act.
2.
At least one System member
librarian, from each member library and lay representatives,
are obligated to participate in the formulation of System programs
and policies; study, support and comply with the programs of the
System; and provide information on these programs to their Boards of
Trustees and governing bodies.
3.
At least one System member
librarian is obligated to attend and participate in all regular or
special meetings of the System and for each
to serve on at least one committee as appointed by the Chair
of the AALS Advisory Council in order to ensure that System
activities reflect the needs of all System members.
Article IV. LAY REPRESENTATIVES
The governing body of each member library
shall biennially appoint or elect a citizen as a lay representative
to represent the interests and needs of the library. The lay
representative cannot be an employee of the library.
Notification of the appointment or election of the lay
representative shall be made in writing to the AALS office
immediately after the election or appointment becomes official.
Each member library will submit to the System Coordinator the name,
address, phone number and background information of its lay
representative immediately after the appointment becomes official,
but no later than the first meeting of the fiscal year. The term of
office shall be for two years. All lay and alternate
representatives are eligible for reappointment. If the appointed
lay representative is elected to the Advisory Council, the governing
body must select a new lay representative and notify the System in
writing of the name of the new lay representative.
A federated county or multi-county library
system shall be eligible to send to the annual meetings of lay
representatives either a citizen to represent the entire county or
multi-county library System; or they may permit each individual
member library in their system to send one representative to the lay
representatives meeting. However, only those federated county or
multi-county libraries which could individually qualify for AALS
membership will be eligible to send a lay representative. No
federated county or multi-county library system shall have more than
one representative serving on the Advisory Council at the same time.
Voting:
1.
The lay representative of each member library shall vote for that
library in any election or official vote required by the bylaws or
requested by the Advisory Council or membership.
Lay representatives from federated library systems or
multi-county library systems may cast only their total
System-assigned proportional vote(s) and not a vote from each
individual library.
2.
In the event a lay representative is not present, the alternate lay
representative may cast the vote.
3.
No voting by proxy will be permitted.
4.
All recorded votes by lay representatives shall be by written
ballot.
5.
The lay representative of each member library of the System shall
have one vote as a representative of a member library and shall have
that proportion of additional votes, which shall equal the number of
member libraries, as the population served by the voting
representative’s library has to the total population served by all
member libraries. The distribution of votes shall be determined each
year by the System Coordinator based upon the information provided
by the TSLAC. Votes shall be rounded off to the nearest whole
number. Federated library systems or multi-county library systems
will be assigned proportional vote(s) for their single lay
representative and not for individual member libraries.
6.
Lay representatives vote for Advisory Council members; approval of
the annual Plan of Service and the biennial long-range plan;
strategic plans formulated for AALS as a System; and other issues
that require systemwide approval.
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Article V.
ADVISORY COUNCIL
The Advisory Council shall consist of six
members elected from the lay representatives, but not alternate
representatives, who will represent the interests and needs of all
the member libraries in the AALS. The Major Resource Center will
always have one representative on the Advisory Council.
Representation on the Advisory Council should be both
geographically balanced and reflective of the various sizes of
libraries in the System. The term of office for each member shall
be a period of three years and shall begin on the first day of the
fiscal year. No individual may serve more than two consecutive full
terms on the Council, but shall become eligible for election to the
council after an absence of one fulll term. No library or federated
county system in AALS may have more than one representative elected
or appointed to the Advisory Council. Election ballots shall be in
writing and voting shall be weighted as required. A quorum for the
Advisory Council shall consist of three members.
The Advisory Council will meet every year and
shall annually elect from among its members a Chair, a Vice-Chair,
and a Secretary at the fall meeting of the Council. Members of the
AALS Advisory Council shall attend all meetings of the Council.
Members who fail to attend two consecutive regular meetings may be
replaced. All meetings of the Advisory Council shall be open to all
members, and shall, at the discretion of the chair, provide input
from the Major Resource Center, the System staff, and member
libraries. The Advisory Council shall be reimbursed for all actual
and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their official
duties as authorized by the State of Texas and the City of San
Antonio.
The Advisory
Council will follow all rules put forth in §1.111 through §1.123 of
the The Library Systems’ Act and Rules for Administering the
Library Systems Act.
Duties of Advisory Council Members
The Advisory Council shall serve as the
liaison agency between the AALS member libraries and their governing
bodies and library boards to:
1.
Advise, review and approve the formulation of the annual Plan of
System Service and biennial long-range plan after review and
approval by the lay representatives.
2.
Review and approve bylaws amendments.
3.
Approve policies appropriate to services needed.
4.
Evaluate services received.
5.
Counsel with administrative personnel.
6.
Recommend functions and limitations of contracts between cooperating
agencies.
Section A. Appointment.
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The governing body of each member library
shall biennially appoint or elect a citizen as a Lay
Representative to represent the interests and needs of the
library. The citizen cannot be an employee of the library.
Notification of the appointment or election of the Lay
Representative shall be made in writing to the AALS office
immediately after the election or appointment becomes official.
Each member library will submit to the System Coordinator the
name, address, phone number and background information of its
Lay Representative immediately after the appointment becomes
official, but no later than the first meeting of the fiscal
year.
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The governing body of each member library may
biennially appoint or elect an Alternate Lay Representative to
serve in the absence of the appointed or elected Lay
Representative. The name of the Alternate must be sent to the
AALS office immediately following selection.
-
A federated county or multi-county library
system shall be eligible to send to the annual meetings of Lay
Representatives either a citizen to represent the entire county
or multi-county library System; or they may permit each
individual member library in their system to send one
representative to the Lay Representatives meeting. However, only
those federated county or multi-county libraries which could
individually qualify for AALS membership will be eligible to
send a Lay Representative. No federated county or multi-county
library system shall have more than one representative serving
on the Advisory Council at the same time.
Section B. Terms of Appointment.
-
The term of appointment for each Lay
Representative or Alternate shall be for two years beginning
September 1 and ending August 31 to coincide with the state's
fiscal year. Lay Representatives and/or Alternates shall be
eligible for reappointment.
-
If the appointed Lay Representative is
elected to the Advisory Council, the governing body must select
a new Lay Representative and notify the System in writing of the
name of the new Lay Representative. The prior representative
continues to serve on the Advisory Council until his/her term
expires. The new Lay Representative may vote on behalf of the
System member library at the annual meeting to fill council
vacancies, however, the new representative cannot be elected to
the Advisory Council.
Section C. Duties and Responsibilities.
-
To participate in meetings of the AALS and
speak on behalf of local needs and interests.
-
To represent the governing bodies of their
libraries in matters concerning the System, and to keep the
governing body of the library they represent fully informed of
System services and of any System matters which require action
at the local level.
-
To elect from Lay Representative membership
the members of the Advisory Council.
-
To serve on standing and special committees
as appointed by the Chair of the AALS Advisory Council.
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To participate in the planning, review and
approval of the Annual and Biennial Plans of Service and Budgets
and the Strategic Plan.
-
To review and recommend approval of the
System bylaws and bylaws amendments to the Advisory Council.
Section D. Compensation.
Lay Representatives and Alternates serve without compensation from
System funds.
Article VI. COMMITTEES.
There shall be standing committees and
special committees. Program committees will be determined by voice
vote at the Spring Membership Meeting prior to the following fiscal
year. Geographic committee meetings will meet annually. All
committee meetings will be announced on the AALS Web page (www.aalstx.org)
or by mail at least two weeks in advance with dates, time, place and
pertinent information included in the announcement.
The Advisory Council Chair shall appoint a
Planning Committee to review and consolidate recommendations
submitted by Program and Geographic committees, to assist the System
Coordinator in the preparation of plans, programs and budget
estimates for final review by the membership and Advisory Council.
The Planning Committee shall include one Advisory Council
representative, other than the Chair, elected Geographic Committee
Chairs, the Chair of each standing Program Committee, and two other
representatives from member libraries chosen to achieve a reasonable
balance between system areas and library sizes. The two at-large
representatives will be chosen by the Coordinator.
Article VII. MEETINGS
There will be two membership meetings
annually. The fall meeting will be held in San Antonio and the
spring meeting will be held outside of San Antonio. Membership
meeting announcements shall be mailed to the Advisory Council, lay
representatives and member libraries at least two weeks in advance
of each regularly scheduled or called meeting. Announcements shall
give time, place, date and agenda.
Article VIII. PERSONNEL.
The staff of the Alamo Area Library System
are considered to be employees of the City of San Antonio and are
subject to all the rules, regulations, rights and privileges put
forth by the City under the Civil Service Regulations. The System
Coordinator is responsible for planning, developing and implementing
all System programs with the involvement of the Advisory Council,
member librarians, lay representatives and other interested parties;
ensures that all programs are responsive to the needs of the
members; assesses library needs and priorities in the annual plan of
service and long-range plan; operates the System within the
framework of personnel and fiscal requirements of the Major Resource
Center and the City of San Antonio; and fulfills the annual program
of services as contained in the contract between the City of San
Antonio and the Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
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Article IX.
BYLAWS AMENDMENTS.
These bylaws may
be amended by a weighted vote of a majority of the Lay
Representatives, with a recommendation for their consideration and
approval by the Advisory Council, to be followed by a majority vote
by the Advisory Council and with the approval of the Major Resource
Center Director, after due notice of the proposed changes to the
bylaws has been given. Changes to the bylaws may be made by mail
ballot or at a called System meeting with Advisory Council, lay
representatives and member librarians present. Notice of proposed
changes must be printed and mailed to each System member library at
least two weeks prior to the meeting at which amendments are to be
approved or ballots mailed. Bylaws must be in conformance with the
Texas State Library Systems Act and the currently adopted Rules and
Regulations.
ALAMO AREA LIBRARY SYSTEM
BYLAWS
Revised: June 1983
October 1984
October 1987
June 1990
October 1991
June 1995
October 1997
September 2003
January 15, 2004
March 23, 2007
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