FLS Elections

FLS 2023 Executive Board Slate

FLS 2023 Election Information

The 2023 FLS ballot will include candidates for the FLS Executive Board and a vote on amendments to the By-laws of FLS.
Here is a PDF packet that includes all six candidate profiles and the FLS Amended By-laws information.

FLS By-Laws:
According to Article X of the 2022 FLS By-Laws "The Executive Board is required to submit all proposed amendments with recommendation for ratification by members voting ... A two-thirds majority of the members participating is required for passage." The FLS Executive Board recommends a vote FOR the amendments. See below for a document containing the proposed changes.

FLS Candidates:

The library system listed with each candidate’s hometown indicates the person’s residency.
Please click on the Profile link for additional information on each person.
These candidates will be installed on the FLS Executive Board at the Annual Membership Meeting of the Section to be held virtually in November.

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Amendments to the FLS By-Laws

The Executive Board of the Friends of Libraries Section submits the following amendments to the By-Laws of the Friends of Libraries Section, currently dated June 16, 2022, for approval by the FLS membership. The Executive Board recommends ratification of these amended by-laws which will allow for a future election of a new officer, an FLS Councilor to represent the Section on NYLA Council.

A draft of the amended by-laws, dated March 22, 2023, can be found here. Please see below for a list of the recommended changes. If these proposed changes are ratified by our members, these amended by-laws shall go into effect at the close of the 2023 FLS/NYLA election. Thank you for voting on this question during the election, June 1-15, 2023.

Explanation of rationale for changes:

Article I. An Arabic numeral “1” will be replaced by a Roman numeral “I” for consistency throughout the document.

The following changes were incorporated for the creation of the FLS Councilor position.

Article IV, A. The FLS Councilor was added into the list of elected officers.
Article IV, C. Adding the sentence, “The FLS Councilor shall serve a term of three years representing the Section on NYLA Council,” to indicate the officer’s length of term and primary purpose.
Article V, B. Incorporated the FLS Councilor as a member of the Executive Board.
Article VI, A. The FLS Councilor was added into the roster of the Executive Committee.

2023 Slate for the FLS Executive Board

First Vice President/President Elect (vote for one)
Christopher Lund
Cortland (Finger Lakes Library System)
Term Ending: November 2026
Read profile here.

Secretary (vote for one)
Joyce Maguda
Eden (Buffalo & Erie County Public Library System)
Term Ending: November 2025
Read profile here.

Member At Large (vote for four)
Term Ending: November 2025

Matthew Corey
Watertown (North Country Library System)
Read profile here.

James Foster
West Charlton (Southern Adirondack Library System)
Read profile here.

Erica Freudenberger (Incumbent)
Catskill (Mid-Hudson Library System)
Read profile here.

Mary Giardini (Incumbent)
Olean (Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Library System)
Read profile here.

Elections Information

The FLS Nominating Committee nominates candidates from among FLS members for the position of president-elect (annually), for the position of 2nd vice president, secretary or treasurer (every two years), and for Members At Large of the Executive Board (annually). The office of President is a three-year term, first serving as First Vice President/President-Elect, then Section President, and then Immediate Past President. Individuals who are not selected by the Nominating Committee may run for office by petition.

Petition Candidates

Article VII, Nominations and Elections, Section B. of the FLS By-Laws states that additional nominations of Section members may be added to the slate of candidates by petition signed by ten members. The petition must be submitted by April 15, prior to the scheduled issuing of the ballot by NYLA on June 1.

Individuals wishing to appear on the 2023 ballot as a petition candidate for the office of FLS President-Elect, Secretary, or Member At Large must complete a petition along with a candidate profile sheet and submit both to Karen Sperrazza, Chair, FLS Nominating Committee, by email at krnsprrzz@gmail.com no later than Tuesday, April 15, 2023. Job descriptions for these elected positions and a candidate profile sheet can be found below.

These submission dates have been adjusted to accomodate the change in the NYLA Elections schedule effective beginning in 2022.

Election Schedule

In 2015, FLS began holding its election for the Executive Board exclusively online. Those members without Internet access at home or at work can access NYLA’s election process by visiting their local public library.

In June, an e-mail blast notification of the election is sent to all NYLA members eligible to vote, detailing the log in process for casting ballots through the NYLA Online Membership Center. To be eligible to vote, individuals must be members in good standing as of May 1.

The elections open on June 1 and close on June 15. Results are announced via e-mail blast and published in the FLS newsletter.