Public Libraries Section | Our Bylaws 

Article I. Name

Section 1. The name of this organization shall be the Public Libraries Section (PLS) of the New York Library Association (NYLA).

Article II. Purpose

Section 1. The mission of the Public Libraries Section is to encourage the development, promotion, and improvement of public librarians, public libraries, and public library systems in the State of New York, and to advocate on behalf of all library workers, to enhance learning, quality of life, and equal opportunity for all New Yorkers.

 Article III. Membership

Section 1. Any member of the New York Library Association who is interested in the objectives of the Section shall be eligible for membership. All personal members of this Section shall be eligible to vote.

 Article IV. Officers and Directors

Section 1. The officers of this Section shall be a President, a First Vice-President who shall be President-Elect, a Second Vice-President, a Treasurer, a Secretary, and a Past-President. All officers shall, at the time of their election, be employed by a public library or public library system located in New York State.

Section 2. There shall be three At-Large Board Members, elected by the membership.

Section 3. Terms of Office. The terms of First Vice-President, President, and Past-President shall be one year each, as part of a three-year rotation. The First Vice-President shall be the President-Elect and will serve the first year as First Vice President, the second year as President, and the third year as Past President. The Secretary and Treasurer shall be elected for two-year terms. The Secretary shall be elected in odd-numbered years. The Treasurer shall be elected in even-numbered years. The Second Vice-President shall be elected for a two-year term. The At-Large Board Members shall serve three years, one term expiring each year. Terms of office shall begin at the end of the annual conference of the New York Library Association or on October 1 if there is no annual meeting. With the exception of the Treasurer, all elected officers and elected members of the Board shall serve until the adjournment of the business meeting at the Annual Conference or until October 1 if no annual conference is held that year. The Treasurer shall serve concurrently with the newly elected Treasurer until the end of the calendar year, December 31. All officers shall turn over their records in good order to their successors within one month after the annual conference.

Article V. PLS Board

Section 1. The PLS Board shall consist of five elected officers, three elected Directors, and the immediate Past President. It shall have the authority to conduct the business of the Section between annual business meetings.

Article VI. Meetings

Section 1. General Meetings. The Section shall hold an annual business meeting at the time and place of the annual conference of the New York Library Association. Those members in good standing who are present shall constitute a quorum.

Section 2. Board Meetings. The Board shall meet during the annual conference and at other times at the request of the President or a majority of the Board. A simple majority of those members eligible to vote shall constitute a quorum. The Board may conduct its business by mail, telephone, or electronic communication when advisable. Action taken shall be reported, verified, and made part of the minutes of the next meeting of the Board.

Section 3. Special Meetings. Special meetings of the Section may be called by the Board, or by petition, which must be signed by twenty-five members in good standing. The membership of the Section shall be notified, at least thirty days beforehand of the time and place of any special meeting by publication in the Section newsletter or by mail or electronic communication.

Section 4. Any member of the Board who fails to attend three consecutive board meetings or three board meetings in six months without prior notification or medical excuse may be removed from office by a vote of the Board and a replacement shall be appointed as provided in Article XI.

Article VII. Committees

Section 1. Standing committees whose functions are continuous from year to year may be established by the President with the approval of the Executive Board. A current list of standing committees will be maintained by the Secretary and distributed to the members of the Board. Committee members shall be appointed by the President each year for a term of three years, subject to Board approval. Special ad hoc committees may be created and appointed by the President as necessary, subject to Board approval.

Section 2. Committee vacancies shall be filled by the President, subject to Board approval.

Section 3. All committee chairpersons shall report annually or as needed to the Board, such reports to be presented in writing within one month following the annual meeting or, if no annual meeting is held, by October 1.

Article VIII. Amendments

Section 1. These bylaws may be amended by two-thirds of the members present and voting at a general or special meeting of the Section.

Section 2. Amendments may be proposed by the PLS Board, or by petition which must be signed by at least twenty-five members in good standing.

Section 3. Proposed amendments shall be submitted to the members by publication in the Section newsletter, or by mail or electronic communication, at least three weeks thirty days prior to the time selected for the vote on them.

Section 4. After amendments to the bylaws of this Section have been approved, they shall be forwarded to NYLA.

Article IX. Duties of Officers and Board Members

Section 1. The duties and responsibilities of each of the Officers and Board Members shall be established each year and laid out in a document separate from these By-Laws, but which will be made to be an appendix to these By-Laws.

a. The document establishing the duties and responsibilities of the Officers and Board Members shall be re-evaluated and adopted by the Board each January. A majority of the members present voting in favor of the document shall be required to update it. of the Treasurer are described in Article X. Finances.

Article X. Finances

Section 1. The fiscal year of the Section shall be the period July 1 to June 30. If NYLA changes its fiscal year, the Section shall amend its practice, reporting, and bylaws to align with NYLA’s fiscal year.

Section 2. The financial records of the Section shall be maintained by NYLA.

Article XI. Nominations, Elections and Succession

Section 1. The Past President shall be chair of PLS elections, and alerts membership about board positions by April 1st. Candidates shall be reported to the Board for approval by May 15. The slate of candidates shall be sent to the NYLA Executive Director by June 1 for June 15 election.

Section 2. Succession. In the event of a vacancy in the office of President, the Vice President/President-Elect shall assume the duties of President. If the Vice-President/President-Elect cannot perform his or her duties, the second Vice President shall assume the duties of that office.

Section 3. A vacancy in the elected membership of the Board shall be filled by Board appointment. The appointee shall serve for the remainder of the unexpired term, at which time the appointee would be eligible to run for a full term.

Article XII. Parliamentary Authority

Section 1. The rules contained in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern the Section 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 Section may adopt.

Revised and Amended by Membership at the Annual Meeting on February 14, 2022