COMMITTEE GUIDELINES

1. Standing Committees.

   1. The Vice-President/President-Elect shall appoint chairpersons for all standing committees, who shall be approved by the Board of Directors at its last meeting held during the Conference. By June 1, the new President shall have completed committee member appointments to be submitted to the Board for approval at its summer meeting. Each committee shall consist of at least three (3) members. Committee personnel shall be published annually with the Association membership list. The name, purpose, and function of each committee shall be detailed in the Manual of Procedure. [Bylaws. Article X, Sec. 1]

2. Special Committees.

   As the need arises, special committees may be appointed by the President, subject to the approval of the Board of Directors, to carry out special tasks. Special committees shall automatically cease to exist at the completion of said task. [Bylaws. Article X, Sec. 2]

3. Committee Appointments

   1. All committees are appointed by the President, subject to the approval of the Board of Directors. The President shall seek nominations of committee members from the committees themselves and through such media as the newsletter.
   2. Each committee should have not less than three members nor more than nine members, with the Board of Directors having the power to enlarge a committee as appropriate.
   3. Some committees may require representation from specific groups to operate most effectively. The specifics of committee composition will be detailed in the committee's description included in the Manual of Procedure.
   4. Standing committee members shall serve a term of three years, no more than two consecutive terms, and terms shall be staggered so that one-third are appointed each year.
   5. Ex-officio committee members are notified of appointments just as are other committee members.
   6. Personnel of all committees must be members of the Association.
   7. Upon official notification of their appointment by the President, the individual committee chairpersons shall immediately notify their committee members and begin their year's work.

4. Committee Functions.

   1. Each committee member shall be familiar with the Bylaws of the Association.
   2. Committee chairpersons may attend any Board meeting or may be requested to do so. They may enter into discussion, but may not vote. If a chairperson if requested by the Board to attend a meeting, travel expenses of the chairperson will be reimbursed according to Association guidelines.
   3. Resignation of a committee member shall be made to the appropriate committee chairperson for transmittal to the President.
   4. Each committee chairperson shall be familiar with the work of the corresponding committee, if any, of the Pacific Northwest Library Association, the Mountain Plains Library Association, and the American Library Association. Committee chairpersons should coordinate with the Association's representatives to these organizations to assist in obtaining information.
   5. No committee action shall be taken in the name of the Montana Library Association without prior approval of the Board of Directors or its Executive committee.
   6. If the Association's funds are necessary to carry on the work of the committee, the committee chairperson must follow established Association budgeting and financial procedures to request and expend funds.
   7. Each committee chairperson shall cooperate fully with his/her successor and transmit all records, files, and minutes of the committee by June 1.
   8. Materials prepared by a committee chairperson for distribution to the Association membership shall have the approval of the committee members. If a reply from the members has not been received on the date indicated by the chairperson, approval is assumed.
   9. Copies of all correspondence sent and received shall be sent to the President by the committee chairperson.
   10. If a committee wishes to have specific participation in the program of the annual conference, the committee chairperson should contact the Chair of the Conference Planning Committee and participate in conference planning in accordance with guidelines established by the Conference Planning Committee.

5. Committee Reports.

   1. It shall be the duty of the standing and special committee chairpersons to submit annual reports to the President in writing by the date specified by the President. [Bylaws. Article X, Sec. 3]
   2. Reports should contain statements of activities and results achieved by the committee during the year with recommendations to the Board of Directors, the membership, or to the incoming committee when pertinent.
   3. Committee chairpersons shall submit other reports as required by the President.