Standing Committees

STANDING COMMITTEES

Awards and Honors Committee.
1. This committee is composed of a chair and representatives from each division and is responsible for selecting the recipients of annual awards and honors made by the Association. Criteria for selection of recipients of awards and honors is developed by the committee and approved by the Board of Directors. Reimbursement for honorees' expenses is set by the Board. These costs and all other expenses relating to awards and honors should be included in the committee's budget.
2. In coordination with the President and the Conference Planning Committee Chair, this committee is responsible for planning the Awards Luncheon at the annual conference and/or for any other activity at the awards and honors are presented.
3. The Awards and Honors Committee Guidelines are set forth in Appendix 2. In the fall, the Chair should review the guidelines with the committee members. Any changes in the guidelines must be approved by the Board of Directors.
Bylaws Committee.
1. This committee formulates and recommends to the membership such changes in the Bylaws as may be necessary. The chair should confer with the Executive Committee as part of this process. The Executive Committee and the Bylaws Committee should review the Guidelines for Amending Bylaws set forth in Appendix 3.
2. The chair is responsible for ensuring that notice of a vote on proposed changes to the Bylaws is made in writing to the membership at least thirty days (30) prior to a meeting at which a vote is to be taken or prior to the mailing ballots by which the vote is to be recorded. [Bylaws. Article XVI, Sec. 1]
3. The chair is responsible for revising the Bylaws in accordance with amendments made during his/her incumbency and transmitting them to the President and the Executive Director for publication. A copy of the current bylaws will be included in the MLA Handbook.
Cates Scholarship Committee.
1. Sheila Cates Scholarship Fund. On October 30, 1993, the Board of Directors voted to establish the Sheila Cates Scholarship Fund to provide financial support for those seeking graduate education in library and/or information science. The Board established the scholarship fund to honor the memory of Sheila Cates and to take an affirmative step toward meeting the Association's goal of supporting professional development for those who work in Montana's libraries. Considering Sheila's leadership in and support of professional development, it is the intention of the Board of Directors that persons selected to receive an award from this fund should show potential for emulating Sheila's contribution to Montana libraries. The Board of Directors has established a separate bank account for monies collected for the Sheila Cates Scholarship Fund. A status report on the account should be included as part of regular financial reports to the Board.
2. Committee Membership. Each appointed member of the committee will serve a three year term on a staggered basis, with one new member being appointed each year. In addition, the President and Secretary/Treasurer will be ex officio members of the committee. The Chair of the committee will be appointed by the President.
3. Scholarship Selection Procedure. The committee is responsible for formulating selection procedures for those seeking awards for the Cates Scholarship Fund. For awards of $500 or less, the procedure should include a written application. For awards over $500, the procedure should include a personal or telephone interview in addition to a written application. In all cases, the Cates Scholarship Committee members will evaluate applications and select recipients of awards. The selection procedure should include a statement directing that deliberations of the Committee and its evaluation of applications are confidential. A current copy of the selection procedure is located at Appendix 4.
4. Criteria for Selection. The committee is responsible for identifying and defining criteria to be used in selecting recipients of scholarship awards and for devising an evaluation scheme for rating candidates on each criteria. The committee should consider the following criteria:
  1. membership in the Montana Library Association;
  2. potential for academic excellence;
  3. successful employment experience;
  4. leadership potential;
  5. excellent communication skills;
  6. service attitude;
  7. commitment to work in librarianship in Montana after completion of education.
  The criteria, their definitions, and rating scheme should be included as part of the application procedures.
5. Approval by Board of Directors. The application and selection procedures, including criteria for selection, should be regularly review by the committee. Revisions in the procedures or any other aspect of the scholarship award process must be approved by the Board of Directors.
6. Fund Raising. The committee is responsible for the following fund raising activities:
  1. publicizing the fund and seeking donations from members and other to honor and acknowledge colleagues;
  2. seeking donations from charitable organizations that contribute to educational concerns;
  3. coordinating an annual fund raising event within the Association;
  4. continually reviewing, evaluating, and implementing other appropriate fund raising mechanisms.
  5. establishing fund raising goals and publicizing them to the membership. The first goal of $5,000 principal by April 1, 1995 was reached. The committee's current goal is $20,000 principal by the year 2000
7. Scholarship Awards. The committee is responsible for soliciting applications and making awards from the Cates Scholarship fund based on the following guidelines and funds available. Once the fund raising goal is reached, interest from the fund will be used to fund scholarships. Until the goal is reached, only money collected through fund raising should be used to fund scholarship awards. All money donated to the fund from other avenues such as memorials, donations, and grants should be invested to increase the principal.
8. Investment of Funds. The committee is responsible for investigating appropriate investment alternatives as the principal in the Cates Scholarship Fund increases. The committee chair should make recommendations on a regular basis to the Board regarding investment of the funds. All decisions regarding investment of the funds will be made by the Board of Directors.
Conference Planning Committee.
1. Membership. The Conference Planning Committee shall consist of three committee members, each representing one of the divisions of the Association, and two additional committee members to represent the membership at large. These five committee members are appointed by the President to serve staggered three-year terms. The Local Arrangements Committee Chair(s) shall also serve on the Conference Planning Committee. The President, the Vice President-President Elect, the Professional Development Committee Chair, the Executive Director, and a representative of the Montana State Library shall serve as ex officio members of the committee. The chair of the committee will be appointed by the President.
2. Duties. This committee has responsibility for the following activities:
  1. planning the overall schedule of the annual conference;
  2. planning and coordinating continuing education workshops at the annual conference, seeking input from division chairs, interest group chairs, committee chairs, and others;
  3. coordinating with the Local Arrangements Committee on all matters regarding the conference program and schedule;
  4. administering the annual conference budget and expenditures in coordination with the Conference Treasurer.
3. Conference Planning Manual. Detailed procedures for planning and implementing the Association's annual conference are set forth in the Conference Planning Manual, which is located in Appendix 5.
Government Affairs Committee.
1. Membership. The Government Affairs Committee Chair is appointed by the President. To ensure continuity in dealing with the Association's legislative agenda, it is expected that the chair may be reappointed for several terms unless the Board of Directors determines that there is good cause not to reappoint an incumbent chair. In consultation with the chair, the President should make every effort to appoint committee members who represent all types of libraries and a broad range of geographical areas around the state. The President and the Montana State Librarian serve as ex officio members of the committee.
2. Legislative Agenda. With direction from the President, the Executive Committee, and the Board of Directors, the Government Affairs Committee is responsible for developing and implementing the Association's legislative agenda. Guidelines to be followed in developing and implementing the legislative agenda are set forth in Section ____, Lobbying, of the Manual of Procedures.
3. Legislative Day. During each legislative session, the committee is responsible for planning and implementing a Montana Library Association Legislative Day event. A budget request to cover expenditures for Legislative Day should be included in the committee's budget request for the fiscal year in which Legislative Day is to be held.
4. Advocacy Network. The committee is responsible for developing and maintaining a statewide network of Association members and other library advocates who are willing to lobby for library concerns at all levels, including a system for ensuring that the network continues from year to year. The committee is also responsible for developing an effective process for communicating with the network about legislative issues and for quickly activating the network as support for libraries is needed.
5. Continuing Education. The committee is also responsible for informing and educating Association members about government affairs, with the aim of highlighting the important connection between political activity (in its broadest sense and at all levels) and the success of library programs. The Board of Directors should encourage and support the committee in this effort, particularly in providing continuing education workshops at annual conferences.
Intellectual Freedom Committee.
1. This committee's purpose is to create awareness among librarians of their responsibility to promote freedom of access to information in all types of libraries and to assist any library, library worker, library trustee, or friend of the library besieged by individuals or groups attempting to interfere with the right-to-read.
2. The committee shall reassure librarians, trustees, and friends of the library that they will receive support from the committee should the principles of the right-to-read be violated.
3. It should submit proposals of the committee pertinent to meeting these responsibilities to the Board of Directors and report censorship incidents to the President and the Intellectual Freedom Office of the American Library Association.
4. In coordination with the Awards and Honors Committee and in compliance with the Guidelines for Awards and Honors (Appendix 2), this committee may solicit nominations and select recipients for an Intellectual Freedom Award to be presented at the annual conference.
Marketing and Public Relations Committee.
1. The committee is responsible for identifying and implementing methods and activities by which the Association can assist local libraries to enhance public perception of library programs and services, focusing especially on reaching individuals and/or groups that fund and/or govern libraries.
2. The committee is also responsible for identifying and implementing methods and activities by which the Association itself can conduct an ongoing statewide public relations/marketing campaign to enhance public perception of library programs and services.
Membership Committee.
1. The committee shall endeavor to enlist a large and active membership in the Montana Library Association.
2. The Executive Director is an ex-officio member of this committee.
3. Chairs of each division shall serve as members. The Directors at Large serve as co-chairs of the committee.
4. Montana Library Association members and division Chairs are responsible for recruiting new members, and should coordinate their activities with the Executive Director to avoid duplication and/or contacting of paid members.
Nominating Committee.
1. The Nominating Committee shall consisting of the immediate past chairs of the divisions of the Association. The immediate Past President shall serve as chair of the committee. [Bylaws. Article XIII. Sec. 1] Members of the committee shall represent the membership at large and their respective divisions.
2. Candidates for Vice-President-President Elect, Secretary-Treasurer, Directors at Large, PNLA Representative, MPLA Representative, and ALA Councilor shall be nominated as the respective terms expire. [Bylaws. Article VIII, Sec. 2].
3. For the office of Vice President-President Elect, the Nominating Committee shall seek to maintain an equitable balance among the divisions, striving to obtain nominees from the membership who would well-represent all types of libraries.
4. Offices to be filled are:
  1. Vice President-President Elect
  2. Secretary-Treasurer (two-year term)
  3. Directors at Large (two-year, staggered terms)
  4. ALA Chapter Councilor (four-year term)
  5. MPLA Representative (two-year term)
  6. PNLA Representative (two-year term)
5. All members are encouraged to participate in the nominations process. Opportunities should be provided to enable individual members to nominate candidates, including themselves, for the elective offices. A form for this purpose should be included with the annual ballot, soliciting possible candidates for the next year's slate of officers. The chair should place articles in Montana Library Focus encouraging members to submit their names or names of colleagues to the chair for consideration. The final determination of the annual slate to be placed in nomination rests with the Nominating Committee; however, all ballots must include a space for write-in votes. The chair should secure permission from the nominees to put their names in nomination and give a definite date by which reply in writing must be received. If more than one person is being nominated for any office, each should be told there is a possibility of competition.
6. The slate of officers should be finalized by February 1. The slate, including a biographical sketch and statement from each candidate, should be included in the conference pre-registration mailing. The chair should coordinate with the President and the Conference Planning Committee Chair to accomplish this.
7. In consultation with the President, the Board of Directors, and the Conference Planning Committee Chair, the chair is responsible for scheduling, coordinating, and hosting a time at one or more general conference sessions at which each candidate for office may be introduced to the members and make a short statement.
8. Immediately following the annual conference and in any event no later than two weeks following the conference, the chair should coordinate with the Executive Director to send out a ballot to all active Association members. [Bylaws. Article XIII, Sec. 3]. A biographical sketch on, and a short statement from, each candidate should be enclosed with the ballot. The ballot shall also contain appropriate spaces for write in candidates for each position. The cost of mailing should be included in the committee's budget.
9. Only ALA members may vote for the ALA Chapter Councilor. A list of current ALA members should be received by the incumbent Councilor from ALA.
10. Ballots should be returned to the chair, who shall make arrangements for them to be counted. The ballot should include the chair's address and a deadline date for return of ballots. The candidates receiving the highest number of votes shall be elected. An official report of the election results should be prepared by the chair and transmitted to the President and the Vice President-President Elect. After counting, the ballots should be sent to the Executive Director, who will keep them on file for one year before discarding them.
11. Immediately after the ballots have been counted and in any event no later than June 1, the chair should notify nominees whether or not they were elected. All candidates should be thanked for their willingness to serve the Association by running for office.
12. Once the nominees have been notified of the outcome of the election, the chair should announce the election results to the membership through a report in Montana Library Focus and/or any other available avenues of communication. In any event, the results of the election should be announced to the members before June 30 [Bylaws. Article XIII, Sec. 4].
13. New officers and directors shall assume office on July 1.
Professional Development Committee.
1. This committee is responsible for enhancing the scope, quality, and availability of the Association's continuing education offerings and other professional development activities. This may include:
  1. creating an awareness of the importance of professional growth and development in the field of library service and the need for continuing education;
  2. implementing an assessment of continuing education needs;
  3. coordinating and planning state continuing education program opportunities, in cooperation with the Conference Planning Committee when necessary;
  4. serving as a link with national, regional, and state associations and agencies charged with continuing education responsibilities by collecting and disseminating materials, information and services;
  5. evaluating continuing education activities, including implementing methods to assure high quality workshops at annual conferences and other Association sponsored continuing education events.
2. The committee is also responsible for administering the award of the Association's Conference Grants and Professional Development Grants. As part of this function, the committee is responsible for developing and publicizing guidelines for the award of such grants, including criteria for selection to receive a grant. The current grant guidelines are located in Appendix 6. Monies to fund the grants should be included in the committee's annual budget request.
3. The Professional Development Committee Chair shall serve as an ex officio member of the Conference Planning Committee. The chair shall also serve as the Montana Library Association's representative on the Voluntary Certification Screening Board of the Montana State Library's Voluntary Certification Program for public libraries.
Publications Committee.
1. The Publications Committee shall consist of the current chairs of the divisions of the Association. A representative of the Montana State Library should serve as an ex officio member of the committee to facilitate communication about, and coordination with, the publications of the State Library. The immediate Past President shall serve as chair of the committee. Members of the committee shall represent the membership at large and their respective divisions.
2. The purpose of the Publications Committee is to advise the Board of Directors and the Montana Library Focus editor(s) on editorial and publication policies and to assist in communicating these policies to the membership.