Bylaws of the Library Trustee Forum

Bylaws of the Library Trustee Forum

Article I—Name
The name of this organization shall be the ILA Library Trustee Forum (LTF).

Article II—Purpose 
Section 1. The Illinois Library Trustee Forum supports the provision of library services for all of the people of Illinois.

Section 2. The Illinois Library Trustee Forum has specific responsibility for:

  1. Educational programs to enable library trustees to be effective on behalf of the libraries they represent.
  2. Activities and programs benefitting library trustees and libraries carrying out the purposes of the Forum.
  3. Promotion of the development of library trustees and the participation by trustees in the Forum and in the Illinois Library Association.
  4. Representation of the concerns and interests of library trustees within and outside the library profession.
  5. Support of legislative advocacy programs at local, state, and national levels.
  6. Interaction with and support of library activities at regional and national levels when appropriate. 

Article III—Leadership
Section 1. Library Trustee Forum Board: The Library Trustee Forum Board shall consist of a minimum of seven (7) board members, including the Forum’s officers and the immediate past-president, with a maximum of fifteen (15) members. All Library Trustee Forum Board members shall currently be a trustee on the board of a public library or a trustee on the board of a library system. Membership on the Library Trustee Forum Board shall be limited to one trustee from any Illinois library.

Section 2. Duties: The officers of the Library Trustee Forum Board shall perform the following duties:

  1. President: The President serves three years: one year as Vice President, one year as President, and one year as Past President. The President shall appoint all standing and special committees, except as provided herein for the Nominating Committee. The President shall be an ex officio member of all committees. The President shall preside at all meetings of the Library Trustee Forum Board and all membership meetings. The President shall present an annual report of the activities of the Forum at the annual business meeting. The President shall complete the ILA Forum and Committee Report to the ILA Executive Board.
  2. Vice President: The Vice President/President-Elect shall perform the duties of the President in the President’s absence, upon the inability of the President to perform, and shall succeed to the office of the President. The Vice President/President-Elect shall perform such other duties as may be assigned, and shall serve as chairman of the program committee.
  3. Secretary: The Secretary shall keep a record of the proceedings of the meetings and shall perform such other duties as may be assigned by the President. The term of the Secretary shall be two years, with eligibility for re-election. 

Section 3: Terms of Office: Terms of office of the Library Trustee Forum Board shall be two years, with eligibility for reelection. When a director is unable to serve, the President shall appoint a replacement to serve to the end of the term subject to the approval of the Executive Board. 

Section 4: Conducting Business: The Library Trustee Forum Board shall conduct all business pertaining to the Forum and shall have the authority to make decisions for the Forum during the period between business meetings. A simple majority of the elected members of the Board shall constitute a quorum for taking action. 

Article IV—Nominations and Elections 
Section 1: Nominations: The Library Trustee Forum Board shall serve as a nominating committee. Additional nominations may be made from the floor by members of the Forum. The vote on these nominations shall take place at that meeting.

Section 2: Notification to members may be by publication in the ILA Reporter, ILA E-News, ILA Trustee newsletter, or e-mail.

Article V—Committees 
Section 1: Authorization: Standing and special committees may be authorized by the Library Trustee Forum Board and may be discontinued in the same manner. Special committees may be authorized by the President with the approval of the Board. Duties of each committee shall be determined and recorded by the Board. 

Section 2: Appointments: Members of the standing committees shall be appointed by the President for staggered terms not to exceed two years and are eligible for reappointment. Committee chairs are named by the President for a one-year term and may be reappointed. Members of the Library Trustee Forum Board shall be a chair of or serve as a member of a committee, and the President shall consider the recommendations of the Board in making appointments.

Article VI—Meetings 
Section 1: Library Trustee Forum BoardLibrary Trustee Forum Board shall hold a minimum of two meetings yearly. The organization meeting is held during the last meeting of the fiscal year. It is the intent of these by-laws that the Executive Board of the ILA Trustee Forum meet as frequently as necessary.

Section 2: Membership: The annual membership meeting shall be held at the time and place of the ILA Annual Conference.

 

Revised: October 24, 2019; August 10, 2023

 

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