By-Laws
The New York Public Library Retirees Association is an independent association of New York Public Library retirees and is open to anyone 55 years or older who has worked or still works for NYPL regardless of position. The purpose of the Association is to advocate in areas of common concern for retirees, support library services, preserve institutional memory, and provide educational and recreational programs for members.
ARTICLE I
Control of the Association shall be vested in an Executive Board consisting of the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, immediate Past President, and the heads of standing committees. The President shall appoint two Members-at-Large as needed. The Executive Board shall meet monthly or at the request of the President. The presence of a simple majority of the Board shall constitute a quorum for transaction of business. Decisions of the Executive Board shall be determined by a majority vote of members present at each meeting.
ARTICLE II
DUTIES OF OFFICERS
Section 1. President. The President shall preside at membership and Executive Board meetings and shall govern with the advice and consent of the Executive Board. Specific duties shall include establishing necessary committees, making appointments to fill vacancies, instituting plans for direction of the affairs of the Association, communicating all necessary information to the Executive Board, and carrying out other duties as assigned by the Board. Each year the President shall appoint a Fiscal Committee to review the annual Treasurer’s report as well as the dues structure. The immediate Past President shall provide continuity and help to preserve and pass along organizational memory
Section 2. Vice President. The Vice President shall assume the duties of President when the President is unable to serve. When the office of President becomes vacant, the Vice President shall accede to the office to serve to the end of the unexpired term. If the vacancy cannot be filled by accession, the President shall make the appointment with the approval of the Executive Board. If the President is unable to do so, the Executive Board shall make the appointment of the successor to serve until the end of the unexpired term.
Section 3. Secretary. The Secretary shall keep a record of the annual meetings and all Executive Board meetings and prepare minutes for approval by the Board. The Secretary shall prepare and send correspondence.
Section 4. Treasurer. The Treasurer shall be the custodian for all Association funds, keep accurate records thereof, maintain an inventory of Association property, and present monthly reports for approval by the Board and an annual report for audit. The fiscal year shall begin July first.
ARTICLE III
TERMS OF OFFICE
Executive Board Members. Officers shall serve on the Executive Board for a term of four (4) years effective the first day of the fiscal year following their election. Executive Board members may be re-elected. At-large members appointed by the President shall assist the work of the Board, shall serve for four (4) years, and may be reappointed.
ARTICLE IV
COMMITTEES
The following shall be the standing committees of the Association: Membership, Communications, Oral History, Advocacy, and Programming. Annual ad hoc committees include the Fiscal Committee and the Nominating Committee. An ad hoc By-Laws Committee shall be appointed as needed.
Section 1. Membership. This committee shall promote and actively recruit new members. The membership coordinator shall maintain the membership database, noting payment of dues and current addresses; receive and keep the membership forms for the current year and past year; print mailing labels as needed; produce a digital and printed membership directory; and send application forms to prospective members.
Section 2. Communications. Members of the Communications Committee shall maintain the email list, Facebook page, and website; send out correspondence; and produce and distribute the newsletter once or twice a year. In addition, the Caring Subcommittee shall seek out and communicate with members who are ill, have suffered loss, or have not been in touch.
Section 3. Oral History. This committee shall interview, record, collect, transcribe, and edit the remembrances of former NYPL staff members in order to honor the contributions of the staff to the rich history of the Library and save information that would otherwise be lost.
Section 4. Advocacy. This committee shall be responsible for investigating and informing the Executive Board of proposed legislative or regulatory changes that may affect members’ benefits, and helping to coordinate advocacy for library services and other issues of interest to seniors.
Section 5. Programming. The Programming Committee shall plan and coordinate general membership meetings and social outings.
Section 6. Ad Hoc Fiscal. Members of the Fiscal Committee shall be appointed by the President and shall review the annual Treasurer’s report and recommend changes for the coming year’s annual dues.
Section 7. Ad Hoc Nominating. See Article V, Section I, below.
ARTICLE V
ELECTIONS
Section 1. Nominations and Elections. An election shall be held every four years. At least three months prior to the January election, the President shall appoint a Nominating Committee. This committee shall recommend a slate of candidates for membership on the Executive Board. After approval or modification thereof by the Board, the slate of nominees shall be placed on a printed ballot, which shall be distributed to the membership in the January membership mailing. The ballot shall provide spaces for write-in votes and state that the marked ballot must be received by the end of March to be valid for counting.
Section 2. Results of Elections. The results of the election shall be announced to the membership by e-mail; U.S. mail, as necessary; in the newsletter; and on the website.
ARTICLE VI
BY-LAWS
Section 1. Review of By-Laws. The By-Laws shall be subject to periodic review. The review is to be made by an ad hoc By-Laws Committee and its recommendations reported to the Executive Board.
Section 2. Validity of By-Laws. If any specific provision of these By-Laws shall be found to be invalid or defective, the other provisions shall be deemed to remain in effect.
Section 3. Amendments to the By-Laws. The revised By-Laws shall be adopted by a majority of votes cast by ballot sent to the membership.
ARTICLE I
Control of the Association shall be vested in an Executive Board consisting of the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, immediate Past President, and the heads of standing committees. The President shall appoint two Members-at-Large as needed. The Executive Board shall meet monthly or at the request of the President. The presence of a simple majority of the Board shall constitute a quorum for transaction of business. Decisions of the Executive Board shall be determined by a majority vote of members present at each meeting.
ARTICLE II
DUTIES OF OFFICERS
Section 1. President. The President shall preside at membership and Executive Board meetings and shall govern with the advice and consent of the Executive Board. Specific duties shall include establishing necessary committees, making appointments to fill vacancies, instituting plans for direction of the affairs of the Association, communicating all necessary information to the Executive Board, and carrying out other duties as assigned by the Board. Each year the President shall appoint a Fiscal Committee to review the annual Treasurer’s report as well as the dues structure. The immediate Past President shall provide continuity and help to preserve and pass along organizational memory
Section 2. Vice President. The Vice President shall assume the duties of President when the President is unable to serve. When the office of President becomes vacant, the Vice President shall accede to the office to serve to the end of the unexpired term. If the vacancy cannot be filled by accession, the President shall make the appointment with the approval of the Executive Board. If the President is unable to do so, the Executive Board shall make the appointment of the successor to serve until the end of the unexpired term.
Section 3. Secretary. The Secretary shall keep a record of the annual meetings and all Executive Board meetings and prepare minutes for approval by the Board. The Secretary shall prepare and send correspondence.
Section 4. Treasurer. The Treasurer shall be the custodian for all Association funds, keep accurate records thereof, maintain an inventory of Association property, and present monthly reports for approval by the Board and an annual report for audit. The fiscal year shall begin July first.
ARTICLE III
TERMS OF OFFICE
Executive Board Members. Officers shall serve on the Executive Board for a term of four (4) years effective the first day of the fiscal year following their election. Executive Board members may be re-elected. At-large members appointed by the President shall assist the work of the Board, shall serve for four (4) years, and may be reappointed.
ARTICLE IV
COMMITTEES
The following shall be the standing committees of the Association: Membership, Communications, Oral History, Advocacy, and Programming. Annual ad hoc committees include the Fiscal Committee and the Nominating Committee. An ad hoc By-Laws Committee shall be appointed as needed.
Section 1. Membership. This committee shall promote and actively recruit new members. The membership coordinator shall maintain the membership database, noting payment of dues and current addresses; receive and keep the membership forms for the current year and past year; print mailing labels as needed; produce a digital and printed membership directory; and send application forms to prospective members.
Section 2. Communications. Members of the Communications Committee shall maintain the email list, Facebook page, and website; send out correspondence; and produce and distribute the newsletter once or twice a year. In addition, the Caring Subcommittee shall seek out and communicate with members who are ill, have suffered loss, or have not been in touch.
Section 3. Oral History. This committee shall interview, record, collect, transcribe, and edit the remembrances of former NYPL staff members in order to honor the contributions of the staff to the rich history of the Library and save information that would otherwise be lost.
Section 4. Advocacy. This committee shall be responsible for investigating and informing the Executive Board of proposed legislative or regulatory changes that may affect members’ benefits, and helping to coordinate advocacy for library services and other issues of interest to seniors.
Section 5. Programming. The Programming Committee shall plan and coordinate general membership meetings and social outings.
Section 6. Ad Hoc Fiscal. Members of the Fiscal Committee shall be appointed by the President and shall review the annual Treasurer’s report and recommend changes for the coming year’s annual dues.
Section 7. Ad Hoc Nominating. See Article V, Section I, below.
ARTICLE V
ELECTIONS
Section 1. Nominations and Elections. An election shall be held every four years. At least three months prior to the January election, the President shall appoint a Nominating Committee. This committee shall recommend a slate of candidates for membership on the Executive Board. After approval or modification thereof by the Board, the slate of nominees shall be placed on a printed ballot, which shall be distributed to the membership in the January membership mailing. The ballot shall provide spaces for write-in votes and state that the marked ballot must be received by the end of March to be valid for counting.
Section 2. Results of Elections. The results of the election shall be announced to the membership by e-mail; U.S. mail, as necessary; in the newsletter; and on the website.
ARTICLE VI
BY-LAWS
Section 1. Review of By-Laws. The By-Laws shall be subject to periodic review. The review is to be made by an ad hoc By-Laws Committee and its recommendations reported to the Executive Board.
Section 2. Validity of By-Laws. If any specific provision of these By-Laws shall be found to be invalid or defective, the other provisions shall be deemed to remain in effect.
Section 3. Amendments to the By-Laws. The revised By-Laws shall be adopted by a majority of votes cast by ballot sent to the membership.