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VANUATU LIBRARY ASSOCIATION CONSTITUTION
TITLE AND CONSTITUTION
This Association shall be called the “Vanuatu Library Association”.
INTERPRETATION
2. In the interpretation of these Rules unless the context otherwise requires –
2.1 “The Library Association” or “VLA” or the “Association of Libraries”
means “Vanuatu Library Association”.
2.2 “Council” means the Executive Committee or the Management Committee of the Vanuatu Library Association constituted under these rules.
2.3 “Member” means an individual or an institution subscribing to the Association by payment of an annual subscription or an honorary member.
OBJECTIVES
3.1 To unite all persons interested in libraries and Librarianship, and to provide support and leadership for the development and improvement of library services in Vanuatu.
3.2 To encourage and foster development of libraries, librarianship, archives and archivists, and other associated activities within Vanuatu and the South Pacific.
3.3 To invest the funds of the Association upon such sureties and in such manner as shall be approved by the Council.
3.4 To purchase, take upon lease, hire or otherwise acquire and hold real and personal property, rights or privileges, which the Association may think necessary or convenient to the attainment of any of the goals.
3.5 To subscribe out of the funds of the Association, or Institution charitable or otherwise and in such manner as the Council may decide.
3.6 To do all such acts or things as are incidental or conducive to the attainment or the objectives of the Association.
MEMBERSHIP
4.1 (a) An application desiring admission shall submit an application for
membership together with the fees prescribed under these rules to the
Secretary of the Association.
(b) Individuals who are not members of the Association as at March 30 of
The Convention year and who wish to attend the Conference of that year will be required to pay membership fees for that year together with the
Fees for the following year.
4.2 The Association shall consist of Personal Members, Institutional Members and
Honorary Members and Life Members.
(a) Personal members. Any person who is interested in libraries may become
A personal member.
(b) Institutional members. Any institution which maintains a library or an
Archive may become an institutional member. The institution shall
Exercise its membership through a nominated delegate who may or may
Not be a Personal or Honorary member of the Association.
(c) Honorary members. Honorary membership may be conferred on
Individuals for outstanding activity in the Vanuatu Library Association. Contributions to the Library or archival professions or achievements in related fields of activity.
(d) Life members. Any person may become a life member, on payment of the
Sum which is to be ten times that of the personal membership fees in effect at the time of application for life membership.
4.3 Fellowship. “The Association to recognise long serving and deserving members
Through the creation of VLA Fellowships. Such Fellows to be nominated and elected at the Annual General Meeting.
FINANCE
5. The funds of the Association shall be applied to the payment of management expenses and such other purposes as are specified in the rules and objectives of the Association.
FINANCIAL YEAR
6. The Accounts of the Association shall be made up to the 31st day of October in each year. All books, vouchers, and receipts shall be open to inspection on a request made in writing to that effect by any member of the Association, within two days of having received the notice.
BANKING OF MONEY
7.1 All moneys received by the Association shall be paid into a bank or banks to the
Credit of the Association and all drawings should be signed by the Treasurer and President or Secretary. The treasurer must countersign all withdrawals.
7.2 The Council shall have power to nominate any of its members to sign cheques or
Withdrawals from a bank, or any othr documents in the absence or inability of the officers authorised by these rules.
7.3 All items of expenditure, and all payments made by the Treasurer of the
Association shall be recorded and shall be presented to the first meeting of the Council following such transactions for endorsement or approval as the case may be.
AUDIT OF ACCOUNTS
8 The Accounts of the Association shall be audited by an Auditor appointed at the
Annual General Meeting. The Council shall have the power to appoint a replacement. In the event that the Auditor resigns.
SUBSCRIPTION
9.1 The annual subscription shall be approved or amended at the Annual General
Meeting.
9.2 A member whose subscription for the current year remains unpaid by the 31st day
Of January shall be suspended from membership, and if the subscription remains unpaid by the 31st day of March shall automatically cease to be a member of this Association.
OFFICERS OF THE ASSOCIATION
10 The Officers of the Association shall consist of : -
Patron, selected by the Council
President
Vice President
Secretary
Treasurer
Editor, who shall be coopted as an ex-officio member of the Council
Four Council members
11 The Chairperson of the National Library Week Committee shall be appointed at
The AGM. Such person shall be coopted to the Council if not already a Council Member.
ELECTION OF OFFICE BEARERS
12 The Officers of the Association shall be elected each year at the Annual General
Meeting.
NOMINATIONS
13.1 Nominations for Officers of the Association be declared open on the notice
Convening the Annual General Meeting.
RIGHT TO NOMINATE
13.2 Financial members only shall have the right to nominate Officers of the
Association.
NOMINATIONS DUE
13.3 Nominations for Officers must be in the hands of the Secretary of the Association
At the latest ten clear days before the date of the Annual General Meeting, together with the consent of the person nominated.
NOMINATION FORM
13.4 Every candidate shall be nominated on the form provided by the secretary and
Approved by the council. The nomination form shall be signed by a proposer and
Seconder, who are financial members of the Association.
UNANIMOUSLY ELECTED
13.5 If only one candidate is nominated for any office he/she shall be declared elected.
In the event of there being more than the required number of candidates for any office an election shall be conducted in accordance with rule 20.2.
NOMINATION FROM THE FLOOR
13.6 In the event of there being no valid nomination for any office, nominations from
The floor seconded by another member and consented to by the nominee shall be accepted.
GENERAL MEETINGS
14 All General Meetings of the Association shall consist of financial personal
Members, appointed delegates of the institutional members, together with the Officers of the Association, and, in the case of the Annual General Meeting, intending members.
DELEGATES TO EXERCISE VOTES
15.1 Each Institutional Member shall be entitled to appoint one delegate to any general meeting to exercise for and on behalf of each member of the Association, and such delegates shall be bona fide members of the Institution they represent.
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF DELEGATES
15.2 Notice of appointment of delegates signed by a responsible Official of the Institution must be in the hands of the Chairman of the Meeting before the meeting starts.
PROXY ALLOWED
15.2 All representation to be in person and no proxies shall be allowed. Overseas members shall be allowed one proxy vote.
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
16.1 The Annual General Meeting of the Association shall be held in the month of November or December in each year. The Secretary shall give at least 21 (twenty-one) days notice to all members of the place, the day and time of such meeting by circular and/or advertisement in a national English language Newspaper.
BUSINESS OF THE AGM
16.2 The business of the Annual General Meeting shall be.
(a) Apologies
(b) To adopt Minutes of the previous AGM
(c) Deal with matters arising out of the Minutes
(d) To receive and adopt the Annual Report of the Council
(e) To receive and adopt the Annual Statement of Accounts and Balance Sheet
(f) To decide on any motion of which due notice has been given
(g) To elect Officers for the ensuing year
(h) To appoint an Auditor for the ensuing year
NOTICE OF MOVING A MOTION
16.3 Any member desirous of moving a motion at the Annual General Meeting shall give notice thereof to the Secretary of the Association not less than ten days before the date of such meeting; the motion shall be placed on the Agenda Paper in the name of the mover and the seconder.
AGENDA
16.4 An agenda of the business to be transacted at the Annual General Meeting shall be sent to all members of the Association, and to all officials of the Association, five days before the date of such meeting. A copy of the Financial Statement and Report of the Council, together with the Minutes of the Last Meeting held, shall accompany the Agenda.
SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING
17 A Special General Meeting of the Association shall be called by the Secretary upon instructions from the Council or upon receipt of a requisition setting out the objects of such meeting and signed by not less than one-third of the Financial Members of the Association. Fourteen days notice of the meeting must be given to all members of the Association and no other business except that for the which the meeting has be called shall be discussed.
QUORUM
18 25% of financial members shall form a quorum at all general meetings of the Association.
CHAIRMAN
19 The President, or in his absence the Vice-President, shall preside at all general meetings of the Association. In the absence of the Vice-President one of the members present shall be nominated to preside.
RULES FOR VOTING
20.1 The mode of voting on all questions other than elections at any general meeting shall be by show of hands unless there is a call for a ballot.
VOTING ON ELECTIONS
20.2 The mode of voting at all elections at the Annual General Meeting shall be by ballot for which scrutineers shall be appointed.
CASTING A VOTE
20.3 The Chairman shall not have a casting vote in case of equality of voting.
MANAGEMENT OF ASSOCIATION
21 The affairs of the Association shall be managed by a Council which may do all such acts and exercise all such powers of the Association as may be necessary to give effect to the Objects and Rules of the Association.
CONSTITUTION OF COUNCIL
22.1 The Council shall consist of the following officers: The President, the Vice-President, the Secretary, the treasurer, the Four Council Members elected at the Annual general Meeting. The Council shall co-opt the Editor and representatives of any other organisation subject to the provisions contained in these rules, but such co-opted representatives shall not be entitled to vote at any meeting of the Council.
22.2 The Council shall take office after the AGM at which it is elected and shall hold office until the next AGM.
22.3 Any Council Member who fails to attend three consecutive meetings, ceases to be a Council Member at the discretion of the Council.
22.4 Candidates for any office on Council shall be financial members of the Association at the time of the nomination to office and must pay their subscriptions no later than 31 March of the year they will serve on the Council, if not their election to office bearers becomes null and void and they will not serve on Council.
CHAIRMAN OF MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
23.1 The President, if present, or in her/his absence the Vice-President, or in their absence a Council Member voted to the Chair shall be Chairman at all Meetings of the Council.
23.2 Four or more members present shall form a quorum at meetings of the Council.
VOTE
23.3 Subject to Rule 20 each member present shall have one vote.
FILLING VACANCIES
24 The Council shall have authority to fill any vacancy arising in the elected executive of the Association caused through resignation or otherwise, or to engage or dismiss such servants or to appoint such other officers as may be necessary to carry on the business of the Association.
DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY
25 The Council shall have authority to appoint, from their own number or otherwise, such Committee for special purposes, and to delegate all or any of their powers to such Committees as they may deem fit.
RESOLUTIONS OF COUNCIL
26 Resolutions and decisions of the Council, shall be binding upon all members thereof until they are rescinded.
CHANGES OF THE CONSTITUTION
27 Changes to this Constitution may be made only by a majority of members voting at a General Meeting of the Association.
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Page maintained by Margaret Austrai-Kailo. Last updated
13 July 2007