Governance
 
CAMLS is state-chartered under the Ohio Revised Code, and operates under bylaws approved bythe Board of Trustees. Member libraries provide input on services,policies, and planning through a variety of committees.
A. Advisory Council - The Director, or a designee, of every member and associate member library, is a member of the Advisory Council. The responsibilities ofthe Advisory Council include election of the CAMLS Board; participation in the development and implementation of CAMLS plans, programs, services, and projects; and serving on committees.
B. Board of Trustees - The Board of Trustees is composed of representatives of member libraries. Members are elected by, from, and among the AdvisoryCouncil and work directly with the CAMLS Executive Director. The Board has several standing committees charged with examining relevant issues in detail and forwarding recommendations to the Board for review and action.

CAMLS Bylaws

Approved by the CAMLS Board of Trustees on January 24, 2001

Article I. Name

The name of this organization shall be the Cleveland Area Metropolitan Library System, here after referred to as CAMLS.

Article II. Organization

CAMLS is a membership consortium of academic, public, school, special and other libraries and information centers.

Article III. Purpose

The Cleveland Area Metropolitan Library System is a multitype library cooperative assisting member libraries to better meet the needs of their customers by creating opportunities to accomplish services and programs beyond individual capabilities and resources. CAMLS facilitates the work of member libraries through membership driven services, professional development and responsible fiscal management.

Article IV. Membership

A. Full voting membership is open to all academic, public, special, and school libraries and other cooperative ventures as defined in the Ohio Revised Code (3375.90 A) that are not full voting members of another Ohio Regional Library System. Full membership is limited to only one Regional Library System.

  1. Libraries selecting full voting membership become members upon written application to and approval of the CAMLS Board of Trustees by a majority vote and payment of membership fees to be determined annually.
  2. Members are eligible to participate in all CAMLS programs, services, and projects appropriate to their needs.
  3. Members' representatives may vote in the Advisory Council and may serve as voting members of the Board of Trustees.
  4. Members have a responsibility to cooperate in furthering the goals and objectives of CAMLS.
  5. Membership in CAMLS does not preclude an institution or organization from belonging to other information or bibliographic networks, consortia, systems, or organizations.
  6. Libraries within one institution, or libraries whose institutions share a common governing body, may participate in CAMLS as one member. For more information, see the Umbrella Library Policy approved by the CAMLS Board of Trustees at its meeting on April 15, 1998.

B. Associate Membership is limited to all academic, public, special, and school libraries and other cooperative ventures as defined in the Ohio Revised Code (3375.90 A) that have full voting membership in another Regional Library System.

  1. Libraries selecting associate membership become members upon written application to and approval of the CAMLS Board of Trustees by a majority vote and payment of membership fees to be determined annually.
  2. Associate Members are eligible to participate in all CAMLS programs, services, and projects appropriate to their needs.
  3. Associate Members' representatives may vote in the Advisory Council.
  4. Associate Members have a responsibility to cooperate in furthering the goals and objectives of CAMLS.
  5. Associate Membership in CAMLS does not preclude an institution or organization from belonging to other information or bibliographic networks, consortia, systems, or organizations.

C. A membership may be terminated at the end of the CAMLS fiscal year, providing that notice of the intent to withdraw has been received at least eighteen months prior to the date of withdrawal.

D. Member libraries who are also members of another Ohio Regional Library System may petition the Board to change membership status at the beginning of the CAMLS fiscal year, providing that notice of the intent to change has been received at least eighteen months prior to the date of change.

E. Continued membership and its privileges are contingent upon the prompt payment of fees. The CAMLS Board of Trustees may remove from membership any library for reasons including, but not limited to: non-payment of fees, failure to appoint a representative, and failure to submit required reports and evaluations.

F. Representatives of all Member and Associate Member libraries shall collectively constitute the Advisory Council.

  1. Responsibilities of the Advisory Council shall include, but not be limited to: election of the CAMLS Board of Trustees; participation in the development and implementation of CAMLS plans, programs, services, and projects; and serving on committees.
  2. The Director of a member library, or a designated person, will serve on the Advisory Council as its library's voting representative. No more than one voting representative shall be allowed from each CAMLS member library.
  3. The Advisory Council shall meet at least twice each year:
    a. In March/April to approve the Preliminary Budget for the next fiscal year.
    b. An annual membership meeting in late May/June
    • to elect new members of the CAMLS Board of Trustees. These new members shall be elected by, from, and among the Advisory Council as described in Article VI;
    • to conduct any business which shall be necessary to fulfill the objectives of the organization; and
    • to receive reports from the Board, the Executive Director, and committees when appropriate.
     
  4. Additional Advisory Council meetings may be called by the Board or upon written request of six or more of the voting representatives. Written notice of such meetings shall be mailed at least two weeks before the meeting. A simple majority of the membership present at any regularly called Advisory Council meeting shall constitute a quorum.
  5. Meetings of the Advisory Council shall be subject to all public meeting laws of the State of Ohio.

Article V. Membership Dues

A budget shall be prepared to reflect CAML's proposed activities and an assessment of dues for local support shall be made in accordance with a formula, developed by the Finance Committee and approved by the CAMLS Board of Trustees.

The operating budget for multiple libraries within one institution will be the sum of the operating budgets participating in that membership.

The CAMLS Budget will be developed according to the following schedule:

October: Board of Trustees approval of any revised Membership Assessment formula
November: Distribution of the Memorandum of Agreement.
February/March: Board of Trustees approval of the Preliminary Budget
March/April: Advisory Council approval of the Preliminary Budget
March/April: Board of Trustees approval of the Final Budget

Membership in CAMLS shall cover the fiscal year July 1 through June 30. Dues are payable in full at the beginning of the CAMLS fiscal year. No dues shall be refunded.

If a member library fails to pay its total current year Membership Assessment by August 31 (within 61 days after the start of the fiscal year), CAMLS will levy the following finance charges against the account of the member library.

Payments received between September 1 - 30, will have a finance charge of 5% applied.
Payments received between October 1 - 31, will have a finance charge of 10% applied.

If a member library fails to pay its current Membership Assessment by October 31, the Board of Trustees will vote at its next meeting to suspend its membership privileges, effective immediately. The suspension of a library's membership privileges will be lifted upon the full payment plus finance charge of its Membership Assessment.

Article VI. Board of Trustees

A. The CAMLS Board of Trustees shall be composed of:

 

  1. Thirteen full members with voting privileges elected by, from, and among the Advisory Council. They shall be representative of the membership in the numbers listed below:

    Public Libraries (over 100,000 volumes)
    Public Libraries (under 100,000 volumes)
    Academic Libraries
    Special Libraries
    School Libraries
    At-large Representatives    		 3 members
    3 members
    2 members
    2 members
    1 member
    2 members
  2. The Executive Director serving as an ex-officio, non-voting member.

B. The election of the CAMLS Board of Trustees shall be as follows:

  1. At the Spring meeting of the Advisory Council, the President of the Board of Trustees appoints a Nominating Committee of two members of the Advisory Council plus the immediate Past President of the Board of Trustees who shall serve as chair. Members are invited to suggest candidates to the Nominating Committee.
  2. The Nominating Committee nominates individuals from the Advisory Council for each open position -- one candidate per opening.
  3. Nominations are presented to members thirty (30) days prior to the Annual Meeting of the Advisory Council.
  4. The Chair of the Nominating Committee presents the slate of candidates at the Annual Meeting. Nominations are accepted from the floor.
  5. After nominations are closed, the slate of candidates is voted on by those present at the Annual Meeting. Each member library gets one vote.

C. The CAMLS Board of Trustees shall have the right to exercise all powers pursuant to Ohio Revised Code Section 3375.91.

D. An organizational meeting of the CAMLS Board will be held during the first month of CAMLS' fiscal year.

E. Terms of CAMLS Board members are for three years, with the following exception: If the Vice-President/President Elect is elected to this position for the third year of his/her term, this persons term shall be extended for a fourth year; upon completion of the fourth year, that Board seat is opened for election for a three-year term. Terms of Board members are staggered with some terms expiring each year.

F. If a vacancy occurs on the CAMLS Board, the President shall fill the unexpired term through appointment; however, the appointee must be representative of the same library type as the original member. An "at large" representative shall be replaced by another "at large" representative.

G. Meetings of the CAMLS Board shall be subject to all public meeting laws of the State of Ohio.

H. A minimum of six meetings of the CAMLS Board shall be held each year.

I. Special meetings of the CAMLS Board may be called at the direction of the President, or at the request of three Board members, for the transaction of business as stated in the call for the meeting with one week's notice required. Notices should provide reply forms for the Board members to indicate their plans for attendance.

J. A quorum for the transaction of business shall consist of a simple majority of the members of the CAMLS Board.

Article VII. Officers

The elected officers of the Board of Trustees shall be a President, Vice-President/President Elect, and Secretary. The officers of the Board of Trustees shall also act as officers of the Advisory Council.

A. Duties of elected officers.

  1. 1. The President shall preside at all Board and Advisory Council meetings, appoint committees, and be an ex-officio member of all committees, except the Nominating Committees.
  2. 2. In the absence of the President, or in the event of the President's disability, inability or refusal to act, the Vice-President, who shall be the President Elect, shall perform the duties of the President.
  3. 3. The Secretary shall be responsible for the minutes of each CAMLS Board meeting and shall, in the absence of the President and Vice-President, preside at CAMLS Board meetings. The Secretary will monitor the Bylaws annually for conformity with law and practice.

B. Officers of the Board of Trustees are elected in the following manner:

  1. 1. The Vice-President/President Elect assumes the duties of the President.
  2. 2. The incoming Board President shall appoint three Board members to prepare nominations for Vice-President/President Elect and Secretary of the Board. These nominations shall be of current or incoming members of the Board, and are to be presented to the Board at its late Spring meeting. Board members will vote at this meeting and newly elected officers will assume their duties at the beginning of CAMLS' fiscal year.

Article VIII. Committees of the Board

A. The following shall be the Standing Committees of the CAMLS Board: Finance, Personnel, and Planning. The members of the Standing Committees shall be appointed by the President at the beginning of the term. There shall be Board representation on all Standing Committees, but all Advisory Council members are eligible to serve. Nominating Committees, designated in sections VI-B and VII-B will be appointed as required. A Bylaws Committee will be appointed as needed.

B. The President shall appoint other committees of two or more members each for specific purposes as the business of the CAMLS Board may require. These committees shall be considered to be discharged upon the completion of the purpose for which they were appointed and after their final reports are made to the CAMLS Board.

C. Search Committees for the positions of Executive Director and Clerk Treasurer will be appointed as needed. Each committee will establish operating procedures in accord with appropriate statutes.

Article IX. Non-Members

Non-Members may contract with CAMLS for service.

Article X. Staff

The Board of Trustees shall appoint staff in accordance with the Ohio Revised Code Section 3375.91.

Article XI. Official Year

The official fiscal year shall be from July 1 through June 30.

Article XII. Parliament Authority

Meetings of both the Advisory Council and the CAMLS Board of Trustees will follow parliamentary procedures as outlined in Robert's Rules of Order newly Revised, current edition, when consistent with CAMLS Bylaws or the Ohio Revised Code.

Article XIII. Dissolution of Organization

The Board of Trustees of CAMLS may dissolve this organization in accordance with the Ohio Revised Code Section 3375.93.

Article XIV. Amendments

These Bylaws may be altered or amended by a two-thirds vote of the CAMLS Board after having done the following:
 
1. Giving its preliminary approval of the recommended alteration or amendment at a regularly scheduled CAMLS Board meeting.
 
2. Notifying all Advisory Council representatives of the complete proposed alteration or amendment at least 30 days in advance.
 
 
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