SIG-DL Bylaws
STANDARD BYLAWS for ASIS&T SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS
Approved by Board, 2/2/1982; Amended 10/2/1986; Amended 5/20/1987; Amended 5/25/1999. Amended 30/01/2022.
These bylaws shall be the operating standard for all Special Interest Groups of the Association for Information Science and Technology (ASIS&T). The term "SIG" is used throughout to apply to each SIG individually and its constituency.
The purpose of each Special Interest Group shall include but not be limited to 1) advising the Board of Directors or the Association officers on matters pertaining to the Group's special interest or area. 2) organizing technical programs for such interests and areas, including programs at conferences of the Association. 3) collecting and disseminating information concerning the special interests; and 4) at the request of the Board of Directors, either as a Group or through one or more of its officers or members, representing the Association in international, interdisciplinary, and inter-organizational activities.
SIG Digital Libraries (DL) shall be concerned with the following areas:
SIG-DL mission is to provide a shared space for discussion about research, development, and use of digital libraries in corporate, academic, and public contexts. SIG-DL is concerned with all aspects of digital library design and implementation including, but not limited to: copyright/ethics issues, networked infrastructures, interoperability of distributed databases, database management, policies, and standards concerning the digitization of material, metadata, preservation, providing electronic access, authentication, software, hardware, peopleware, and project management. SIG-DL also aims to increase international, interdisciplinary, and inter-societal collaboration focusing on digital libraries and related issues.
Section 1. Membership in the SIG shall be open to any member of ASIS&T who elects to join and who satisfies the dues requirements established by ASIS&T.
Section 2. All SIG members are eligible to serve as officers of the SIG. All SIG members are eligible to vote on questions submitted to the membership by formal ballot or at official meetings.
Section 3. SIG-DL Members shall be informed of the activities of the SIG and are entitled to receive publications (i.e. monthly newsletter, and will be accessible at SIG-DL iconnect community and website) of the SIG.
Section 4. Any member whose membership in ASIS&T has been terminated shall no longer be a SIG member.
Section 5. SIG memberships shall always run concurrently with the member's ASIS&T membership.
Section 1. Officers of the SIG shall include, at a minimum, a presiding officer to be known as the Chair. Although not required, a SIG can also choose to provide for other 'inter alia' APPENDIX A—STANDARD BYLAWS officers such as a Chair-elect, Secretary, Treasurer or Secretary/Treasurer, Communications Officer, and Membership Officer.
Section 2. Officers should be elected prior to the close of the ASIS&T administrative year and shall serve for a one-year term. Individuals may be re-elected to an office or may hold more than one office, except that the Chair and the Chair-elect may not be the same person. The SIG Chair will serve as the Cabinet Representative unless another individual is appointed to this role by the SIG Chair.
Section 1. The Chair is elected to serve for a one-year term and shall preside over all SIG meetings. The Chair shall appoint all committee chairs and members and act as Chair of the Nominating Committee. It is the responsibility of the Chair to develop and implement the SIG's annual activity plan, which shall be filed with the SIG Cabinet Director and headquarters no later than July 15. In addition, if the SIG does not have a Treasurer or Secretary/Treasurer, the Chair is responsible for submitting the annual budget by July 15, and for keeping records of all meetings and activities. At the close of the administrative year, the outgoing Chair must submit an activity report during the SIG's annual business meeting.
Section 2. The Chair-elect is elected to serve for a term of one year (unless a two-year term is provided in the SIG's Operating Rules) and automatically becomes Chair at the end of that term. The Chair-elect works closely with the Chair in planning and executing SIG programs and shall appoint a substitute and notify the Cabinet Director in advance of the meeting.
Section 3. SIG- DL may include among its officers a Chair-elect, Secretary, Treasurer, or Secretary/Treasurer, and any other officers required to accomplish the mission of the SIG. These officers will be elected by the SIG Membership / appointed by the Chair. Each officer will serve a one-year term and may be elected for up to three consecutive terms. The Chair-elect, Secretary or Treasurer, or Secretary/Treasurer shall carry out the customary functions of these offices and shall execute the decisions and policies of the Executive Committee. The Secretary or Secretary/Treasurer shall keep records of all meetings and activities and submit an annual activity plan to the SIG Cabinet Director by July 1.
Section 1. The Executive Committee of the SIG shall consist of the SIG officers plus any SIG member the chair wishes to include. The Executive Committee shall conduct and manage the affairs of the SIG, subject to these bylaws and the ASIS&T Bylaws and existing policy and shall possess all powers necessary or incidental to that purpose, including the right to appropriate and expend SIG funds.
Section 2. A SIG office can be declared vacant by the SIG Executive Committee or by the SIG Cabinet Director. In the event of a vacancy in a SIG office other than that of the Chair, the SIG Executive Committee shall appoint a member to the office until the next regular APPENDIX A—STANDARD BYLAWS election for that office, but an appointee filling a vacancy in the position of Chair-elect shall not become Chair as provided in Article V, Section 2; rather, a Chair shall be elected at the next regular election.
Section 3. In the event that all SIG offices become vacant at one time, the SIG Cabinet Director shall appoint a SIG member to serve as Chair until such time as official elections can be held.
Section 1. The annual planning meeting shall be held during the Annual Meeting of ASIS&T. An activity report for the previous year shall be presented at this meeting by the outgoing Chair.
Section 2. Notification of meetings shall be distributed to the membership at least six weeks prior to the date of the meeting along with the recommendations of the Nominating Committee and a ballot.
Section 3. Other meetings may be held at the request of the Executive Committee or on the petition of ten percent of the membership. The membership shall be given at least six weeks notification prior to the date of such a meeting.
Section 1. Elections shall be held each year six weeks prior to the close of the ASIS&T administrative year.
Section 2. An open call for nominations for officers of the SIG shall be distributed to the membership of the SIG in advance of the annual meeting. The election shall be concluded no less than four weeks in advance of the annual meeting.
Section 1. Proposal for amendment to these bylaws may be made by petition of ten percent of an individual SIG membership submitted through the SIG's Chair to the SIG Cabinet or by the proposal of the SIG's Executive Committee, the SIG Cabinet, or the ASIS&T Board of Directors.
Section 2. The proposed amendment shall be distributed to all SIG Chairs by the SIG Cabinet Director at least six weeks prior to the next SIG Cabinet meeting.
Section 3. The proposed amendment shall be voted on at the next SIG Cabinet meeting. Such proposed amendments must receive an affirmative vote of two-thirds of those voting in order to be approved. No approved amendment shall take effect unless and until certified by the ASIS&T Constitution and Bylaws Committee as being consistent with the ASIS&T Charter, Constitution and Bylaws and until approved by the ASIS&T Board of APPENDIX A—STANDARD BYLAWS Directors. If so approved, it shall take effect immediately.
Section 4. Amendments and/or changes to the SIG standard bylaws that are a result of changes in the ASIS&T Constitution and Bylaws and/or Board approved policies will automatically be incorporated into these bylaws so that they will not be inconsistent with ASIS&T policy.
A SIG may establish Operating Rules which are not inconsistent with these bylaws or the ASIST Charter, Constitution and Bylaws. In the absence of properly-filed Operating Rules, the SIG must abide by specific conditions set forth in these bylaws.
The SIG retains its charter at the discretion of the ASIS&T Board of Directors. In the event of the dissolution of the SIG, the assets of the Group shall, after satisfaction of all just liabilities and obligations thereof, be paid into the general treasury of ASIS&T.