(as amended in 2016)
Article I. Name
The name of this organization shall be the International Association of Law Libraries.
Article II. Duration
The period of duration of the Association is perpetual.
Article III. Incorporation
The Association shall be incorporated and its legal residence shall be in Washington, D.C., U.S.A.
Article IV. Purpose
The purpose of the Association is to promote on a worldwide, cooperative and nonprofit basis the work of individuals, libraries, and other institutions and organizations concerned with all aspects of legal information and to facilitate the use of such information.
Article V. Members
Section 1. CLASSES OF MEMBERS. IALL provides the following classes of membership: individual, student, retired, associate, life and honorary.
Section 2. INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS. Any person involved in the creation, distribution or use of legal information may become an individual member upon the payment of membership dues. Only individual members have the right to vote in elections and to be elected as officers or members of the Board of Directors. Each individual member has one vote. Individual members are also eligible for Board appointment to serve on IALL committees.
Section 3. STUDENT MEMBERS. A student member must be enrolled in a degree program related to law librarianship and becomes a student member upon payment of membership dues. Membership in this category is limited to five consecutive years. Student members have no voting rights and may not serve on the Board of Directors or IALL committees.
Section 4. RETIRED MEMBERS. Any person who is interested in the objectives of the Association and has retired from full-time work within the field of legal information may become a retired member upon payment of membership dues. Retired members have no voting rights and may not serve on the Board of Directors or IALL committees.
Section 5. ASSOCIATE MEMBERS. Any institution may become an associate member upon payment of membership dues. Each associate member must designate a person as its representative and notify the Secretary of the Association of such person’s name. Associate members have no voting rights, may not serve on the Board of Directors or IALL committees, and are not eligible for Individual member benefits.
Section 6. LIFE MEMBERS. Any person who has been an Individual member of the Association for more than twelve years and who has retired may be elected life member of the Association by the Board of Directors. Life members have no voting rights and may not serve on the Board of Directors.
Section 7. HONORARY MEMBERS. Any person may be elected honorary member of the Association by the Board of Directors for outstanding and distinguished service to the Association. Honorary members have no voting rights and may not serve on the Board of Directors.
Section 8. MEMBERSHIP DUES. The Board of Directors shall determine membership dues to be paid by all categories of members, except life and honorary members who shall not be required to pay dues. Changes in dues will be proposed during the Annual General Meeting of the Association by resolution and voted upon. Notification of changes in dues will be sent to all members no later than 60 days before the start of the next fiscal year.
Article VI. Officers
The officers of the Association shall consist of the President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer to be elected by the Individual members of the Association. Each shall serve a three year term or until his or her successor is elected. Terms are to commence at the conclusion of the annual course. In the event no such meeting is held, terms will commence on October 1. In the discretion of the Board of Directors, the offices of Secretary and Treasurer may be combined in the same person who thereafter shall be entitled to one vote on the Board of Directors. Officers shall serve no more than two successive terms in the same office. Only residents of the United States may serve as Treasurer for the Association, except in extraordinary circumstances when the Treasurer is replaced and no U.S. resident is able to assume the office. The officers shall perform the duties usually ascribed to their respective offices. In the event of the resignation or death of the President, the Vice-president shall assume the duties of the President for the remainder of his or her term or until his or her successor is elected. In the case of the resignation or death of the Secretary or Treasurer, the President may fill the office for the remainder of the term by resolution and a majority vote of the Board of Directors. Vacancies due to resignation or death among other officers or members of the Board of Directors shall be filled for the remainder of their respective terms by a majority vote of the Board of Directors. Annual reports shall be prepared by the President, Secretary, and Treasurer and distributed to all classes of members of the Association. Reporting for the annual reports shall be based on the Association’s fiscal year.
Article VII. Board of Directors
Section 1. COMPOSITION. The Board of Directors shall consist of the officers specified in Article VI and seven additional members. The seven Board members shall be elected by the Individual members of the Association. There shall be two ex-officio members of the Board of Directors: the Editor of the Journal of Legal Information and the immediate past president. Ex-officio members shall carry out all of the duties of the Board of Directors, but shall not be voting members. All regular members of the Board and the ex-officio Editor of the Journal of Legal Information shall serve for terms of three years. Terms are to commence at the conclusion of the annual course. In the event that no such meeting is held, terms will commence on October 1. Regular members of the Board of Directors, other than the ex-officio members, shall serve no more than two successive terms as regular members of the Board. The office of immediate past president shall be held for one year.
Section 2. POWERS. The Board shall exercise all of the powers of the Association between membership meetings, except those specifically reserved to the members in this constitution. The Board shall keep members informed of Association activities, and it may poll or consult them on important questions.
Section 3. NOMINATION AND ELECTION OF OFFICERS AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS. Prior to the Annual General Meeting in the year preceding an election year, Individual members will be asked to submit the names of nominees for the Nominating Committee to the Board. The Board shall propose a Nominating Committee consisting of three Individual members from among the names submitted for approval at the Annual General meeting preceding the election. The Nominating Committee shall poll members for proposed candidates for the offices described in Articles VI and VII, with the exception of the ex officio members. The Nominating Committee shall submit its slate of candidates to the Secretary by February 1 of the year in which the election is to be held. The Secretary shall provide notice of the proposed list of candidates to all members for at least 60 days. During this period names of Individual members may also be submitted as candidates for any elected office by petition. Such nominations shall be submitted to the secretary by April 1. Nominations by petition shall be reviewed by the Nominating Committee to ensure eligibility and ability to serve; if qualifications are met such candidates shall be included in the ballot. The Secretary shall conduct the election by ballot containing the names submitted as provided above using current technology. Such election shall be completed no later than July 1.
Article VIII. Committees
The President may appoint such additional committees as he or she believes appropriate, and designate the chair to serve during his or her presidency. Sub-committees may be established by a committee to assist it in its work. The President shall be an ex-officio member of all committees except the Nominating Committee.
Article IX. Membership Meetings
Membership meetings shall be held annually in conjunction with the annual course, and may be called by the President from time to time as circumstances indicate. When a membership meeting is called, members should be given as much advance notice of the time, place, and agenda as is practicable. The Board of Directors shall provide for the preparation of a suitable program and those in attendance shall be given an opportunity to discuss questions of such interest or importance to the Association, and they may vote on such issues.
Article X. Voting
The members of the Board of Directors, at meetings of the Directors, and the Individual members at membership meetings, may vote on any issue. They may also vote by ballot using current technology. Unless otherwise specifically provided by this constitution, any issue before Individual members by ballot shall be determined by a simple majority of those voting on the issue involved. A quorum consisting of at least 35 Individual members of the Association shall be required for any vote in a membership meeting. A simple majority of members of the Board of Directors shall be required for voting on any issue before the Board of Directors.
Article XI. Fiscal Year
The fiscal year shall begin on January 1 and end on December 31.
Article XII. Amendments
This constitution may be amended only by a vote of the Individual members in which a majority of those voting are in favor of the proposed amendment. The Board of Directors or ten percent of the regular members in good standing may propose an amendment to the constitution. When an amendment is proposed by the Individual members, a copy shall be submitted to the Secretary using current technology. The Secretary shall, within 90 days, distribute the text of the proposed amendment to all of the Individual members and provide them the opportunity to vote by ballot for or against the proposed change.