(as amended in 1975)
Article I. Name
The name of this organization shall be the International Association of Law Libraries.
Article II. Purpose
The purposes of the Association are to promote on a cooperative, non-profit and fraternal basis the work of individuals, libraries, and other institutions and agencies concerned with the acquisition and bibliographic processing of legal materials collected on a multi-national basis, and to facilitate the research and other uses of such materials on a world-wide basis.
Article III. Members
Section 1. CLASSES OF MEMBERS. Membership shall be of the following classes: regular, associate, life and honorary.
Section 2. REGULAR MEMBERS. Any person or institution involved in the acquisition or servicing of legal and related materials may become a personal or institutional member respectively upon the payment of membership dues. An institutional regular member will designate a person as its representative and immediately advise the president of the Association of such person’s name.
Section 3. ASSOCIATE MEMBERS. Any person or institution not directly involved in the acquisition and servicing of legal and related materials may become an associate member subject to approval of the Board of Directors and upon the payment of membership dues.
Section 4. LIFE MEMBERS. Any person who has been a regular member of the Association for more than twelve years and who has retired from active duties may be elected life member by the Board of Directors.
Section 5. HONORARY MEMBERS. Any person may be elected honorary member by the Board of Directors for outstanding and distinguished service to the Association.
Section 6. MEMBERSHIP DUES. The Board of Directors shall determine membership dues to be paid by personal regular members, institutional regular members, and associate members. Life and honorary members shall not be required to pay membership dues.
Article IV. Officers
The officers of the Association shall be a president, first vice-president, second vice-president, secretary, and treasurer, elected by the regular members, each of whom shall serve for a term of three fiscal years or until his successor is elected and qualified. 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 in the Board of Directors. The officers shall perform the duties usually ascribed to their respective offices. In the case of the death or resignation of the president, the first or second vice-president, respectively, shall assume the duties of the president for the remainder of the term or until his successor is elected and qualified. In the case of the death or resignation of the secretary or treasurer, the president or acting president may fill these offices for the remainder of the term. Other vacancies among the officers and the Board of Directors shall be filled for the remainder of their respective terms by a majority vote of the Board of Directors.
Article V. Board of Directors
Section 1. COMPOSITION. The Board of Directors shall consist of the officers specified in Article IV and eight members, four of whom shall be elected by the regular members and four of whom shall be appointed by the Board of Directors, for terms of three fiscal years until their successors are elected and qualified.
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, but it shall keep the members informed of the activities, and it may poll them on important questions if it so desires.
Section 3. NOMINATION AND ELECTION OF OFFICERS. Every three years, the Board of Directors shall appoint a nominating committee charged with the responsibility of submitting the names of regular members as candidates for the offices provided for in Articles IV and V of this constitution to the secretary at least ninety days before the succeeding terms of office commence. The names of regular members may also be submitted as candidates for any office by petition signed by five or more regular members and submitted to the secretary at least ninety days before the new terms of office commence. The Board shall provide for the election by secret ballot of all the officers specified in this constitution from among the names submitted as provided above.
Article VI. Membership Meetings
Membership meetings shall be called by the Board of Directors from time to time as circumstances indicate. Whenever such a membership meeting is called, the members shall be given as much advance notice of the time and place selected as is practicable. The Board of Directors shall provide for the preparation of a suitable program but those in attendance shall be given an opportunity to discuss question of such interest or importance to the Association, and they may vote on such issues if they so desire.
Article VII. Voting
The members of the Board of Directors, at meetings of the Directors, and the regular members at membership meetings may vote on any issue. They may also vote by ballot by mail. Unless otherwise specifically provided by this constitution, any issue before the Board of Directors or the regular members shall be determined by a simple majority of those voting on the issue involved.
Article VIII. Fiscal Year
The fiscal year shall begin on July the First and end on June the Thirtieth.
Article IX. Amendments
This constitution may be amended only by a vote of the regular 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 regular members, a copy shall be submitted to the secretary in writing. The secretary shall, within a reasonable length of time, distribute the text of the proposed amendment to all of the regular members and provide them with an opportunity to vote by secret ballot for or against the proposed change.