Gifts to the Library

BY-LAWS: 

FRIENDS OF THE

GLEN CARBON CENTENNIAL LIBRARY 

Article I. Name

Section 1.  The name of this organization shall be the Friends of the Glen Carbon Centennial Library. 

Article II.  Purposes 

Section 1.  The purposes of this organization shall be to: 

• Maintain a non-profit association of persons interested in the Glen Carbon Centennial Library;

• Promote knowledge of the functions, resources, services, and needs of the Library;

• Use all funds received through gifts, endowments, bequests, and fundraising activities to provide additional money for library materials, equipment, and/or services;

• Build a greater realization of the importance of the library to the community;

• Function as an organization separate from the Board of Library Trustees but provide complete advance information regarding all Friends of the Library projects and public relations programs to   the Board of Library Trustees and the Library Director in accordance with the Board’s Policy on Friends of the Library. 

Article III.  Membership

Section 1.  Membership of this organization shall be open to all persons interested in the library. 

Section 2.  Types of membership:

Individual:  $15 – Active volunteer; attends monthly meetings and participates in fundraisers.

Contributing:  $30 – Meetings and fundraisers optional; will receive invitations to Friends events.

Donor:  Any gift amount welcome. 

Section 3.  Each paid annual membership of at least $15 shall be entitled to one vote. 

Section 4.  Because Friends of the Library is an organization comprised solely of volunteers distinct and separate from Library personnel, currently employed Library staff are not eligible for voting  membership in accordance with the Board of Library Trustees Policy on Friends of the Library. 

Article IV.  Executive Board and Election 

Section 1.  The officers of the organization shall be vested in an Executive Board which shall consist of the following four positions: President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. The Library liaison   and the Library Director shall be non-voting ex-officio members of the Executive Board.   

Section 2.  To be eligible for the Executive Board, a person must have been an active member of the Friends for at least 6 months prior to election. 

Section3.  The Executive Board shall be elected for a one-year term:  May to April.  No officer shall serve  more than two consecutive one-year terms.  Election of the Executive Board shall be held at the annual meeting in May.  The Executive Board shall be elected by Instant Run-off Voting. 

Section 4.  Vacancies occurring on the Executive Board shall be filled for the unexpired term by a vote of the members present at any regular monthly meeting. 

Section 5.  Four members, including at least one officer, shall constitute a quorum. 

Section 6.  A designated member of the Friends of the Library will attend a Board of Library Trustees meeting at least once per quarter. 

Article V.  Duties of Officers 

Section 1.  President – The President shall preside over all meetings of the organization and shall have general supervision of the affairs of the organization. The President shall ensure and maintain the   direction of the group as it corresponds to the Purposes in Article II.  The President shall draft the monthly meeting agenda and circulate to members prior to the meeting.  The President shall be an    ex-officio member of all committees.   

Section 2.  Vice-President - The Vice-President shall assume the duties of the President in his/her absence.  The Vice-President shall also maintain Friends of the Library membership information. 

Section 3.  Secretary - The Secretary shall keep attendance and take the minutes of all meetings, notify the members of the time and place of meetings, and conduct the correspondence of the organization. 

Section 4.  Treasurer - The Treasurer shall be the chief financial officer of the organization; present oral and written financial reports at each meeting; keep an account of all money received by the organization and deposit the same in the bank designated by the Executive Board; pay all bills as approved by the Executive Board; and perform such other duties as the Executive Board may from   time to time prescribe.  The Treasurer shall prepare an annual report for the annual meeting and shall keep complete organizational accounts.

 Section 5.  No officer shall miss three consecutive meetings.  Should an Executive Board member miss three consecutive monthly meetings, the general membership will hold an election to replace this officer for the duration of the term.   

Article VI.  Meetings 

Section 1.  This organization shall hold per year at least ten monthly meetings open to all members and the public. 

Section 2.  This organization shall hold every May an annual meeting open to all members and the public.  Election of new officers shall take place at the annual meeting. 

Section 3.  A special meeting of this organization may be called at any time by the Executive Board and is open to all members and the public. 

Section 4.  All meetings shall be conducted according to Roberts Rule of Order or Consensus Process. 

Section 5.  All meetings shall be open to the public and shall be governed by all requirements and  exceptions as set forth in the Open Meetings Act 5 ILCS 120/2. 

Section 6.  Four members, including at least one officer, shall constitute a quorum. 

Article VII.  Finances 

Section 1.  All funds shall be deposited in the account of the Friends of the Glen Carbon Centennial Library.  No funds shall be disbursed without the written authority of the Executive Board as  reflected in the meeting minutes. 

Section 2.  Dues shall be payable annually and shall become due by the May annual meeting. The dues for    the ensuing year shall be set annually by the Executive Board at the annual meeting in May.  Individual memberships are $15.  Contributing memberships are $30. 

Section 3.  The fiscal year shall be the same as the libraries, starting May 1 through  April 30th.  

Section 4.  An auditing committee of two members, appointed by the President in consultation with the Executive Board, shall audit the Treasurer's books before the end of the fiscal year and submit its report at the annual meeting.  

Section 5.  The Friends of the Library shall create a budget annually to include operating expenses and a plan for giving.  The Friends will only retain what funds are needed to conduct the year’s fundraisers.  All remaining funds will be distributed to the Library via the Friends’ annual plan for giving.  A copy of this budget shall be given to the Library Director and the Board of Library Trustees at the start of the new fiscal year. 

Section 6.  No member of the Friends of the Library shall be liable except for unpaid dues for the current year and no personal liability shall in any event attach to any member of the Friends in connection  with any of its activities or undertakings except those liabilities via Friends Executive Board members as outlined in Section 11. All liabilities of the organization shall be limited to its deposited funds.  

Section 7.  Money received from memberships, projects, gifts, and memorials shall be used to further the purposes of this organization.  

Section 8.  No part of the net earnings of the organization shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributable to, its members, trustees, officers, or other private persons, except that the organization shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered.  

Section 9.  Friends of the Library funds accepted by the Library shall become solely the funds of the Library but shall be expended for the specific purpose for which the gift or donation as been made by the Friends, in accordance with the Board of Library Trustees Policy on Friends of the Library. 

Section 10.  Friends of the Library requires two signatures for every check written from the Friends checking account.  The four officers who comprise the Executive Board will be the authorized signers on the checking account per the bank’s signature card procedure.  

Section 11.  No one person can make changes to the Friends account without prior consent of the group as   recorded in the meeting minutes and approval of the three other officers authorized on the account if they are not present at said meeting.  Such changes include but are not limited to withdrawals, account termination, authorized persons on the signature card, and switching banking institutions.  Violation will result in removal from office, and, if necessary, legal recourse. 

Article VIII.  Amendments 

Section 1.  Amendments to these by-laws may be made at the annual meeting, after notification to members   of record at least two weeks before the meeting.  

Article IX.  Dissolution 

Section 1.  Upon dissolution of this organization, its assets remaining after payment of all debts shall become the property of the Glen Carbon Centennial Library.    

Section 2.  If the group dissolves and if the Friends officers are not responsive to reasonable attempts to   reach them in order to close the account and transfer the funds, a member of the Library Board of Trustees shall submit to the bank on library letterhead a letter explaining the situation and  requesting the desired action, i.e. close the account or change the signature card. 

Article X.  Additional Provisions 

Section 1.  No part of the net earnings of the organization shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributable to   its members. The organization shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of  Section 501(c)(3) purposes. 

Section 2.  No substantial part of the activities of the organization shall be the carrying on of propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation, and the organization shall not participate in or intervene in (including the publishing or distribution of statements) any political campaign on behalf of, or in opposition to, any candidate for public office.  

Section 3.  Notwithstanding any other provision of these articles, the organization shall not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried on (a) by an organization exempt from Federal income tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (or corresponding section of any future Federal tax code) or (b) by an organization, contributions to which are deductible under Section 170(c)(2) of the Internal Revenue (or corresponding section of any future Federal tax code.)