Vassalboro Library Association
Bylaws
Article 1. Name, Purpose and Location
Section 1. The name of the association shall be the Vassalboro Library Association.
Section 2. The Association is responsible for the care and oversight of the Library property and the business of the association and general oversight of the management of the Library established under these bylaws.
Section 3: The location of said library shall be in the village of East Vassalboro in said Town of Vassalboro. The provisions of these bylaws as to the location of said free public Library shall never be amended or repealed, but shall remain a continuing contract between all present and future members of this Association.
Article 2. Membership and Dues
Section 1. Any person desiring to do so may become a member of the Association upon payment of the annual dues to the Treasurer of the Association. All members eighteen years of age and over shall have voting privileges.
Section 2. The amount of dues shall be determined by the Governing Board of the Association.
Article 3. General Duties
It shall be the general duty of all members of this Association, and particularly of the Governing Board, to promote the welfare, progress, and success of the library and to stimulate public interest in the same.
Article 4. Governing Board
Section 1. The officers of this Association shall consist of a President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer. The Governing Board of the Association shall consist of these four officers and at least three but not more than five other members, plus members included in Section 3 below.
Section 2. The Governing Board shall be elected at the annual meeting of the Association by its members to hold office for two years, beginning at the close of the annual meeting.
In case of a vacancy on the Board, the Board may elect someone to fill the office until the next general election.
Section 3. The Governing Board may include the First Selectman of the Town of Vassalboro as an Honorary member, and also include a student of high-school age given voting privileges.
Article 5. Duties of the Officers
Section 1. The President of the Association shall be presiding officer at all meetings of the Association and shall call the annual meeting of the Association sometime during the month of April of each year. He/she may also call special meetings of the Association as described in article 7, section 2.
Section 2. The Vice-President shall perform all duties of the President in his/her absence.
Section 3. The Secretary shall be recording officer and shall keep a true and accurate record of all meetings of the Association, shall keep a complete list of the members of the Association and shall perform such other duties as may be required from time to time.
Section 4. The Treasurer shall accept all monies received by the Association and shall pay all bills and keep an accurate account thereof. He/she shall render a report of all receipts and disbursements at the annual meeting of the Association and when requested by the President.
Section 5. The Governing Board shall have the general care and oversight of the property and business of the Association, and shall generally supervise the management of the library established under these bylaws. They shall hire the Librarian, fix the compensation, and prescribe the duties thereof.
Article 6. Committees
Section 1. Committees of the Association shall consist of Building and Maintenance, Public Relations, Volunteer Coordination, and Fundraising. Each member of the Governing Board shall have responsibility to coordinate or serve on one or more committees.
Section 2. Ad hoc committees for the study of special issues shall be appointed by the President, with the approval of the Board, to serve until the final report of the work for which they were appointed has been filed.
Article 7. Meetings of the Association
Section 1. The annual meeting of the Association shall be held in April of each year upon the call of the President, with the exact time and place to be designated in a notice published in appropriate newspapers.
Section 2. Special meetings of the Association may be held at any time during the year upon call of the President. The President must call special meetings upon written request of either a majority of the members of the Association or upon written request of two or more members of the Board.
Article 8. Meetings of the Governing Board
Meetings of the Board may be called upon request of the President, upon request of the Librarian, or upon request of a majority of the Board. Notice of a meeting of the Board shall be given forty-eight hours before said meeting by the Secretary of the Board, either in person, by telephone, by mail, or by e-mail.
Article 9. Quorum
A majority of the members present at any legal meeting of the Association shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at such meeting. A majority of Board members present at any legal meeting of the Board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any such meeting.
Matters requiring action before the next regular Board meeting may be decided by e-mail ballot. This will be done only if the motion does not concern Library policy and if no Board member objects to the procedure. The Secretary shall e-mail the motion, duly seconded, to all Board members. Board members having no e-mail access shall receive the motion from a Board member who does. Board members shall e-mail their votes to the Secretary no more than five days after the motion was sent out. The Secretary shall number the ballots in the order of receipt. The quorum shall be as for a Board meeting: a majority of those voting. The Secretary shall e-mail the tally to all Board members and record the vote in the Minutes.
Article 10. Amendments
Any bylaw, except Section 3 of Article 1, may be amended by a majority vote at an annual meeting of the Association, provided that the notice of the meeting shall state therein that an amendment to these bylaws is to be discussed and voted upon at such meeting.
Article 11. Statement of Ethics for Governing Board
Section 1. Because they are entrusted with the interests, assets, and good name of the Library, members of the Governing Board must live up to high ethical standards.
a. Governing Board members must demonstrate integrity and respect for others while conducting the Library's business.
b. A Governing Board member must excuse him/herself immediately from handling any matter in which his/her interests may appear to conflict with those of the Library.
c. Governing Board members speaking for the Board will represent the majority opinion of the Board.
d. Governing Board members are expected to perform all the duties of Governing Board.
e. Failure to live up to ethical standards is cause for removal from office by vote of the Board.
Section 2. Any Board member elected as provided in the bylaws may be removed by a two-thirds vote of the Board if said Board member misses three consecutive meetings without just cause or for direct violation of the present code of ethics.
Article 12. Disposition of Assets Upon Dissolution
Section 1. Notwithstanding any other provisions of these articles, the Association is organized exclusively for one or more of the purposes as specified in Section 501 (c) 3 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and shall not carry on any activities not permitted to be carried on by an organization exempt from Federal income tax under Section 501 (c) (3) or corresponding provisions of any subsequent tax laws.
Section 2. No part of the net earnings of the Association shall inure to the benefit of any member, trustee, director, officer of the organization, or any private individual (except that reasonable compensation may be paid for services rendered to or for the Association) and no member, trustee, officer of the organization or any private individual shall be entitled to share in the distribution of any of the organization’s assets on dissolution of the organization.
Section 3. No substantial part of the activities of the organization shall be carrying on propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation (except as otherwise provided by the IRC 501 (h) or participating in, or intervening in (including the publication or distribution of statements) any political campaign on behalf of or in opposition to any candidates for public office.
Section 4. In the event of dissolution, all the remaining assets and property of the organization shall, after payment of necessary expenses thereof, be distributed to such organizations as shall qualify under Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Service code of 1986, or corresponding provisions of any subsequent Federal tax laws, or to the Federal government of State or local government for a public purpose, subject to the approval of a Justice of the Supreme Court of the State of Maine.
Section 5. In any taxable year in which the organization is a private foundation as described in IRC 509 (a), the organization shall distribute its income for said period at such time and manner as not to subject it to tax under IRC 4942, and the organization shall not a) engage in any act of self-dealing as defined in IRC 4941 (d), b) retain any excess business holding as defined in IRC 4943 (c), c) make any investments in such a manner as to subject the organization to tax under IRC 4944, or d) make any taxable expenditures as defined in IRC 4945 (d) or corresponding provisions of any subsequent Federal tax laws.
Revised 14 April 2010
Vassalboro Public Library
Contact List
Governing Board
Vickie Limberger President
Chuck Ferguson, Vice President
Art Kingdon, Treasurer
Val Sugden, Secretary
David Shipman
Jody Welch
Susan Taylor
Sue Haines
George O'Connor
Librarian Dawn Thistle
Asst. Librarian Russell Smith