General Guidelines

1. Divisions of the Montana Library Association are: Academic and Special Libraries Division, Public Library Division, School Library Division.
2. Divisions are governed by the MLA Bylaws, Article XII and the divisions’ own Bylaws which must conform to those of MLA. Divisions should review their Bylaws at least every three years to determine if there are changes that need to be made. Division Bylaws should include a section outlining how the Bylaws may be amended. The division chair is responsible for transmitting a copy of the updated Bylaws if any amendments are made during his/her term of office. A copy of each division’s Bylaws will be included in the MLA Handbook.
3. New divisions may be formed according to procedures set forth in the MLA Bylaws (Article XII, Sec. 1).

Officers and Board of Directors

1. Each division is governed by a Board of Directors composed of its officers and any other members provided for in the Bylaws of the division.
2. Each division must have a chair and vice chair, who is chair-elect, and any other officers provided for in the Bylaws of the division.
3. When a vacancy occurs in the chair of a division, the vice chair assumes office. Other vacancies are filled as provided in the division’s Bylaws, but, should the division fail to act, the Board of Directors of the Montana Library Association has the power to fill the vacancy.
4. All division officers should be thoroughly familiar with parts of the MLA Bylaws relating to divisions and with the Bylaws of his/her division.
5. All division chairs are voting members of the Montana Library Association Board of Directors. Vice chairs, if substituting for the chair, may enter into discussion, but may not vote.
6. The division chairs are encouraged to recommend to the President members of their divisions to serve on the Association’s standing committees.
7. Resignations of division chairs must be made to the President. Resignation of other division officers should be made to the division chair, unless otherwise specified in the division’s Bylaws.
8. Division chairs should forward names of members of division subcommittees to the President and Executive Director of the Association by August 1.

Activities and Finance

1. Division activities consist of proposing programs for the Montana Library Association annual conference or at other times which are of interest to division members and of undertaking special projects pertinent to the work of the division members.
2. Action contemplated by divisions, which affect the Association as a whole, must be takenup with the President and the Executive Committee in advance. The President may wish to consult the Board of Directors, and the Board may consider it a matter for the Association membership. No division action should be taken in the name of the Montana Library Association without prior Board approval.
3. Each division chair must submit a tentative budget for support of the work of the division in compliance with the Association’s budget guidelines. Once budget allocations have been approved by the Board of Directors, the Secretary-Treasurer will notify chairs of the amount allotted each division.
4. No division may commit the Association to any expenditure exceeding $25 without prior permission from the Board of Directors.

Reports and Correspondence

1. All division chairs shall submit an annual report to the President by the date specified by the President. The report should include action taken and activities conducted for the year including a report of conference activities and meetings.
2. The President may also request interim reports from division chairs.
3. The President should receive copies of all important correspondence sent or received by division officers.
4. Each division chair should cooperate fully with his/her successor and transmit all records, files, and minutes of the division by June 1.

Membership Solicitation

1. The chair of each division is a member of the Membership Committee.
2. Division chairs should attempt to recruit as many new members as possible as well as retain members from previous years. All renewal notices are sent by the MLA Executive Director. Letters of invitation should be coordinated with the Executive Director to avoid soliciting members already paid.

Meetings and the Annual Conference

1. Annual business meetings of each division should be held during the annual conference of the Association.
2. Division chairs are also encouraged to schedule social or other activities during the conference, if desired by the division.

Updated: January 7, 2013
Updated: January 2018