Cameron Public Library

POLICIES

BY-LAWS OF THE

CAMERON PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES

            Realizing the need for policies by which to operate the library; the current board of trustees of the Cameron Public Library has instituted the following by-laws and policies based on prior by-laws and policies, but up-dated with common practice and needs of the current operation.

ARTICLE 1. - Name  

          The name of the library shall be the Cameron Public Library.

ARTICLE 2. - Objectives

1.  To provide a means for the educational and cultural advancement of the citizens of the community.

2.  To supplement the library facilities of the Cameron Public Schools.

ARTICLE 3. - Organization

          The Board of Trustees of the Cameron Public Library was created to oversee the organization and direction of the Cameron Public Library.  The Cameron Public Library serves the district represented by the city limits of Cameron with further extension of library privileges to anyone in the surrounding area upon payment of the appropriate fee.

ARTICLE 4. - Board Membership

          The board of directors shall consist of nine (9) members each appointed for three (3) years on a rotating basis so three (3) members are appointed each year.  New board members are selected by existing members from library patrons identified as being library supporters and shall fulfill duties of board members as necessary, including meeting attendance.  Members may continue to serve for three (3) consecutive terms.  Non-attendance of four (4) or more consecutive meetings over a 90 day or longer period serves notice of voluntary resignation by said member.  Written or verbal notice at a regular meeting may  also serve as resignation.  Lastly by a vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the total membership of the board, a member may be removed from the board.

          Members shall serve without pay for the term of office.  Special expenses to members may be reimbursed provided they are reasonable and have been generally approved in advance.

ARTICLE 5. - Officers  

          Officers of the board shall be elected yearly by the members.  The officers will be president, vice-president, secretary and treasurer.  The power to conduct meetings will succeed in that order in the absence of the superior officer.  In the event of a permanent or temporary absence of an officer, the acting president may appoint a member to temporarily fill that position.  If the office is vacant due to permanent absence of the member, another election for that position must be held at the first meeting at which a quorum is present.

           The board president shall schedule special meetings, conduct meetings, and appoint temporary committees.  In addition the president should have frequent contact with the head librarian/director to discuss problems which should be brought before the board.

          The vice-president shall assume the duties of the president in the absence of the president.  In addition he shall communicate with the news media on a monthly basis providing information on board actions, policy changes, and changes in library activities to the media.  

          The secretary shall take minutes of meetings, be responsible for board correspondence, and provide member notification of the meetings.  

          The treasurer shall provide a financial report at each meeting and each month review financial transactions taken on behalf of the library.

ARTICLE 6. - Meetings

          Meetings will be scheduled the third Thursday of each month at 7:30 P.M.  This time may be altered at any prior regular meeting by a vote of the members in attendance or even at the discretion of the acting president for an individual meeting.  Special meetings may be requested by the acting president on short notice and the meeting becomes official and may replace the regular meeting of the period should a quorum be in attendance.  Meetings should be scheduled sufficiently in advance to give all members at least  seven (7) days advance notice of the meeting.  In an emergency the president may take action on the authority of a signature vote of a quorum of board members without prior meeting notice or even having board members come together to a single meeting place.  The President must provide to members voting, a written description of the proposed actions and receive a written vote and signature of the voting board member.  These records shall be provided to the board secretary and maintained by that secretary in his/her records.

          Quorum at meetings shall consist of 1/2 (one-half) of the total board members.  Official binding actions of the board shall be only made in response to a quorum vote.  This shall include fiscal and legal obligations, creating and staffing standing committees, and changes in by-laws.  General actions by the board shall require only a simple majority of those present at the meeting.

ARTICLE 7. - Committees  

          Members and chairmen of the committees shall be appointed at the discretion of the acting president.  These committees shall have a maximum tenure of only three months.  Non-board members may be recruited to act as advisors for committees as needed.  These advisors shall act without pay or committee vote.  Committee chairmen shall report to the board on committee action at each official meeting during committee tenure.

Standing committees are to be created only on the action of a quorum of the board.  Likewise the membership of standing committees shall be elected by a quorum board action.

          No committee, standing or temporary, shall have power to take action on behalf of the board.  Nor shall they take any action previously reserved to those requiring a quorum vote.  No committee quorum is defined.

ARTICLE 8 - Parliamentary Authority

          All business in board or committee meetings shall be conducted according to "Robert's Rules of Order".

ARTICLE 9  -  By-Law Amendment  

          By-law amendment may be done by first proposing the appropriate changes at any official meeting.  At the next meeting which is at least 21 days later, those motions passed by a quorum vote shall replace or modify the existing by-laws as designated.

STATEMENT OF INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM

A.  The library has the responsibility of keeping on its shelves a  representative  selection of books on all subjects of interest to its readers, including books representing differing sides of controversial issues.

  B.  The library does not endorse any idea or presentation contained in books and materials made available.

  C.  It does believe in the right of each individual to decide for himself what he does or does not wish to read from a variety of offerings - not all may be universally popular.

  D.  Responsibility for the reading of children rests with their parents and/or legal guardians.  Selection will not be inhibited by the chance that books may inadvertently come into the possession of children.

  E.  Members of the library staff will use their best judgment in the selection of materials, using available publications to aid in the selection.

  F.  No book or material shall be judged solely on a single passage taken out of context.

  G.  Objections to, or criticism of books, or materials in the library shall be presented to the librarian in writing.  Printed forms provided by the library are to be completed in full.  The complainant must be a registered borrower of the Cameron Public Library.

  H.  The Cameron Public Library Board will review the complaint if the librarian  has been unable to satisfy the complainant about the item's inclusion in the collection.  The person making the complaint will be notified  when the library board will meet to consider the item and should attend the meeting.   Each item in question will be reviewed one time.

updated Septemger 12, 2008
312 N. Chestnut; Cameron, MO 64429
voice phone: 816-632-2311 -- fax: 816-632-2969
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