Approved November 1977; amended August 1980
Revised January 1988; amended December 1993, December 1997, December 2004, May 2007, February 2008, June 2009, November 2010, August 2011, March 2016; September 2018.
ARTICLE I. NAME
The name of this organization shall be the MUSIC OCLC USERS GROUP, hereafter referred to as the Group.
ARTICLE II. OBJECTIVES
SECTION 1. To establish and maintain the representation of a large and specific group of individuals and institutions having a professional interest in, and whose needs encompass, all OCLC systems and subsystems and their impact on music libraries, music materials, and music users.
SECTION 2. To encourage and facilitate the exchange of information:
a) between OCLC and the members of the Group;
b) between OCLC and the profession of music librarianship in general;
c) between members of the Group and appropriate representatives of the Library of Congress; and
d) between members of the Group and similar users’ organizations.
SECTION 3. To promote and maintain the highest standards of system usage, and to provide for continuing user education that the membership may achieve those standards.
SECTION 4. To provide a vehicle for communication among and with the members of the Group.
SECTION 5. The Group is a non-stock, non-profit association, organized and operated exclusively for said purposes. No part of the net earnings shall inure to the benefit of any individual. No officer, member, or delegate of a member shall, as such, receive compensation except that reasonable compensation may be paid for services of employees of the Group.
ARTICLE III. MEMBERSHIP
SECTION 1. Membership in the Group shall be open to all individuals and institutions interested in the stated objectives of the Group.
SECTION 2. The annual dues shall be set by the Executive Board, subject to approval by the membership by ballot election. The Treasurer shall bill members at the beginning of the penultimate month of the fiscal year, and notify members three months in arrears. Those whose dues are not paid within ninety days thereafter shall be automatically removed from the membership list of the Group. [Second sentence amended December 1997; first sentence amended May 2007]
SECTION 3. Voting privileges shall be extended to individual members only. [added December 1993]
ARTICLE IV. OFFICERS
[Redundancy in section numeration corrected June 2009.]
SECTION 1. The officers of the Group shall be:
1) a Chair;
2) a Vice Chair/Chair Elect or Past Chair;
3) a Secretary/Newsletter Editor;
4) a Treasurer;
5) a Treasurer-Elect/Past Treasurer; and
6) a Continuing Education Coordinator; and
7) a Reference, Discovery, and Collection Coordinator.
These officers shall constitute the Executive Board. [Final sentence amended February 2008; 6) amended March 2016; 7) added March 2016; final sentence deleted March 2016.]
SECTION 2. Nominating Procedures. The Nominating Committee shall nominate candidate(s) for each office and shall submit its slate to the Executive Board for approval no less than three months before the annual meeting. The Committee shall be comprised as specified in Article VII, Section 2. Candidates for office must be individual members of the Group in good standing at the time the ballot is distributed and must file an acceptance of the nomination with the Committee. [First and third sentences amended December 1997]
SECTION 3. Election Procedures. The slate approved by the Executive Board as per Article IV, Section 2 shall be presented to the membership for election of officers. Officers shall be elected by a plurality of the ballots cast by the voting membership. Ballots shall be distributed no less than two months before the annual meeting and shall be returned by the voting members to the Nominating Committee or to a Board-designated MOUG member who administers e-ballots no later than the date specified on the ballot. A majority of the voting members of the Executive Board shall resolve a tied vote. New officers shall be announced no later than the business meeting of the annual meeting following the election. [First sentence added December 1997; second sentence amended December 1993; fifth sentence added December 2004; second sentence amended November 2010]
SECTION 4. Terms of office. The term of office of the Chair shall be two years as Chair and one year each as Vice Chair/Chair-Elect and Past Chair. The term of office of Treasurer shall be two years as Treasurer and one year each as Treasurer-Elect and Past Treasurer. An incumbent in either the Chair or Treasurer offices shall not succeed him/herself. The terms of office of Secretary/Newsletter Editor, Reference, Discovery, and Collection Coordinator, and Continuing Education Coordinator shall be two years. An incumbent in either the Secretary/Newsletter Editor, Reference, Discovery, and Collection Coordinator, or Continuing Education Coordinator office may succeed him/herself. In order to assure a measure of continuity within the Executive Board, election of the five offices (Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect; Secretary/Newsletter Editor; Treasurer-Elect; Reference, Discovery, and Collection Coordinator; and Continuing Education Coordinator) shall occur on a two-year cycle, with three of the five offices being elected one year, and the remaining two offices being elected the following year. In the event of the resignation, incapacitation or removal of any of the officers, the remaining officers shall select a replacement for the unexpired term. The officers shall serve until the adjournment of the final session of the annual meeting following the election of their successors. [Seventh sentence amended December 2004; second through sixth sentences amended February 2008; seventh sentence amended June 2009; third through fifth sentences amended March 2016; sixth and eighth sentences amended January 2019]
SECTION 5. Duties of officers. The officers shall perform the duties prescribed by these Bylaws and by the parliamentary authority adopted by the Group.
1) Chair. The Chair shall act as chief executive officer with general supervision and control of the affairs of the Group. The Chair shall also serve as a member ex-officio of all committees except the Nominating Committee, and shall act as ex-officio liaison to OCLC and other appropriate affiliations as indicated. In addition, the Chair, in consultation with the Executive Board, shall appoint individual members of the Group to standing, continuing, or special committees, or to other non-elected positions. [Second and third sentences amended December 1997]
2) Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect or Past Chair. The Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect or Past Chair shall act as chief executive officer in the event of the inability of the chair to serve. The Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect or Past Chair shall also assist with general supervision and control of the affairs of the Group at the discretion of the chair. [Title, first and second sentences amended December 1997]
3) Secretary/Newsletter Editor. The Secretary/Newsletter Editor shall record the minutes of the annual business meeting and the sessions of the Executive Board. In addition, the Secretary/Newsletter Editor, as editor-in-chief of the principal vehicle for communication to the membership, shall assure publication of the Newsletter at appropriate and timely intervals.
4) Treasurer. The Treasurer shall act as Membership Officer, and shall be responsible for all financial accounts of the Group and for maintaining accurate records of income, expenditures, and membership for submission to the Executive Board.
5) The Treasurer-Elect/Past Treasurer shall serve as understudy and assistant to the Treasurer, with the specific objectives of learning the Treasurer’s duties while Treasurer-Elect, and acting while Past Treasurer as mentor and monitor to the Treasurer during the latter’s first full year of the Executive Board. [Added February 2008; final sentence amended March 2016.]
6) Continuing Education Coordinator. The Continuing Education Coordinator shall oversee the planning of the forthcoming annual planning, which includes chairing the Program Committee for the annual meeting. The Continuing Education Coordinator may serve as a representative on a planning committee for any joint OLAC/MOUG meeting, or other jointly sponsored meetings, such as co-sponsored MLA pre-conferences. [Added March 2016]
7) Reference, Discovery, and Collection Coordinator. The Reference, Discovery, and Collection Coordinator shall investigate discovery, public, and collection service issues related to OCLC products and services. The Reference, Discovery, and Collection Coordinator shall serve in an advisory capacity to OCLC regarding the suggestion of improvements, etc. to these products and services. The Reference, Discovery, and Collection Coordinator shall also enlist members for and lead the Reference, Discovery, and Collection Committee. [Added March 2016]
SECTION 6. Removal of Officers. A Board member may be removed from office after a vote of three out of four of the other voting Board members in case of an illegal action, an action that significantly damages the organization, incompetence, or a failure to participate in the activities of the Board for a period of longer than three months without a satisfactory explanation. This may only occur following a full discussion that includes all Board members, including the member in question (assuming the individual can be reached and is responsive). The Chair or his/her designee shall represent the Board in case of actual removal; if the Chair is to be removed, the Vice Chair will represent the Board. [Added by amendment, June 2009]
ARTICLE V. EXECUTIVE BOARD
SECTION 1. The Executive Board, comprised of the elected officers, shall:
1) have general supervision of the affairs of the Group;
2) act in the name of the Group between the annual meetings of the Group;
3) fill by appointment any vacancy in office for the unexpired term;
4) provide a report of its activities at the annual meeting;
5) authorize necessary disbursements through checks drawn on the account of the Group and signed by the Treasurer;
6) perform such other duties as are specified in these Bylaws.
ARTICLE VI. OCLC LIAISON
OCLC shall be invited to appoint an OCLC staff member as a liaison to the Group. The liaison shall be invited to serve as a nonvoting ex-officio member of the Group’s Executive Board and to provide information regarding OCLC products as appropriate. Appointment as the OCLC liaison does not convey individual member voting privileges to the liaison; however, the liaison is encouraged to join as an individual member and receive all privileges of individual membership. [Entire article replaced December 1997; first and second sentences amended and third sentence added, June 2009; second sentence amended November 2010]
ARTICLE VII. COMMITTEES
SECTION 1. Program Committee. A Program Committee, comprised of no fewer than three members plus the Continuing Education Coordinator, shall be appointed by the Chair immediately following the annual membership meeting. It shall be the purpose of this committee, under the direction of the Continuing Education Coordinator, to prepare in detail the program of activities for the forthcoming annual meeting. Committee members shall be individual members of the Group in good standing. [First sentence amended December 1997; third sentence added, December 1997]
SECTION 2. Nominating Committee. The Nominating Committee, comprised of three members, shall be appointed by the Chair no less than six months before the annual meeting at which the Nominating Committee’s election results will be announced. Membership may include one member of the Executive Board, except the Chair. This Committee shall be responsible for assembling a slate of candidates for elective office. Committee members shall be individual members of the Group in good standing. [Third sentence amended; fourth sentence added December 1997; first sentence amended November 2010]
SECTION 3: A Reference, Discovery, and Collection Committee, comprised of no fewer than three members plus the Reference, Discovery, and Collection Coordinator, shall be appointed by the Chair immediately following the annual membership meeting. It shall be the purpose of this committee, under the direction of the Reference, Discovery, and Collection Coordinator, to assist with investigating discovery, public, and collection service issues related to OCLC products and services, and associated advocacy in relation to those products and services. Additionally, a member of the committee, selected by the Reference, Discovery, and Collection Coordinator, in consultation with the Continuing Education Coordinator, shortly after the conclusion of each annual conference, shall serve as an ex-officio member of the Program Committee. Committee members shall be individual members of the Group in good standing. [Added March 2016]
SECTION 4. Such other committees, standing or special, shall be appointed by the Chair, in consultation with the Executive Board, as the membership or the Executive Board may recommend in fulfillment of the objectives of the Group. Committee members shall be individual members of the Group in good standing. Charges to special committees or task forces shall be in writing. [Second sentence added December 1997; third sentence added June 2009; section number amended March 2016]
ARTICLE VIII. MEETINGS
SECTION 1. Annual Meeting. An annual membership meeting of the Group shall be held at a time and location to be determined by the Executive Board.
SECTION 2. Business Meeting. A business meeting shall be held during each annual meeting of the Group. The membership in attendance at the business meeting shall constitute a quorum.
SECTION 3. Special Meetings. The Chair may call a special meeting at the request of either the Executive Board or five members of the Group. The purpose of the meeting shall be stated in the call. At such a meeting, no business may be transacted other than that stated in the notification. The membership in attendance at the special meeting shall constitute a quorum. [Fourth sentence added June 2009]
SECTION 4. Executive Meetings. The Executive Board meets as needed in order to carry out the work of the group in pursuit of the group’s mission and objectives. Meetings shall be open to members in good standing, but the Board may go into closed session at its discretion. The Board members in attendance at a meeting shall constitute a quorum. [Section added June 2009]
ARTICLE IX. PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
The rules contained in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern the Group in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not found to be inconsistent with these Bylaws and any special rules of order the Group may adopt.
ARTICLE X. AMENDMENT OF BYLAWS
These Bylaws may be amended in a ballot by a two-thirds vote of ballots cast by the voting membership. Proposed amendments should be submitted in writing and signed by five members. The ballot shall include the complete text of the proposed amendment. [First sentence amended December 1993 and June 2009; third sentence added June 2009]
ARTICLE XI. DISSOLUTION
Should future exigencies make the dissolution of the Group necessary, the properties of the Group shall be disposed of as deemed fitting by the majority of the membership for one or more of exempt purposes within the meaning of section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. [Amended August 2011]
1988 Bylaws Revision Committee: Don Hixon, Chair, David Knapp, Dawn Thistle
Amended by vote of the membership, December 1993; December 1997; December 2004; May 2007, February 2008, June 2009, November 2010, August 2011, March 2016, September 2018.
Document last updated: January 2019