AkASL POLICY MANUAL

 

            ALASKA ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL LIBRARIANS 

                                POLICY MANUAL

                          Revised 03-04 School Year (2/05/04)

 

 

The EXECUTIVE BOARD shall:

1.    plan functions and/or activities of the Association.

2.    provide for the establishment of necessary procedures to assure the proper operation of the association.

3.    authorize the President to act on its behalf when necessary.

4.    receive and act on committee reports and recommendations.

5.    approve honorary memberships.

6.    fill elected officer vacancies as specified by the Constitution.

7.    approve special committees as recommended by the President.

8.    approve committee chairs.

9.    adopt a budget.

10.     adopt a dues structure.

11.     formulate policy as needed.

12.     approve additions or changes to the Association Policy Manual.

13.     convene membership meetings as needed.

14.     attend regularly scheduled audio conference meetings during the school year and meet face to face twice a year.  One meeting shall be held in the fall and the second shall be held in the spring, if possible in conjunction with the AkLA conference.  Executive board members shall be reimbursed for transportation to the fall and spring meetings. A stipend of $100 will be given to Executive Board members to defray lodging, meals, or other costs associated with travel to the fall meeting.

15.     authorize expenditures related to duties as described in the associationŐs policy manual.

16.     fulfill the duties of the offices as prescribed in the Association Policy Manual.  If an Executive Board member is not able to fulfill the duties to the satisfaction of the Executive Board, resignation will be requested by the President, who will declare the position vacant and appoint a replacement.

 

 

The PRESIDENT shall:

     1. carry out all provisions of the Constitution.

     2. preside at all meetings of the Association and the Executive Board.

     3. appoint a chair for any special committee with the approval of the

         Board. 

    4. schedule, plan, lead and provide an agenda for regular audio

        conference Association meetings and activities.

    5. provide leadership for the growth and development of the school library

        professional and library media programs in the schools of Alaska.

    6. establish and maintain communications in cooperation with other state

        and national professional organizations.

    7. be a member of all special committees.

    8. establish and maintain effective working relationships with the

        President-Elect and the Executive Board to assure the continuity of

        organization leadership.

9.    supervise balloting for amendments and/or changes to the Constitution in the manner specified in the Constitution.

   10. establish and/or implement long-range plans for the Association.

11.   serve as Association representative to the annual Affiliate Assembly of the American Association of School Librarians at ALA, or appoint a designee to so serve if possible.

12.   serve as the main Association representative of the AkLA Executive Board along with the President Elect.

13.   appoint an editor/publisher for the Puffin, a Membership Coordinator, Online Communications Coordinator, Chair(s) for the Battle of the Books and Award Committee, and a representative to the GovernorŐs Advisory Council on Libraries.

14.   write a report of AkASL activities to be distributed at the spring membership meeting and to be included in the AkLA Executive Board reports.

15.   establish and maintain a working relationship with the State School Library Media Coordinator.

16.   be a liaison between AkASL and other organizations for the planning of joint conferences and present a tentative schedule to the Board prior to conference.  Maintain a conference notebook if necessary.

 

 


 

The PRESIDENT-ELECT shall:

1.    perform the duties of the President in his/her absence.

2.    perform such duties as the President may assign.

3.    attend joint meetings of AkLA along with the AkASL President to learn how the AkLA Executive Council operates, to meet the officers of AkLA, and to advise the AkASL President at his/her request. AkASL will pay for the travel expenses for the President Elect to attend the AkLA fall meeting.

4.    advise and counsel the President.

5.    assist the President in promoting continuing education activities which reflect the goals of the Association.

6.    assist the President in determining the educational needs and desires of the membership and assist in actively seeking ways to meet those needs.

 

The IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT shall:

1.    serve as parliamentarian at all Association and Executive Board meetings.

2.    serve as a political advocate for the organization

3.    perform such duties as the President may assign.

4.    advise and counsel the President.

5.    be responsible for maintaining and reviewing the AkASL Policy Manual; changes and additions to be approved by the Executive Board.

6.    be responsible for updating and revising the Constitution, subject to the approval of the membership.

7.    along with the President, encourage/recruit potential candidates to run for Executive Board offices and keep a list of possible candidates throughout the year. Provide the Secretary with the names and biographical data of candidates for all elected positions.

8.    welcome each new and returning Executive Board member including giving or sending each member their part of the policy manual which states what their duties are. Provide Executive Board with a copy of the current Constitution and/or other documents or information necessary for the performance of their duties and responsibilities.

9.    along with the membership chair, keep the official Executive Board name and address list and see that it gets published correctly on the website, the Puffin, and elsewhere as needed.

 

 

 

The SECRETARY shall:

1.    record the minutes and/or proceedings of all Association and Executive Board meetings.

2.    submit an abridged version of the minutes for inclusion in the Association publications such as Puffin and/or the AkASL Web page.

3.    maintain a permanent file of minutes, proceedings, correspondence and send older records to an archival site.

 

The TREASURER shall:

     1. maintain a checking account in the name of the Association and

         other accounts as necessary Đwrite checks, deposit monies, receive

         monthly bank statements, balance the checkbook.

2. maintain an accurate ledger (checkbook voucher system) of all money

    received and paid, including original copies of all bills presented, and

    checks and stubs for bills paid.

3.  be responsible for receiving and depositing monies collected by

              AkASL, its committees or workgroups:

a.    work with the AkASL Membership Coordinator, receive membership deposit slips and keep membership books.

b.    record the AkASL/Battle of the Book registrations and purchase orders from school districts and issue invoices as necessary. 

c.    send out receipts and welcome notices to newly registered districts via contact person.

d.    send completed registration forms and budget information to AkASL/Battle of the Books Chairperson(s), and keep books of AkASL/Battle of the Books program.

e.    work with AkASL/Awards Chair, receive bills and deposits, and keep books of Awards business.                                                                  

4.    pay all bills within the authorized budget, and as authorized by the President and/or Board chairs.

5.    secure the authorization of the Executive Board to pay bills not

      provided for in the budget.

 6. submit a financial transaction report to the President one week before

     each board meeting and report on the current financial statement at

     each Executive Board meeting.

7.  submit to the Executive Board at the fall face-to-face meeting: a

     budget worksheet with the previous fiscal yearŐs actual income and

     expenditures, the current budget, and a draft budget proposal for the

     next fiscal year.

8. revise the draft budget proposal for the next fiscal year with the advice

    and recommendations of the Board and submit the finalized version to

    the Executive Board for approval.                                                                        

9. distribute an annual report of the financial status of the Association for

     the previous fiscal year to the general membership at the spring

     conference.  Submit the budget proposal for the next fiscal year to the

     general membership for approval.                                                                             

10. submit a copy of the budget and financial statement to the AkLA

     Treasurer after the spring membership meeting.                                             

11. send any leftover grant monies, in the form of checks, back to the

      State of Alaska at the end of each grant year.

 

THE REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVES shall:

1.    obtain information from and disseminate association related information to all of the AkASL members in his/her region. 

2.    assist in regional membership drives.

3.    ask the school librarians within each district to appoint a liaison for contact with the Regional Representative.

4.    communicate with all of the AkASL members in their region at least once a year by e-mail, fax, or letter.

5.    solicit ideas for the Puffin before each issue is produced.  Write an article for the issue which includes the ideas which have been submitted.

6.    be assigned tasks and other duties as the Executive Board determines necessary.

7.    write a report of regional and other activities to be distributed at the spring general membership meeting.

8.    advise the Board of issues that affect their areaŐs school libraries. 

9. attend AkASL Board meetings.

 

THE MEMBERSHIP COORDINATOR shall:

1.    promote new and renewed memberships.

2.    create, provide and distribute membership registration forms as needed.

3.    maintain database of AkASL members and provide a membership count at Executive Board meetings.

4.    provide to members a welcome letter and a membership card.

5.    coordinate dues payments with AkASL Treasurer.

6.    provide membership mailing labels and/or lists as needed.

 

BATTLE OF THE BOOKS CHAIR(S) shall:  

1.    Promote and organize the state-wide AkASL Battle of the Books reading program.

2.    appoint grade level chairs to give input into the lists and to write questions as indicated in the AkASL Battle of the Books Handbook.

3.    oversee the following duties:

a.  prepare official book lists annually

b.  coordinate collection and distribution of questions

c.  set up the intrastate Battle schedule

d.  locate moderators for state battles

e.  secure and distribute prizes and awards

f.  collect photos and articles from participating sites

g.  write articles for state and national library and educational

     magazines, etc.

h.  keep all district coordinators informed of Battle of the Books

     activities

i.   write informative articles about Battle of the Books for each issue of the Puffin

4.    revise and distribute updated handbooks annually to all registered district coordinators.

5.    conduct a workshop/meeting during an annual conference.

6.    conduct an evaluation of the program and make recommendations to the Board for improvement or change for the following year.

7.    recommend a co-chair/elect who will, with Board approval, assume the chair at some future time.

8.    maintain a calendar noting all Battle of the Books program responsibilities and deadlines to be passed along to new chair(s).

9.    propose a budget and authorize expenditures of monies from the committee budget.

10.     maintain correspondence and mailing records for the Battle of the Books program.

11.     be responsible for validating that the format and medium for old Battle questions are valid for another year.  If not or if itŐs questionable, will make arrangements for conversion to a new medium and/or format with board approval.

 

 

 

The AWARDS CHAIR shall:

1.    be appointed by the President, with the current School Librarian of the Year being given the first opportunity to accept or reject the position.  The Awards Chair will serve a one-year term on the Board starting at the end of one conference and lasting to the end of the next yearŐs conference when a new chair will be named.

2.    organize and actively publicize the nomination procedures for the following awards:                                                                                  a. School Librarian of the Year                                                                 b. Linda K Barrett Service Award                                                            c. Pat on the Back Award to school administrators                               d. Honorary Memberships

3.    appoint a committee to determine the Award recipients, members to include the President, Immediate Past-President, and up to 5 previous award winners.

4.    maintain criteria for determining award winners.

5.    prepare and deliver awards to recipients at an annual conference.

6.    publish and distribute a list of all award recipients at an annual conference, to be used by members as local public relations information.

7.    publicize the names of award recipients in local, state, and national library publications and appropriate local and regional newspapers.

 

GOVERNORŐS ADVISORY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE 

The GovernorŐs Advisory Council Representative is not a representative of the Alaska Association of School Librarians as an organization, but is an AkLA member who represents school libraries.  The President of AkASL will submit a nomineeŐs name to the GovernorŐs Office.  The representative shall serve a three-year term.

     This representative shall:

1.    attend all meetings of the GovernorŐs Advisory Council.

2.    attend all AkASL Executive Board meetings.

3.    report events of significance to the Board and to members via the Puffin.    

 

The Puffin newsletter serves as the official publication of pertinent AkASL business, news, and information, as well as to be a news and information source for AlaskaŐs school librarians.   

The PUFFIN EDITOR/PUBLISHER shall:

1.    attend all Executive Board teleconferences/meetings and solicit write-ups of pertinent association business and information.

2.    proactively organize the collection of articles and information as well as solicit writing on topics of interest for the Puffin throughout the year, especially at conferences.

3.    publish one volume of at least three issues each budgetary (school) year.  These are traditionally named and due:  FALL, due by October 30th; WINTER, due by February 1st; and SPRING, due by May 1st.

4.    publish a document of at least 10 electronic pages which follows the same format as that already online.

 

The ONLINE COMMUNICATION COORDINATOR shall:

1.    update and maintain the AkASL web page.

2.    work with the AkASL Executive Board and membership to post and provide links to appropriate AkASL business and information on the Internet.

3.    direct mail received through the website to the correct AkASL Board member.

4.    serve as a link to the AkLA webmaster.

  1. 5.     attend AkASL Board meetings.
  2.