Constitution

Article I: Name

The name of the association shall be “The Librarians’ and Archivists’ Association of the University of Waterloo” (LAAUW), hereinafter referred to as “the Association”.

Article II: Definitions

“The Executive Committee” means the group composed of the elected officers, the President-elect, the past-President, and Standing Committee Chairs.

“MLIS Co-op Student” means a University of Waterloo contract staff member working with or at the Library, completing a co-op term as part of a Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS), Master of Information (MI) or recognized equivalent degree program at an accredited institution.

“Professional Librarian or Archivist” means a permanent, contract, or seconded library staff member holding a Master of Library Science (MLS), Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS), Master of Information (MI) degree or recognized equivalent degree from an accredited institution and working in a professional librarian or archivist position at the University of Waterloo.

Article III: Purpose

The Association shall exist to:

  • promote the welfare of professional librarians and archivists at the University of Waterloo,
  • advocate for the best possible working conditions for librarians and archivists,
  • promote the role of librarians and archivists at the University of Waterloo, and
  • provide a forum for the exchange of ideas and discussion of issues relevant to librarianship and archiving.

Article IV: Membership

Section One

All Professional Librarians and Archivists are eligible to be voting members of the Association. MLIS co-op students are eligible to participate as non-voting members.

Section Two

A fee shall be assessed for membership in the Association. At each Annual General Meeting (AGM) the Executive Committee shall present the amount of the fee to the membership of the Association for approval.

Fees are not charged to:

  • MLIS co-op students,
  • members on contract,
  • members on leave for more than 6 months at the time dues are collected, and
  • members in their first year of employment.

Funds derived from the fee shall be collected and administered by the Treasurer. The funds shall be kept in a bank account under the name of the Association. The signatures of the Treasurer and the President or Vice-President shall be used for the operation of these funds.

Article V: Officers and committees

  1. The officers of the Association shall be a President, a Vice-President, a Treasurer, a Secretary, a FAUW (Faculty Association of Waterloo) representative, and a FAUW Equity Committee representative.
  2. Standing committees of the Association shall have an elected Chair. The Chair is encouraged to solicit additional members from within the membership. Standing committees of the Association can be formed with the approval of a majority of the Association membership. The Standing committees are:

a. Programs Committee – The Programs Committee organizes programs of interest to Association members, such as, but not limited to, bringing in speakers, planning new hire dinners, and organizing the AGM lunch. Beyond the AGM, Association programs are made available to all Library staff.

b. Data Committee – The Data Committee collects and analyzes data relevant to Association advocacy and decision making, such as, but not limited to, compensation data, and annual survey data.

  1. Elections must be held once a full term has been completed. Only regular ongoing members (i.e. permanent) of the Association are eligible to be nominated.
  2. The Officers and Standing Committee Chairs of the Association shall normally serve a two-year term.
  3. The President normally commits to a four-year term: the first as President-Elect, the next two years as President and the fourth year as Past-President.
  4. Upon completion of their term, all Officers and Committee Chairs can be re-elected consecutively.
  5. The Vice-President shall normally be chosen from among the voting members of the Executive Committee, at the first meeting of the newly elected Executive Committee. They are only entitled to one vote.
  6. More than half of the members of the Executive Committee shall constitute its quorum.
  7. The Executive Committee shall have in charge the general interest of the Association.
  8. The Executive Committee from time to time appoints Working Groups of the Association as may be necessary and shall delegate to them such duties as may seem desirable.
  9. In case of planned vacancies or an unplanned vacancy longer than 2 months on the Executive Committee, the remaining members may designate a member of the Association to discharge the duties of the office until their return or the next election of their role, whichever comes first.
    1. In these cases, members on contract may serve if their term is greater than the length of time remaining in the role.

Article VI: Election of officers

  1. A Nominating Committee, consisting of two or more members of the Association not running for election, shall be appointed by the Executive Committee at least four weeks before an AGM.
  2. All positions where one full term has been served are open to nomination. Nominations do not have to come from the current Executive Committee or Nominations Committee.
    1. Any member of the Association may make additional nominations from the floor at the AGM.
    2. Members may self-nominate.
  3. The Nominating Committee shall communicate with each member whose name has been proposed and shall ascertain whether such nominees will stand for office.
  4. The Nominating Committee shall then draw up a slate of Officers and Chairs for the Standing Committees for election.
  5. The slate of Officers and the Chairs of the Standing committees shall be submitted to all members in writing at least one week before the AGM.
  6. The method of voting shall be by simple majority vote.

Article VII: Duties of the officers and the Executive

The duties of the officers shall be as follows:

a.  The President shall:

  1. Preside at all meetings of the Association
  2. Represent the Association in its communications with the University Librarian, the academic community, and the University administration
  3. Appoint a parliamentarian who shall interpret procedure from the latest edition of Robert's Rules of Order when requested by the President
  4. Have full membership in committees of the Association or may assign a designate
  5. Manage the Association’s finances in the absence of the Treasurer, or when payments need to be remitted to the Treasurer.
  6. Provide regular updates on the ongoing work of the Executive Committee to the membership

b.  The Vice-President shall assume the duties of the President in their absence

c.  The Treasurer shall:

  1. Collect and administer the fees of the Association.
  2. Administer income to the Association from any other source.
  3. Arrange for the payment of any debts which may be incurred by the Association from the funds received by the Association.
  4. Maintain an up-to-date list of members.

d.  The Secretary shall:

  1. Schedule meetings, at the request of the President, and notify members of meetings.
  2. Take the minutes of the meetings or arrange to have minutes taken if absent.
  3. Distribute minutes of the meetings to all members.
  4. Distribute copies of the Constitution and any amendments.
  5. Deposit copies of the minutes of the meetings, Constitution, and constitutional amendments in the University archives.

e.  The FAUW Representative shall:

  1. Attend regular FAUW meetings as part of their Council of Representatives and as the Association official visitor (a non-voting member of the FAUW Board of Directors).
  2. Act as a liaison between FAUW directors and the Association membership, with a view to promoting the role of librarians and archivists on campus.
  3. Advocate for librarians and archivists at the University of Waterloo as appropriate
  4. Review the CAUT listserv and share relevant emails with all professional librarians.

e.  The FAUW Equity Committee Representative shall:

  1. Attend FAUW Equity Committee meetings as part of their committee membership and as the Association official visitor.
  2. Act as a liaison between the FAUW Equity Committee and the Association membership, with a view to promoting the role of librarians and archivists on campus.
  3. Provide updates to all professional librarians and archivists, as needed.
  4. Participate in Equity Committee activities and advocacy efforts, where appropriate.
  5. Identify ways to introduce and enact equity related principles as part of the Association operations.

f.  The Executive Committee shall:

  1. Meet on a regular basis, as determined by the Officers and Committee Chairs.
  2. Keep a record of all Association meetings.
  3. Collaboratively address issues, suggestions, and ideas proposed by members.
  4. Make decisions regarding:
    1.  expenditures of the Association’s funds,
    2. issuing of Association statements, and
    3. the direction of Association work, including the formation of Working Groups.

Decisions shall be made by majority vote. All members of the Executive Committee are entitled to one vote. Quorum of the Executive Committee is required to hold a vote.

  1. Maintain a relationship with Library Executive that facilitates the Association’s purpose.

Article VIII: Meetings

  1. The AGM shall be held each year on or about the first of May and is open to all members.
  2. Other meetings of the Association shall be called (a) as directed by the AGM, or (b) as directed by the Executive Committee, or (c) at the written request to the President of one quarter of the members of the Association.
  3. At least two weeks notice and the agenda of any meeting of the Association shall be given in writing to the members by the Secretary.
  4. One third of the total membership of the Association will constitute a quorum.

Article IX: Amendments

The constitution may be amended at any properly called meeting of the Association at which a quorum is present, providing notice of the proposed amendment has been given to the membership, in writing, at least two weeks prior to the meeting. Constitutional amendment requires the approval of two thirds of the members who are present at the meeting and entitled to vote, excluding blank ballots and abstentions. Housekeeping updates (minor, non-substantive updates) may be made by the Executive Committee, without approval of the membership. Housekeeping updates should be shared with the membership as soon as possible after they are made.

Article X: Other matters

  1. On all matters of the parliamentary procedure not provided for in the Constitution, the parliamentarian shall interpret procedure from the simplified version of Robert’s Rules, and if necessary, the edition of Robert's Rules of Order currently adopted by the Executive Committee.
  2. The actions of the Executive Committee shall be subject to confirmation at the AGM.

June 22, 2000

Last Updated: May 2024

Posted online April 2012

Previous constitution: May 2022 Constitution (PDF); Current constitution: May 2024 Constitution (PDF)