Bylaws

Polaris Users Group Bylaws

Adopted September 27, 2002
Amended Oct 3, 2009; Oct 1, 2011; Oct 4, 2012; Oct 11, 2013
; Oct 10, 2014

Article 1: Name

1. The name of this organization shall be the Polaris Users Group.

Article 2: Purposes

2.1 The purposes of the organization shall be to:

2.1.A serve as a forum to influence the development and improvement of Innovative Interface Inc.’s Polaris products for the benefit of Polaris Users Group members.

2.1.B offer input to Innovative Interfaces Inc. (III) on the development of the Polaris integrated library system, its subsequent releases and related products.

2.1.C foster and improve communication and relationships among members, and between members and III.

2.1.D gather and share information on the use of III products among members.

2.1.E coordinate and prioritize member requests for development, documentation and support by III.

2.1.F represent the community of Polaris users in dealings with III. The organization is understood to speak for its members and not on behalf of III.

2.1.G serve as a resource about the Polaris ILS to the general library community.

Article 3: Membership

3.1 Membership in the Polaris Users Group shall be limited to institutions having:

3.1.A a signed contract with III to acquire the Polaris software or have current license agreements with III or are currently under contract with III to run a Polaris ILS or have an annual maintenance contract active with III.

3.1.B agreed in writing to the Bylaws of the Polaris Users Group.

3.2 membership for an institution includes all consortium members, branch libraries or units, and users covered under a signed contract.

3.3 each member institution may cast one vote on any issue presented to the Polaris Users Group.

3.4 member institutions shall certify to the Chair one person to be the official representative to the Polaris Users Group for the purposes of voting on the institution’s behalf in all issues presented to the Polaris Users Group and for official communications. In the event the official representative is unable to attend, a proxy may be designated.

3.5 member institutions may register as many current staff as they wish to participate in the Polaris Users Group activities.

3.6 guest status: other interested parties will be invited to participate in the Polaris Users Group meetings and/or sponsored projects, as non-voting observers, at the discretion of the Steering Committee.

3.7 the membership year shall follow the fiscal year.

Article 4: Meetings and Voting

4.1 meetings of the Polaris Users Group membership shall be held at least once every calendar year.

4.2 written notification stating the time, date and place of an official membership meeting
shall be accomplished by at least sixty days prior to the meeting by normal mail delivery, by fax, by electronic mail and/or other electronic means, as appropriate.

4.3 The steering committee will work with the conference planner and III liaisons to set consistent annual conference dates that will make a best effort attempt to not conflict with major religious observances or span multiple fiscal years.

4.4  The annual meeting will occur on 3 consecutive business days, with the exception of pre-or post-conference training as determined by the Steering Committee and III.

4.5 the Steering Committee will set the fee for the Polaris Users Group annual membership meeting. The Polaris Users Group waives the registration fee for the annual membership meeting for members of the Steering Committee during their years of service.

4.6 informational or program meetings may be held by any state or regional group of members, but no official business of the Polaris Users Group can be conducted at such meetings.

4.7 a majority vote of the official voting representatives attending Polaris Users Group meetings is necessary to pass motions. In months before or after the annual meeting, a majority of voting representatives may pass motions raised by the Steering Committee.  The manner of voting shall include, but is not limited to: Phone, Fax, Mail (paper), or Electronic methods.  Any method shall include restrictions to ensure only one vote per voting Member.

Article 5: Officers

5.1 the officers of this organization shall be:

5.1.A Chair

5.1.B Vice-Chair/Chair Elect

5.1.C Secretary

5.1.D Treasurer

5.1.E  Enhancements Process Coordinator

5.2 officers shall be employed by an institution belonging to the Polaris Users Group.

5.3. Duties of the Officers

5.3.A Chair

5.3.A.1 functions as the chief executive officer of the Polaris Users Group.

5.3.A.2 presides at Users Group meetings and at meetings of the Steering Committee.

5.3.A.3 appoints committees as needed to carry out the purposes of the Users Group, subject to the approval of a simple majority of the Steering Committee.

5.3.A.4 performs other duties as are necessarily incident to the office of Chair and as may be prescribed by the Steering Committee.

5.3.B Vice-Chair/Chair Elect

5.3.B.1  performs the duties of the Chair in the event of the Chair’s temporary disability or absence from meetings.

5.3.B.2  completes assignments as delegated by the Chair.

5.3.B.3 serves as Chair of the annual meeting Program Committee.

5.4 B.4  serves as Chair in the year following term as Vice Chair

5.3.C  Secretary

5.3.C.1. maintains records of proceedings and reports on activities at the annual meeting.

5.3.C.2  maintains records of all memberships, present and past.

5.3.C.3  implements nomination and election procedures.

5.3.C.4  distributes communications to the membership throughout the year as needed.

5.3.C.5 delivers to her/his successor or to the Chair all records, proceedings, reports, and other property at the expiration of her/his term of office.

5.3C.6 performs other duties as are necessarily incident to the office of Secretary as may be prescribed by the Steering Committee.

5.3.D Treasurer

5.3.D.1 collects registration fees (if any), membership fees (if any) and other monies as required.

5.3.D.2 keeps accounts of all monies received and expended and makes disbursements with Steering Committee approval required for disbursements over $1,000.

5.3.D.3  provides financial statement updates, including bank statements, during regular Steering Committee meetings

5.3.D.4 delivers to her/his successor or to the Chair all records, monies and other property at the expiration of her/his term of office.

5.3.D.5 performs other duties as are necessarily incident to the office of Treasurer as may be prescribed by the Steering Committee.

5.3.E  Enhancements Process Coordinator

5.3.E.1  coordinates the Polaris software enhancement process and acts as liaison to III to communicate enhancement related information.

5.3.E.2  solicits membership for the subsystem champion committees.

5.3.E.3  facilitates subsystem champion committees and ensures enhancement review maintains the published schedule

5.3.E.4  serves as the primary contact for subsystem champions and III during the enhancement process

5.3.E.5  communicates to the membership regarding enhancement process

5.3.E.6  tallies ballots from member voting and communicates results to members and III

5.3.F  Members-at-Large

5.3.F.1  performs various duties, including but not limited to website management and serving on various ad hoc committees as appointed by the Chair

5.3.G    Immediate Past Chair


5.3.G.1 serves as an advisor to the steering committee; may attend monthly SC conference calls; may volunteer for and serve on PUG subcommittees

Article 6: Steering Committee

6.1  the members of the Steering Committee are: the officers, immediate Past Chair and four members of the organization elected at large.

6.2  the four members of the organization elected at large shall be representatives of member institutions or current staff designated by their institutions to participate in the Polaris Users Group activities.

6.3 members of the Steering Committee shall be elected for a two year term with the exception of the chair, which is a 3 year term with third year served as Immediate Past Chair.

6.4 no institution shall have more than two representative or current staff member designated to participate on the Steering Committee at any one time.

6.5 the Steering Committee is required to meet monthly or a minimum of 8 times per year, from January through September and in November for conference planning and wrap up. Additional meetings may be scheduled as deemed necessary by a majority of the Steering Committee. Meetings may utilize video/ audio conferencing or other interactive technology. A quorum shall be a simple majority of the members.  Steering Committee actions must be approved by a simple majority of the entire Steering Committee.

6.6 Responsibilities of the Steering Committee:

6.6.A plans, organizes, and solicits agenda items, reports, and other activities for the annual meeting.

6.6.B coordinates prioritized member requests for development, documentation, and bug fixes.

6.6.C supervises the affairs of the Polaris Users Group in the intervals between meetings, and reports to the membership at the next membership meeting.

6.6.D supervises the affairs of the Polaris Users Group at official meetings of the group.

6.6.E submits a report at the annual meeting, detailing the Polaris Users Group’s financial activities for the preceding year.

6.6.F submits an annual budget proposal for membership approval.

6.6.G issues all official statements of the Polaris Users Group.

6.6.H approves appointments to committees made by the Chair.

6.6.I maintains and publishes a current description of the duties of the officers of the Polaris Users Group which shall be examined for accuracy and updated as needed.

6.7 Vacancies: in the event of vacancies on the Steering Committee due to resignations, the following procedures will apply:

6.7.A if the Chair resigns, the Vice-Chair shall immediately become Chair for the remainder of the term of office.

6.7.B Vacancies other than Chair shall be filled by appointment by the Steering Committee, until the next annual meeting, at which time a special election will be held to fill the remainder of the unexpired term.

 6.7.C a temporary leave of absence from steering committee duties due to illness or other mitigating circumstance may be allowed where approved by majority vote of the steering committee.


Article 7: Nominations and Elections

7.1 the Secretary shall issue a call for nominations for candidates sixty (60) days in advance of the Polaris Users Group annual meeting. If there is less than 60 days until the annual meeting, a special election will be held at the meeting.

7.1.A a nomination shall be made in writing to the Secretary at least thirty (30) days before the Polaris Users Group annual meeting.

7.1.B the nomination must be accompanied by the candidate’s written statement of consent to the nomination.

7.1.C the nomination may include materials such as a biographical sketch outlining the nominee’s interest in or qualifications for service in the post.

7.2 the Secretary will submit the names of the nominees and any information that accompanied the nomination to the membership prior to the annual meeting.

7.3 write-in nominations announced at the annual meeting are permitted, so long as candidates are present and consent.

7.4 elections shall take place and results shall be ratified at each annual meeting. The election of members of the Steering Committee shall be by ballot.

7.5 a majority vote of the official voting representatives attending the Polaris Users Group Annual meeting is necessary for elections.

7.6 candidates-elect shall assume office at the beginning of the next fiscal year following the annual meeting at which their election was ratified.

Article 8: Committees

8.1 special committees shall be formed as needed and shall report to the Steering Committee.

8.2 all committees shall be composed of official representatives of member institutions or current staff designated by their institutions to participate in the Polaris Users Group activities. Committee members shall be appointed and removed by the Chair of the Steering Committee with that body’s approval.

8.3 members of each committee shall select the chair of their committee.

8.4 no person shall concurrently serve as chair of two (2) or more committees within the Polaris Users Group.

8.5 committees shall maintain records of their proceedings and shall report on their activities at the annual meeting, and at other times as they may be so directed by the Steering Committee.

8.6 in the event that a committee member becomes unable to serve, the Chair of the Steering Committee shall within sixty (60) calendar days appoint a successor to fill the balance of the unexpired term.

8.7 no member of any committee shall be personally liable for the organization or its members for monetary damages or financial obligations.

Article 9: Amendments to the Bylaws

9.1 amendments to the Bylaws shall be proposed in writing, and may be introduced by the Steering Committee, or by any member institution’s official representative.

9.2 notice of proposed amendments shall be published in an officially designated place at least thirty (30) days before presentation of the amendments to the membership for ratification.

9.3 the Bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds majority vote of the voting membership, present or by proxy, in open session at any official membership meeting of the Polaris Users Group, as defined in Article 4.

Article 10: Publications/Web Sites

10.1 all documents of the Polaris Users Group determined to be of public nature by the Steering Committee shall be made available in their most current form on the Polaris Users Group Website.

10.2 proper dissemination to the membership of proprietary Polaris Users Group documents shall be the responsibility of the Steering Committee; and

10.3 the Steering Committee is responsible for the official Polaris Users Group Website and in authorizing all statements that appear therein.

10.4 access to some portions of the official Polaris Users Group site is password protected for members only. If membership renewal payment is not received within 90 days of the membership renewal date, access to password-protected information will be denied.

10.5 distribution of information to the membership may be accomplished by alternate methods.

Article 11: Commitments

11.1 the Polaris Users Group shall be neither bound nor committed to any obligation, action or statement, by an individual member, officer, committee, or other duly constituted group, unless such commitment is approved in advance, in writing by the Steering Committee.

11.2  Two (2) PUG SC members must sign the conference hotel contract. Signatures of the Chair and Vice-Chair or Chair and Treasurer are acceptable.

Article 12: Dissolution

12.1 In the event of dissolution, all assets, real and personal shall be equally divided among all member institutions.

Article 13: Merger

 

13.1 The Steering Committee may enter into a Merger Agreement with another Integrated Library System user group.

 

13.2 The Merger Agreement shall include:

1.      The terms and conditions of the Merger and the process of implementing the merger.

2.      The name and address of the principal office of each user group.

3.      The name and address of the principal office of the merged Users Group.

4.      The terms of PUG membership transfer into the merged Users Group.

5.      The terms for transfer of PUG assets within the merged Users Group.

6.      The terms of ensuring representation of the PUG members in the merged Users Group.

7.      A statement that each Users Group agrees to the Merger.

8.      The names and addresses of the merged Steering Committee members who will serve until the next election of the merged Users Group.

9.      Any other information required by law.

 

13.3 Member Approval of a Merger Agreement.  Upon recommendation by the Steering Committee, the Merger Agreement shall be approved by a two-thirds majority vote of the voting membership, present or by proxy, in open session at any official membership meeting of the Polaris Users Group, as defined in Article 4.

Article 14: Parliamentary Authority

14.1  The latest edition of Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern the Polaris Users Group in all cases to which it is applicable and in which it is not inconsistent with the Bylaws.

Article 15: Financial

15.1 The Polaris Users Group fiscal year shall be January 1st through December 31st.