LLOPS Handbook and Constitution - Law Librarians of Puget Sound

Member handbook • Bylaws • Articles of Incorporation

Law Librarians of Puget Sound

Chapter Handbook

Introduction

The Law Librarians of Puget Sound (LLOPS) Chapter Handbook is intended to assist the Chapter leadership in interpreting and performing their duties and responsibilities. It is meant to be a working document. Each Executive Board member and Committee Chair should be familiar with the Chapter Handbook along with the Chapter Constitution, Bylaws, and Articles of Incorporation. The Chapter Handbook is also available on the LLOPS website at http://aallnet.org/chapter/llops/handbook/handbook.asp. The electronic version of the Chapter Handbook may be more up-to-date than the print.

The Chapter Handbook should reflect current policy and practice. The current Past President is responsible for maintaining and updating the Chapter Handbook. Officers and Committee Chairs should submit any corrections or suggested changes to the Past President. All substantive changes need to be consistent with the Bylaws and approved by the Executive Board. An archival copy of each year's Chapter Handbook should be kept in the Chapter files by the Secretary.

We hope that this Chapter Handbook is a useful resource and we are delighted to present it on our 10th anniversary as a Chapter. LLOPS is a wonderful organization full of thoughtful, dedicated, and spirited individuals. We are thankful to be a part of it.

Peggy Jarrett and Connelly Johnson

June 2000

Contents
General Chapter Information
Bylaws
Executive Board and Officers - Responsibilities
Committees - Responsibilities
Committees - Specific Responsibilities
Policies
Listserv and Web Site
American Association of Law Libraries
Past Officers, Excellence Award Winners, and Lifetime Members
Melissa S. Landers Memorial Fund

General Chapter Information

The Law Librarians of Puget Sound (LLOPS) is a chapter of the American Association of Law Libraries (AALL). LLOPS was formed in 1990 and approved as an AALL chapter at the 1990 AALL Annual Meeting.

BYLAWS

(Updated November 2006)

Article I.

CHAPTER

The Law Librarians of Puget Sound (LLOPS) is a Washington nonprofit corporation. It is a chapter of the American Association of Law Libraries (AALL).

Article II.

OBJECT

LLOPS shall exist to promote and enhance the value of law libraries to the legal community and the public. LLOPS shall foster the profession of law librarianship and a spirit of cooperation among the members of the profession, particularly those in the Puget Sound region.

Article III.

MEMBERSHIP

Eligibility. Any person who is interested in law librarianship may become a member of LLOPS.
Privileges and Responsibilities. All membership categories shall have the same privileges and responsibilities including any privileges granted by these Bylaws or by the Executive Board.
Membership Categories:
1. Individual—persons eligible for this category must be individuals directly associated with the operation of a law library. Membership rights for this category belong to the individual.
2. Associate—persons eligible for this category may be vendors, non-law librarians and any person interested in law librarianship as a career. Membership rights for this category belong to the individual associate.
3. Student—persons eligible for this category must be currently enrolled at a college or university. Membership rights for this category belong to the individual student.
4. Retired—persons eligible for this category must be retired law librarians or retired law library employees. Membership rights for this category belong to the individual retiree.
5. Lifetime/Honorary—persons eligible for this category must be so designated by the Executive Board.
Dues. Dues shall be set by the Executive Board and subject to ratification by a majority vote of those members voting at the LLOPS annual meeting or by mail or by electronic voting. If passed, the dues increase shall become effective 30 days after the voting period ends, unless otherwise specified. All members shall be responsible for paying dues. Dues may be waived or reduced in special circumstances at the discretion of the Executive Board. Except as provided in this section, a member who fails to pay annual dues shall lose all membership privileges and shall cease to be a member of LLOPS until such time as the delinquent dues are paid in full.

Article IV.

MEETINGS OF MEMBERS

Regular Meetings. There shall be at least two (2) regular business meetings of LLOPS each year at such time and place as the Executive Board shall designate.
Annual Meeting. There shall be an annual meeting held on or before June 30th, which the Executive Board may designate as a regular business meeting.
Meeting Notices. The Program Committee shall, by personal delivery, mail, or electronic mail, give notice of all business meetings to each member at least ten (10) days before a meeting, unless otherwise provided for by these Bylaws.
Special Meetings. Special meetings of LLOPS shall be called by the President upon request of the Executive Board or upon receiving a written petition endorsed by at least fifteen percent (15%) of the members of LLOPS.
Quorum. Ten percent (10%) of members qualified to vote shall constitute a quorum at any properly noticed meeting.
Voting. The affairs of the chapter shall be conducted by a majority vote of the members at a duly noticed meeting at which a quorum is present, unless otherwise provided in these Bylaws.

Article V.

OFFICERS

Officers. The officers of LLOPS are: President, Vice President/President-Elect, Secretary, and Treasurer. All LLOPS officers shall be members in good standing of LLOPS. The President and Vice President/President-Elect shall be members in good standing of AALL. No member may hold more than one (1) office at a time.
Terms of Office and Duties.
1. President. The Vice President/President-Elect shall become President at the close of the annual meeting one (1) year following his or her election and shall serve a term of one (1) year except as otherwise provided by these Bylaws. The President shall be the chief executive officer of LLOPS and shall generally supervise the business of LLOPS.
2. Vice President/President-Elect. The Vice President/President-Elect shall assume office at the close of the annual meeting following his or her election and shall serve a term of (1) year except as otherwise provided for by these Bylaws. In the absence of the President, the Vice President shall perform the duties of President. The Vice President shall also perform duties assigned to the Vice President by the President.
3. Secretary and Treasurer. The Secretary and the Treasurer shall each assume office at the close of the annual meeting following their respective elections and shall each serve a term of two (2) years except as otherwise provided in these Bylaws. Elections for the office of Secretary and the office of Treasurer shall be held in alternate years. The Secretary shall keep the minutes of Board meetings and business meetings. The Treasurer shall have charge and custody of the accounting books and records of LLOPS. These officers shall submit their reports to the Executive Board and for publication in the LLOPS newsletter.
4. The officers shall perform other duties assigned to them by the Executive Board and by these Bylaws.
Compensation. No officer shall receive compensation from LLOPS for services rendered on behalf of LLOPS as an officer.

Article VI.

EXECUTIVE BOARD

Members. The Executive Board shall be composed of five (5) members: the current officers of LLOPS and the immediate Past President.
Terms of Office.
1. LLOPS Officers. Those members who are LLOPS officers shall serve a term on the Executive Board corresponding to their terms of office.
2. Immediate Past President. The immediate Past President shall serve a term of one (1) year on the Executive Board beginning at the end of his or her term as President.
3. No Successor. In the event that a successor has not been elected or qualified at the end of a term of office specified above, the incumbent shall continue to serve until properly succeeded.
Duties. The Executive Board shall have general supervision of the affairs of LLOPS between its meetings, fix the time and place of business meetings, ensure the preparation and filing of the annual report required by law with the Secretary of State for the State of Washington, make recommendations to LLOPS, and perform other duties as specified by these Bylaws.
Powers. The Executive Board shall have the power, on behalf of LLOPS, or any of its committees or special interest groups, to incur indebtedness, solicit funding, make public statements, issue public writings, and establish and maintain relations with other organizations.
Quorum and Voting. Three (3) members of the Executive Board shall constitute a quorum. Resolutions of the Executive Board shall be supported by the vote of at least three (3) of its members.
Meetings. Meetings of the Executive Board shall be called by the President at such time and place as s/he shall designate. However, there shall be at least two (2) meetings of the Executive Board called and convened between annual meetings of LLOPS. Special meetings of the Executive Board may be called upon request of four (4) members of the Board. The Executive Board may conduct business and vote by any means authorized by Washington State statute.
Compensation. No member of the Executive Board shall receive compensation from LLOPS for services rendered on behalf of LLOPS as a Board member.
Removal. At a meeting of the membership called expressly for that purpose, one or more members of the Board, including the entire Board, may be removed with or without cause by the affirmative vote of at least sixty percent (60%) of the members.

Article VII.

COMMITTEES

There shall be such committees and other organizations as the Executive Board shall create or shall be created by a sixty percent (60%) vote of those members present and voting at any meeting of LLOPS.
Committees shall be of two classes: standing committees and special committees.
1. Standing committees shall be as follows:
  
  Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws, and Constitution
  Employment
  Government Relations
  Grants
  Marketing
  Membership
  Newsletter
  Nominations/Elections
  Program (Vice President/President Elect shall be a member)
  Professional Development
  Liaison, UW School of Library and Information Science
  [Information School of the University of Washington]
2. Special committees shall be appointed by the Executive Board for a stated period to accomplish a specific purpose. At the end of that period, the continuation of each special committee shall be determined by the Executive Board.
3. Special Interest Groups (SIGs) may be established to explore topics of interest to the membership.
Duties. Each committee and SIG shall submit to the Executive Board a written annual report of its activities which shall contain any recommendations considered necessary or advisable. Additional reports may be submitted at the option of the committee or as requested by the Executive Board or President. Summaries of all reports shall be published in the LLOPS newsletter.

Article VIII.

BOOKS AND RECORDS

LLOPS shall:

Keep as permanent records, minutes of all Executive Board meetings and business meetings of its members, a record of all actions taken by the Board without a meeting, and a record of all actions taken by a committee of the Board exercising the authority of the Board on behalf of the chapter;
Maintain appropriate accounting records;
Maintain a record of the names and mailing addresses of the members;
Keep a copy of the following records (to be maintained by the current President):
1. The Articles of Incorporation and all amendments thereto as currently in effect;
2. The Bylaws and all amendments thereto as currently in effect,
3. The minutes of all Executive Board and business meetings of the membership and records of all action taken by the Board without a meeting;
4. A list of the names and mailing addresses of the current Officers, Executive Board members, and committee chairs; and
5. All annual reports delivered to the Secretary of State for the State of Washington.

Article IX.

PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

The rules contained in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern LLOPS in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these Bylaws and/or any special rules of order LLOPS may adopt.

Article X.

NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS

General Elections.
1. Nominations Committee. The President shall appoint a Nominations Committee, consisting of three (3) members of LLOPS. The membership of the Nominations Committee shall represent at least two (2) types of law libraries. No LLOPS officer may serve on the committee. Members of the committee may not be candidates for office during their committee tenure. At least one (1) member of the committee should serve two (2) consecutive terms.
2. Nominations by the Nominations Committee. The Nominations Committee shall submit to the Executive Board, a list of candidates for each of the offices of Vice President/President-Elect, Secretary and Treasurer at least 90 days prior to the annual meeting. The committee shall nominate at least one (1) candidate for each open position. When evaluating the qualifications of a potential candidate, the committee shall consider such factors as the individual’s job experience, type of library, geographical location, and service to LLOPS.
3. Nominations by Petition. Additional nominations may be made by any member in good standing of LLOPS by submitting in writing such nomination to the Chair of the Nominations Committee, endorsed by the signature of at least five percent (5%) of LLOPS' members in good standing, at least seventy-five (75) days prior to the annual meeting.
4. Ballots.
  1. The election of officers will be conducted every year by mail or electronic ballot.
  2. In the event paper ballots are used, ballots including the names of all persons nominated by the Nominations Committee and/or by petition shall be mailed to the membership at least sixty (60) days prior to the annual meeting. Election ballots must be received by the Nominations Committee thirty (30) days before the annual meeting.
  3. In the event electronic ballots are used, the details of conducting the election shall first be approved by the Executive Board. The Executive Board shall ensure that an election conducted by electronic balloting is fundamentally fair and preserves the right of secret ballot. Electronic ballots will be made available to the membership at least sixty (60) days prior to the annual meeting. Electronic voting will be closed thirty (30) days before the annual meeting.
  4. The Nominations Committee shall then tabulate the results and report the names of the new officers to the Executive Board and then to the membership. A positive vote from a simple majority of those members who participate in the vote shall be required to elect a new officer.
  5. In the event of a tie vote, the successful candidate shall be determined by lot conducted by the Nominations Committee.
  6. Following the reporting of the election results, the committee shall destroy the ballots.
Vacancies.
1. President. In the event that a vacancy occurs in the office of the President, the Vice President/President-Elect shall automatically assume the office of the President for the remainder of the term plus one (1) year.
2. Vice President/President-Elect. In the event that a vacancy occurs in the office of the Vice President/President-Elect, the President shall appoint an acting Vice President/President-Elect, who will complete the term and may be considered for the office of President in the next election.
3. Secretary and Treasurer. In the event that a vacancy occurs in the office of the Secretary or in the office of the Treasurer, the President shall appoint a member to fill the vacancy for the remainder of the term.
4. Special Appointments. In the event that the President is unable to fill a vacancy, the Executive Board shall appoint a member to fill the vacancy for the remainder of the term.

Article XI.

AMENDMENTS TO BYLAWS

Amendments to these Bylaws must be proposed by the Executive Board or by petition signed by no fewer than twenty percent (20%) of the members of LLOPS. The proposed amendments shall be reviewed by the Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws, and Constitution Committee and then sent to the Executive Board for discussion. Upon approval by the Executive Board, a copy of the proposed amendments will be submitted to the Bylaws Committee of the American Association of Law Libraries for review. Notice setting forth the purpose and the wording of the proposed amendments shall be sent by mail or electronic mail by the Secretary to all members no later than thirty (30) days prior to a regularly scheduled meeting.
At such meeting, a proposed Bylaws amendment shall be subject to amendment or substitution, provided that the amendment is consistent with the original proposed bylaw amendment.
Ballots shall be mailed by the Secretary to the members or posted to electronic voting shortly following the meeting at which the amendments were discussed. The Executive Board shall specify the time for closing the balloting, but in no case shall it be less than fifteen (15) days after the mailing of the ballots or the posting of the ballots electronically. A positive vote from two-thirds of those members who participate in the vote shall be required for passage. The amendments shall become effective 30 days following passage, unless otherwise specified. Following the reporting of the results, the Executive Board shall destroy the paper or electronic ballots.
Upon adoption by the membership of LLOPS, a copy of the revised Bylaws shall be submitted by the President to the Bylaws Committee of the American Association of Law Libraries.
No revision of the Bylaws shall be inconsistent with the governing documents of the American Association of Law Libraries.

Article XII.

ANTI-DISCRIMINATION

Neither membership nor full participation in the activities of this Chapter shall be denied or abridged to any person on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, age, national origin, sexual orientation or disability.

Article XIII.

FISCAL YEAR

The fiscal year of LLOPS shall begin on July 1 and end June 30.

Executive Board and Officers - Responsibilities

Executive Board

The Executive Board consists of the President, Vice-President/President-Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, and the Past President.

The President determines when the Executive Board meets. The Bylaws require a minimum of two meetings per year.

Duties

Receives, considers, and approves appropriate recommendations for action from the officers, committee chairs, and the membership.
Initiates and carries out agenda items, studies, and/or projects, with approval from the membership.
Approves all major expenditures.
Establishes special committees as needed.
Approves the purpose, number, and amount of grants to be awarded each year.
Sets membership dues, which must be ratified by the membership in accordance with the Bylaws.
Sets policies regarding LLOPS website content.
Confers lifetime membership when appropriate.
Maintains contact with AALL.
Coordinates annual spring AALL Chapter visit.
Performs additional duties as set out in the Bylaws.

President

The Vice-President/President-Elect becomes the President at the June business meeting. The term of office is one year.

The LLOPS Bylaws require that the President must be a member in good standing of the Chapter and of AALL.

Duties

Presides at all Chapter business and Executive Board meetings.
Serves as a member of Executive Board and schedules and sets the agenda for Executive Board meetings.
Approves minutes of Executive Board and business meetings for publication in LLOPScited.
Solicits volunteers for various committees. Appoints committee chairs and committee members.
Compiles a list of Chapter officers and committee chairs. Submits the list for publication in LLOPScited.
Writes a president’s column for each issue of LLOPScited.
Picks up Chapter mail at LLOPS’ Post Office Box.
Appoints members to serve as Chapter officers in the event of a vacancy and as set out in the Bylaws.
Chooses, with Executive Board input, the annual recipient of the LLOPS Excellence Award, which is given at the June business meeting. The name of the annual recipient should be added to the list in the Chapter Handbook.
Attends Chapter Leadership Training at the AALL Annual Meeting. The Chapter will provide a grant equal to the cost of the AALL Annual Meeting registration to enable attendance at the training.
Reviews and understands AALL resources for and requirements of chapter leadership, especially as posted on AALLNET.
Represents the Chapter in dealing with the AALL. Serves as Chapter representative to the AALL Council of Chapter Presidents.
Submits an annual report on Chapter activities to AALL.
Installs the new officers and passes the gavel to the incoming President at the June business meeting.
Reviews the duties of the office as listed in the Chapter Handbook, and gives updates or suggestions to the current Past President.
Maintains archival records and passes this material to the incoming President.
Performs additional duties as set out in the Bylaws.

Vice-President/President-Elect

The Vice-President/President-Elect assumes office at the June business meeting following the election. The term of office is one year.

The LLOPS Bylaws require that the Vice-President/President-Elect must be a member in good standing of the Chapter and of AALL.

Duties

Assists the President as needed.
In the absence of the President, presides at Chapter business and Executive Board meetings.
Serves as a member of the Executive Board.
Serves as a member of the Program Committee.
Submits annual Chapter biography to AALL.
Attends Chapter Leadership Training at the AALL Annual Meeting. The Chapter will provide a grant equal to the cost of the AALL Annual Meeting registration to enable attendance at the training.
Reviews and understands AALL resources for and requirements of chapter leadership, especially as posted on AALLNET.
Reviews the duties of the office as listed in the Chapter Handbook, and gives updates or suggestions to the current Past-President.
Maintains archival records and passes this material to the incoming Vice-President/President-Elect.
After installation as new President during the June business meeting, presents a thank you gift from the Chapter to the outgoing President.
Performs additional duties as set out in the Bylaws.

Secretary

The Secretary assumes office at the June business meeting following the election. The term of office is two years.

The LLOPS Bylaws require that the Secretary must be a member in good standing of the Chapter.

Duties

Attends all Chapter business meetings and Executive Board meetings.
Prepares official minutes of these meetings, which, once approved by the President, should be submitted to LLOPScited.
Serves as a member of the Executive Board.
Handles official correspondence of the Chapter as directed by the President and the Executive Board.
Maintains all Chapter files and correspondence, and passes archival records to the incoming Secretary.
Archives a copy of each year’s updated Chapter Handbook.
Receives and distributes proposed amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws, as set out in the Constitution and Bylaws.
Reviews and understands AALL resources for and requirements of chapter leadership, especially as posted on AALLNET.
Reviews the duties of the office as listed in the Chapter Handbook, and gives updates or suggestions to the current Past President.
Performs additional duties as set out in the Bylaws.

Treasurer

The Treasurer assumes office at the June business meeting following the election. The term of office is two years.

The LLOPS Bylaws require that the Treasurer must be a member in good standing of the Chapter.

Duties

Attends all Chapter business meetings and Executive Board meetings.
Serves as a member of the Executive Board.
Keeps accurate and current records of all Chapter financial transactions.
Maintains necessary Chapter bank accounts. Along with the President, is the primary registered signature on all Chapter bank accounts.
Changes bank account signing authority records upon taking office, and as soon as the new President takes office.
Disburses money as authorized by the Executive Board and keeps receipts and/or documentation of all checks issued.
Collects dues from members and maintains payment records.
Receives Professional Development meeting registrations and vendor contributions.
Receives all financial correspondence for the Chapter. Advises Executive Board of needed action, and seeks Executive Board guidance on response or action.
Prepares financial reports and submits them at business meetings.
Reviews and understands AALL resources for and requirements of chapter leadership, especially as posted on AALLNET.
Reviews the duties of the office as listed in the Chapter Handbook, and gives updates or suggestions to the current Past President.
Maintains archival records and passes this material to the incoming Treasurer.
Performs additional duties as set out in the Bylaws.

Past President

The President becomes the Past President at the June business meeting. The Past President is not an officer.

Duties

Attends all Chapter business meetings and Executive Board meetings.
Serves as a member of the Executive Board.
Edits and maintains the Chapter Handbook. Distributes a paper copy of the current Chapter Handbook to incoming Executive Board members, and ensures that a current copy is available on the Chapter website for committee members and the membership. Advertises the availability of the Chapter Handbook on the website. Gives an archival copy to the Secretary for inclusion in the Chapter files.
Serves in an advisory capacity and provides appropriate assistance to the President and other Chapter officers.
Turns over all official records to the new President immediately following the June business meeting.
Performs additional duties as set out in the Bylaws.

Committees - Responsibilities

The LLOPS President appoints committee chairs and assigns committee members at the beginning of the President’s term of office. All chairs and committee members should be members in good standing of the Chapter. Committee chairs serve for a period of two years, with the exception of the Nominations Committee Chair and the Professional Development Chair, who each serve for a period of one year. Committee members serve for one year but may remain on a committee for an indefinite period if desired. The exception to this is the Nominations Committee. Nominations Committee members can serve for no more than three consecutive years.

All committee chairs, as are all LLOPS members, are welcome to participate in Executive Board meetings as non-voting members.

Committee Chairs – General Responsibilities

Inform the President of committee activities.
Assign duties to committee members as appropriate.
Develop new activities.
Prepare an annual report in June for the President and for publication in LLOPScited.
Review the duties of the committee as listed in the Chapter Handbook, and give updates or suggestions to the current Past President.
Keep the committee entry on the LLOPS website updated.
Keep an archive of committee information to pass on to the new committee chair to insure the smooth transition of duties.
Work with the Executive Board as needed.
Submit requests for funds in writing, with applicable receipts, to the Treasurer. Where no invoice exists the Chair must submit a memo to the Treasurer explaining the incurred expense. Anticipated unusual expenses must be approved by the Executive Board before being incurred.
Review the Chapter Constitution, Bylaws, and Articles of Incorporation.
Review AALL resources for and requirements of chapter leadership, especially as posted on AALLNET.

Committees – Specific Responsibilities

Articles of Incorporation, Constitution and Bylaws

The Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws and Constitution Committee reviews the LLOPS Articles of Incorporation, Constitution, and Bylaws, and suggests revisions to the Executive Board. Amendments to the Bylaws must be proposed by the Executive Board or by petition signed by no fewer than 20% of the voting members of LLOPS. It is the responsibility of the Committee chair to be sure the proposed amendments are not in conflict with the Constitution or Bylaws of the American Association of Law Libraries.

The Committee provides the Membership Committee Chair with a current version of the Articles of Incorporation, Constitution, and Bylaws to be published as part of the LLOPS Membership Directory.

The Committee Chair maintains the Committee entry on the LLOPS website.

The Committee Chair reviews the duties of the committee as listed in the Chapter Handbook, and gives updates or suggestions to the current Past President.

The Committee Chair maintains Committee archival records and passes this material on to the incoming chair.

The Chair serves for two years.

Employment

The Employment Committee functions as a liaison between employers, LLOPS members, and others interested in reviewing position announcements or having their resumes kept on file. The Committee should stay current on trends in salary and openings in the area. Due to listservs and other electronic resources, the Employment Committee is not as heavily used as it traditionally has been. It is possible for this committee to have only one member.

The Committee Chair maintains the Committee entry on the LLOPS website.

The Committee Chair reviews the duties of the committee as listed in the Chapter Handbook, and gives updates or suggestions to the current Past President.

The Committee Chair maintains Committee archival records and passes this material on to the incoming chair.

The Chair serves for two years.

Government Relations

The Government Relations Committee monitors and informs the membership of pending national and state legislation, citizen referendums, executive and administrative action, and judicial review of laws affecting law libraries. The Committee also acts as an information clearinghouse on Washington State and local matters pertaining to libraries and forwards pertinent information to the AALL Government Relations Committee.

The Committee may be composed of one or more members. It is helpful if the members have access to good resources for monitoring state and federal information policy.

The Chair should contact the AALL Government Relations Committee Chair to arrange to receive mailings from that committee.

The Committee is responsible for informing the LLOPS President and Executive Board of any issues on which LLOPS members may wish to take a position. The Committee may draft or recommend language and may suggest persons or organizations to whom position statements may be sent, but the Committee does not speak directly for LLOPS. The Committee works with the LLOPScited editors to communicate news and status of government and information policy issues of importance to LLOPS members. The Committee Chair maintains the Committee entry on the LLOPS website.

The Committee Chair reviews the duties of the committee as listed in the Chapter Handbook, and gives updates or suggestions to the current Past President.

The Committee Chair maintains Committee archival records and passes this material on to the incoming chair.

The Chair serves for two years.

Grants

The Grants Committee solicits applications from current LLOPS members and then selects and awards the following: two grants to the AALL Annual Meeting, one grant to AALL’s Conference of Newer Law Librarians (CONELL), and three grants to the LLOPS Professional Development Program. In addition the Committee may be asked by the Executive Board to present grants to other professional education events.

The Committee meets as often as necessary to solicit, consider, and decide on applications and recipients, and to deal with ad-hoc projects such as redrafting the grant application or setting guidelines for decision-making.

Duties of the Grants Committee Chair:

Obtain a grant budgets from the Executive Board.
Schedule committee meetings.
Announce available grants to the membership in a timely manner.
Inform applicants of committee decisions regarding grants awarded or not awarded.
Contact LLOPS Treasurer to issue checks as needed.
Make grant announcements at LLOPS meeting and in the LLOPScited.

Duties of the Grants Committee:

Determine when grant process for the Professional Development, CONELL, and AALL awards should be initiated.
Notifies the LLOPS membership of the availability of grants. Notification should be done via the LLOPS listserv, an announcement at the monthly LLOPS meeting, on the chapter website, and in LLOPScited.
Reviews applications and selects recipients based on criteria for awarding grants.

Criteria for Awarding Grants:

Grants are to be awarded only to members of LLOPS.
Grants are to be awarded only for LLOPS or AALL-sponsored professional development opportunities, unless otherwise decided by the Executive Board.
All applicants must submit a personal statement indicating how attending the professional development program will benefit the applicant.
In addition to the personal statement, service to the LLOPS chapter and financial need are also factors to consider.
Grant recipients must agree to write an article for LLOPScited about the program they attended.