Article I. Name.

The name of this organization shall be the NORTHERN CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF LAW LIBRARIES (NOCALL), a chapter of the American Association of Law Libraries, referred to as the Association in these Bylaws.

Article II. Object.

This Chapter is established as a nonprofit organization to promote law librarianship and information services, to develop and increase the usefulness of law libraries, to foster a spirit of cooperation among members of the law library profession, and to promote the exchange of information and ideas among those law libraries in California north of the northern boundaries of Kern, San Bernardino, and San Luis Obispo Counties.

Article III. Membership.

Section 1.   Any person interested in law libraries may become a member of the Association by complying with the provisions of the Bylaws.

Section 2. Categories of membership. Members of the Association shall consist of:

1. Active Any person who is interested in the objectives of the Association and works, or has worked within the past seven years, with legal information in a library or information center.Active membership can be reassigned if the membership records indicate the dues were paid by the firm or institution. Application to reassign membership should be made to the NOCALL Membership Committee Chair.
2. Associate Any person not eligible for active membership may become an associate member by paying dues.
3. Retired Any person who is retired from library work, and was an active member of the Association for five (5) or more consecutive years, may become a retired member upon payment of dues. Membership in the Western Pacific Chapter of the American Association of Law Libraries, prior to the founding of this Association, shall count towards meeting the years of membership requirement.
4. Life members. Those persons previously elected to the former category of life membership may continue as life members with no requirement of payment of annual dues.
5. Student members. Any person enrolled in a law school or a library school may become a student member upon the payment of annual

Section 3. Rights and privileges.

1. The right to hold office shall be restricted to active members and retired
2. The rights of voting shall be restricted to active members, retired members, and life
3. Persons from any membership category may be selected to serve as committee members and committee

Section 4.  Dues.

1. Dues shall be set by the Executive Board and ratified by a majority vote of voting members at any business meeting or by mail or electronic
2. Notice of a vote to increase dues shall be given at least thirty (30) days prior to the meeting date that the vote will be
3. Membership dues are due and payable at the beginning of the Association year.
4. Members whose dues are not paid by the beginning of the second quarter of the Association year shall be suspended from membership but may be reinstated upon payment of the full amount of the current year dues.
5. Dues paid by new members who join the Association within the last quarter of the Association year will be deemed to be paid in full for membership in that quarter as well as membership in the following Association year.
6. New members, for the purposes of this section, shall mean any person who is eligible for membership and who has not been a member of the Association at any time during the three (3) years preceding the current Association year in which they apply for membership.

Section 5. The Association year shall begin on June 1. The Membership Standing Committee shall prepare and distribute an annual membership list by October 1 of each year.

Article IV. Meetings.

Section 1.  An annual meeting of the Association shall be held in May at such time and place as the Executive Board shall determine. The annual meeting shall include a business meeting.

Section 2. Regular meetings, which may include the Spring Institute, shall be held four (4) times a year at such times and places as the Executive Board may elect or the Association direct.

Section 3. Special meetings may be held at such times and places as the Executive Board may determine.

Section 4. Meetings may be held in-person, virtually, or in a hybrid form as best suits the needs of the Association.

Section 5. A quorum for a business meeting of the Association shall consist of either twenty-five (25) active members or ten (10) percent of the active members on the Association's membership list twenty-four (24) hours in advance of the meeting, whichever is less.

Section 6. Notice of regular meetings shall be given at least two (2) weeks prior to the date of the meeting.

Section 7. Notice of the annual meeting shall be given at least thirty (30) days prior to the date of the meeting.

Section 8.  In all matters not covered by its Bylaws, the Association shall be governed by the latest edition of Robert’s Rules of Order.

Article V. Officers.

Section 1. Officers. The Officers of this Association shall be a President, who must be a member of the American Association of Law Libraries; a Vice-President/President-elect, who must be a member of the American Association of Law Libraries; an Immediate Past President; a Secretary; and a Treasurer.

Section 2. Duties. The Officers shall perform the duties usually pertaining to their respective offices as defined in the latest edition of Robert’s Rules of Order and such other duties as may be assigned by the Executive Board.

Section 3. Terms of office. The term of office for the President shall be for one year, at the conclusion of which, the President shall automatically assume the office of Immediate Past President.  The term of office for the Vice-President/President-elect shall be for one year, at the conclusion of which, the Vice President/President Elect shall automatically assume the office of President.  The term of office for the Immediate Past President shall be for one year. The Secretary and the Treasurer shall each be elected biannually by the Association for two-year terms.

Section 4. Succession. If the office of the President becomes vacant for any reason, the title, duties and obligations of the office shall be assumed by the Immediate Past President. The Immediate Past President shall serve as President until a special election of a successor (the “special election”) to fill the office of the President for the unexpired term. The Executive Board shall notify the membership that the office of the President has become vacant when the Board learns of the vacancy, and shall provide for the special election. The Secretary shall subsequently announce the candidate(s), and the date and method of the special election, which shall take place within 15-30 calendar days of the announcement. The elected President shall take office immediately upon election.

Section 5. Committees. There shall be such committees as the Executive Board shall create or as shall be created by a majority vote of those present and voting at any meeting of the Association.

Section 6. Appointments. The President shall appoint all chairs of the committees unless provided for in the Bylaws. Committee members shall be appointed by the committee chairs with the advice of the President.

Article VI. Executive Board.

Section 1. The Executive Board shall consist of seven (7) members: the five (5) officers name in Article V of the Bylaws, and two (2) elected members. The elected members shall each serve a term of one year. All officers and members of the Executive Board shall serve until the adjournment of the annual meeting at which their successors are announced, or if there is no annual meeting, until June 1 following the election of their successors.

Section 2. The Executive Board shall manage the affairs of the Association between its business meetings, fix the time and place of the meetings, make recommendations to the Association, and perform such other duties as are usually assigned to such committees in similar associations.

Section 3. The Executive Board shall have power to fill any vacancy of the Executive Board except that of President and Vice-President/President-Elect. The person so appointed by the Executive Board shall serve the unexpired term.

Section 4. The Executive Board shall meet upon call of the President or Secretary, and otherwise as may be determined by the Executive Board.

Section 5. Quorum of the Executive Board shall consist of a majority of its members.

Section 6. The act of majority of the Executive Board present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Executive Board.

Section 7. The Executive Board may conduct business through the use of conference telephone, electronic video screen communication, or similar communications equipment so long as all members participating can hear one another. No meeting may be held by electronic mail.

Section 8. Action without a Meeting. Any action required or permitted to be taken by the Executive Board may be taken without a meeting if all members, individually or collectively, consent in writing to the action. The written consents may be sent via electronic mail but shall not be valid if they include any comments or amendments. The written consents shall be filed with the minutes of the Association. An action taken by written consent shall have the same force and effect as a unanimous vote of The Board.

Section 9. Non-liability of Executive Board. The members of the Executive Board shall not be personally liable for the debts, liabilities, or other obligations of the Association.

Section 10. Board members shall turn over or give access to their files and records to newly elected officers no later than June 15.

Article VII. Nominations and Elections.

Section 1. Nominating Committee. The Executive Board shall appoint a chair of the nominating committee, who will then select at least two (2) additional members. The nominating committee shall submit to the Executive Board, no later than December 15, a list of candidates for each of the open executive board positions including the elected members and the following offices: Vice-President/President-elect, Secretary, Treasurer. No member of the nominating committee shall be a member of the Executive Board nor shall be a candidate for office in the succeeding election. The Executive Board will be notified of an uncontested election no later than December 20.

Section 2. Notification. The Executive Board shall provide notice to the membership of the candidates proposed by the nominating committee by mail or electronic mail no later than January 20.

Section 3. Additional nominations. Additional nominations may be made by petition of ten (10) active members in good standing. The petition must be submitted in writing to the President no later than February 15. Written acceptance by the nominee should accompany the petition.

Section 4. Elections. The officers and executive board members shall be elected by secret ballot, prepared by the Secretary, and distributed to the membership by mail or electronic ballot no later than the first business day in March. Persons elected shall be notified no later than April 1. If the Secretary is one of the candidates, the election shall be conducted by another member of the Executive Board appointed by the President.

Section 5. Special Elections. Special elections may be held by secret ballot, prepared by the Secretary, and distributed to the membership by mail or electronic ballot or at a business meeting as determined by the Executive Board.

Article VIII. Committees and Representatives.

Section 1. There shall be such committees as the Executive Board shall create or as shall be created by a majority vote of those present and voting at any meeting of the Association.

Section 2.. The President shall appoint all chairs of the committees unless provided for in the Bylaws. Committee members shall be appointed by the committee chairs with the advice of the President.

Section 3. The committees of the Association shall be of two (2) classes: Standing Committees and Special Committees. Standing committees shall be those established for purposes requiring the continuous attention of the Association. Special committees shall be those established for a stated period to accomplish a specific purpose. At the end of the stated period, the continuation of every special committee shall be decided by the Executive Board.

Section 4. Members of standing committees shall be appointed for terms of one (1) year, beginning at the close of the annual meeting. Committee members shall be chosen from members of all categories.

Section 5. Each committee shall file an annual report with the Secretary of the Association at the time as set by the President, and other reports shall be submitted as requested by the President or Executive Board.

Committee chairs shall turn over or give access to their files and records to the newly appointed chairs no later than June 15.

Section 6. Association representatives to other organizations, agencies and to meetings of other associations shall be appointed by the President and shall report in the manner set forth in Section 5.

Section 7. No committee or representative shall incur expenses on behalf of the Association except as authorized by the Executive Board nor shall any committee or representatives commit the Association by any declaration of policy.

Article IX. Conflict of Interest.

Section 1. Officers and members of the Executive Board shall refrain from votes on matters before the Board which have a potential pecuniary impact on the member or the entity by which the member is employed.

Section 2. Officers and members of the Executive Board, as well as chairs and members of committees shall make decisions in the best interests of the Association and its membership notwithstanding the potential pecuniary impact on the member or the entity by which the member is employed.

Article X. Antidiscrimination.

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

Article XI. Amendments.

Section 1. Any Bylaw may be adopted, repealed, amended or suspended by a majority vote of those present and voting at any meeting of the Association, unless the Executive Board votes to submit amendments to the membership by a distributed ballot.

Section 2. Amendments submitted for approval by a distributed ballot shall be adopted upon approval by a simple majority of the members voting. The Executive Board shall specify the time for closing the balloting, but in no case shall it be less than 15 days after the distribution of the ballot.

Section 3. Amendments to the Bylaws shall be submitted to the American Association of Law Libraries Bylaws and Governance Committee.

Amendment History:

Constitution:

Adopted December 5, 1980
Amended September 23, 1983
Amended May 23, 1985
Amended January 27, 1989
Amended January 27, 1994
Amended September 21, 1995
Amended January 30, 1998
Amended May 20, 2015
Amended May 18, 2017
Repealed April 10, 2025

Bylaws:

Adopted December 5, 1980
Amended September 16, 1981
Amended May 23, 1985
Amended September 25, 1987
Amended May 13, 1988
Amended January 27, 1989
Amended May 9, 1991
Amended May 7, 1992
Amended January 27, 1993
Amended September 21, 1995
Amended May 15, 1996
Amended January 23, 2002
Amended May 19, 2004
Amended January 26, 2006
Amended September 30, 2008
Amended May 20, 2015
Repealed & Adopted April 10, 2025

Archives:

Constitution 2017
Constitution 2015
Constitution 1998

Bylaws 2015
Bylaws 2008