Bylaws of the Charlotte Hobbs Memorial Library

As amended 7/27/2004

ARTICLE I - Name

Section 1.: The name of the corporation, which shall be a nonprofit corporation incorporated under Maine law, shall be “The Charlotte Hobbs Memorial Library,”, hereinafter referred to as the “Library.”
Section 2.: The location and principal office of the Library shall be in Lovell, Maine.
Section 3.: The corporate seal shall be a circular disk on which shall be inscribed the name of the Library and “1901,” the year of the Library’s incorporation.

ARTICLE II – Purpose

Section 1.: The purpose of the corporation is to maintain a library open to residents of Lovell, Maine, and surrounding towns.
Section 2.: The earnings or assets of the Library shall be used only for purposes permitted to nonprofit organizations qualified for exemption under Section 501c(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Section 3.: In the event of dissolution of the Library, all of its assets shall be turned over to the Town of Lovell for the purpose of continuing a library open to the public to be administered by a board or committee appointed by the town. If the town fails to accept such a transfer at the next town meeting, the Library’s Board of Trustees, hereinafter referred to as “the Board,”,shall transfer the Library’s assets to such organization or entity that they consider most likely to insure continued use of said assets as a library available to the residents of Lovell, Maine and surrounding towns. Should the Board fail to make such a determination and transfer, on petition of any Board member such determination and transfer shall be made by a court of competent jurisdiction.

ARTICLE III – Voting Membership

All adults (over the age of eighteen) who have held a valid Charlotte Hobbs Memorial Library card for at least 60 days shall be considered members of the Charlotte Hobbs Memorial Library. All such members shall be eligible to vote at the Library’s annual meeting or at any special meeting called by the Board of Trustees.

ARTICLE IV – Officers

Section 1.: The officers of the corporation shall be President, a Vice President, a Recording Secretary, a Corresponding Secretary and a Treasurer.
Section 2.: The President shall call and preside at all meetings, appoint standing committees, and perform any other duties incident to that office. The President shall be the Chairperson of the Board.
Section 3.: The Vice President shall perform the duties of the President in the President’s absence.
Section 4.: The Recording Secretary shall record the minutes of each meeting and distribute the minutes within ten days to each Board member. The Recording Secretary shall also keep a list of the officers and trustees and the terms they serve.
Section 5.: The Corresponding Secretary shall receive and respond to the Library’s correspondence.
Section 6.: The Treasurer, subject to the direction of the Board, will be responsible for the control of the Charlotte Hobbs Memorial Library funds, and will keep accurate records of all transactions. The Treasurer will submit monthly reports and an annual financial report to the Board of Trustees. The Treasurer will provide advice and assistance to the Library Director in preparation of the annual Library budget. Only the Treasurer, the President, or their board approved designees shall be authorized to write checks.

ARTICLE V – Board of Trustees

Section 1.: The Board of Trustees shall consist of twelve (12) Trustees, each of whom shall serve a term of three (3) years. Board terms will be staggered so that four (4) Trustees are selected each year. A slate of new Trustees shall be proposed each year in accordance with the provisions of Article VI.
Section 2.: No Trustee may serve for more than two consecutive three-year terms. Thereafter, at least one full year must elapse before the Trustee is eligible to serve again.
Section 3.: Within thirty (30) days following the annual election of new Trustees, the Board of Trustees shall choose five officers, identified in Article IV, from among its twelve members.
A Selection Committee composed of three Trustees appointed by the President shall solicit from each Trustee by private ballot his or her nominees for each of the five offices. Taking these preferences into account, the Committee shall present to the Trustees the slate of officers they believe best suited to fulfill the responsibilities outlined in Article IV. The slate will subject to approval or amendment by the Board of Trustees.
Section 4.: The Board of Trustees shall meet approximately once each month and shall be responsible for the general management of the Library’s business. Seven (7) members of the Board shall constitute a quorum and shall be authorized to conduct official business. Actions of the Board shall be final. An annual report of Board actions shall be made to voting membership of the Library at the annual meeting provided under Article VII.
Section 5.: Trustees will be expected to make every effort to attend all meeting of the Board either in person or by conference call. Absence from three (3) consecutive meetings will be deemed a resignation from the Board of Trustees.

ARTICLE VI – Elections

Section 1.: A nominating committee appointed by the President shall elect a slate of nominees for trustee positions, and present the slate for a vote by the Library’s voting membership at the corporation’s annual meeting. Each voting member shall be entitled to one vote.
Section 2.: Any vacancy on the Board shall be filled for the duration of that term by vote of the Board of Trustees.

ARTICLE VII – Annual Meeting

Section 1.: The annual meeting of the Library shall be held on the fourth Tuesday of July.
Section 2.: Seven voting members of the Library shall constitute a quorum.

ARTICLE VIII – Amendment of Bylaws

These bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the Library’s voting membership present at the annual meeting or at a meeting called by the President of the Board of Trustees. One month’s notice shall be given prior to a vote on any proposed amendment. Such notice shall contain the text of the proposed amendment.

Charlotte Hobbs Memorial LibraryLovell, Maine (Incorporated 1901)