[Back to FoMPL Page]
FRIENDS OF MAHOPAC LIBRARY BY-LAWS
ARTICLE I
NAME, PLACE, AUTHORITY, AND PURPOSE
Section 1: Name and Location
The name of the organization shall be the Friends of Mahopac Library, hereinafter
referred to as the Friends. It shall be located in Mahopac, Putnam County, New
York.
Section 2: Authority
The Friends was designated a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization by the Internal
Revenue Service in April 1988, enabling donors to take income tax deductions
for their gifts to the Friends. The Internal Revenue Service, in a letter dated
May 24, 2002, reaffirmed this non-profit status. The Friends have an Employer
Identification Number (13-3444206) and are authorized to collect sales tax when
selling merchandise.
Section 3: Purpose
The Friends shall maintain an association of persons interested in the Mahopac
Public Library hereinafter referred to as the “Library” to assist
in the improvement and maintenance of Library programs, services, and facilities
and to stimulate public interest in the Library and its future. While the Friends
shall cooperate with the Library Board of Trustees and the Library staff in
providing Library support, it shall be governed by its own Executive Board and
by-laws, manage its own assets, and maintain its own books and records separate
and apart from those of the Library.
ARTICLE II
MEMBERSHIP
Section 1: Membership Requirements and Dues
Any person eighteen (18) years of age or over may become a member of the Friends
by completing a membership form and paying the annual dues. The membership year
shall run from January 1 to December 31. Any renewals or new memberships from
September 1 to December 31 shall be applied to the next year’s membership.
The current schedule of dues is located in the Friends policy document.
Section 2: Privileges
Membership in the Friends entitles the member to one (1) vote on any issue at
any general meetings meeting of the Friends. While the Friends may have several
classes of membership to recognize different levels of contribution, each member
shall have only one (1) vote on any matters before the general membership.
ARTICLE III
ORGANIZATION
Section 1: Officers, Term of Office, and Vacancy Procedure
The officers of the Friends shall be a President, a Vice-President, a Corresponding
Secretary, a Recording Secretary, and a Treasurer. The officers shall be elected
by the membership of the Friends at its annual meeting. No member of the Library
Board of Trustees may serve concurrently as an officer of the Friends.
The term of all offices shall be two (2) years. No officer shall serve more
than two (2) consecutive terms in the same office.
In the event of a vacancy occurring between annual meetings, the remaining officers
shall fill this vacancy by appointment until the next annual meeting when voting
for that position must take place.
Section 2: Executive Committee
The Executive Committee shall be the governing body of the Friends. The Executive
Committee shall be constituted as follows:
1) Current officers of the Friends shall be voting members of the Executive
Committee.
2) The President of the Friends whose term has just completed shall be a voting
member of the Executive Committee for the following term.
3) The Library Director shall be invited to serve as an ex-officio member of
the Executive Committee but shall have no voting rights.
Section 3: Standing Committees
There shall be six (6) standing committees: Membership, Fund-Raising, Publicity,
Hospitality, Nominating, and By-laws and Policy. The President shall be a voting
member on all committees. Officers of the Friends may chair committees. Each
committee shall be responsible for developing its own operating guidelines.
1) Membership: This committee shall be responsible for collecting annual dues
from existing members, soliciting new members, and initiating activities to
benefit the members and encourage their interaction.
2) Fund-Raising: This committee shall be responsible for developing and carrying
out a strategy for raising additional funds other than dues for support of the
Library. These activities may include, but are not limited to, the used book
barn, book fairs, raffles, sales of merchandise, and events. The Chair shall
coordinate these activities with the Library Director to insure that fund-raising
events do not conflict with any Library fund-raising events.
3) Publicity: This committee shall be responsible for publicizing Friends’
activities as well as soliciting members to visibly support the Library and
its programs through such activities as letter writing, electronic mail, and
personal appearances.
4) Hospitality: This committee shall be responsible for organizing and implementing
receptions and other social events as needed.
5) Nominating: This committee shall prepare a slate of officers for submission
to the membership at least ten (10) days before the annual meeting when the
vote shall take place. Additional nominations may be made from the floor at
the meeting and the election of officers shall follow immediately. In the case
of a contest for any office, voting shall be by secret ballot.
6) By-laws and Policy: This committee shall be responsible for keeping the by-laws
and policies of the Friends up-to-date. To this end, it shall review the by-laws
and policies annually and shall revise or add to them as necessary.
Section 4: Ad-hoc Committees
The President shall appoint ad-hoc committees as the need arises. Any member
of the Friends may suggest such committees. An ad-hoc committee shall serve
until its purpose has been fulfilled or it is discharged by the President.
ARTICLE IV
DUTIES
Section 1: Duties of Officers
The officers of the Friends and their duties shall be as follows:
1) President: The President shall preside at all meetings of both the Executive
Committee and the full membership, appoint all standing committees and ad-hoc
committee chairs, and sign any official documents. The President shall be a
voting member of all committees. The President shall be a signatory for checks
issued by the Friends.
2) Vice-President: The Vice-President shall perform the duties of the President
in the absence of the President or in the event of the President’s inability
to act. The Vice-President shall be a signatory for checks issued by the Friends.
3) Recording Secretary: The Recording Secretary shall record the attendance
at all meetings, take the minutes of all meetings, present them at the next
meeting, and file them at the Library. The Recording Secretary shall be a signatory
for checks issued by the Friends.
4) Corresponding Secretary: The Corresponding Secretary shall send and receive
all correspondence of the Friends and maintain a file of such correspondence,
which shall be kept at the Library. The Corresponding Secretary shall serve
on the Membership Committee. The Corresponding Secretary shall be a signatory
for checks issued by the Friends.
5) Treasurer: The Treasurer or designee shall receive all monies belonging to
the Friends and deposit same. The Treasurer shall present financial reports
at the quarterly Executive Committee meetings, the annual meeting, and at any
time the President requests them. The Treasurer shall keep a file of these reports
for auditing purposes. The Treasurer shall prepare all documents necessary for
compliance with government regulations and requirements. All original reports
and documents shall be kept at the Library. The Treasurer shall be a signatory
for checks issued by the Friends.
Section 2: Duties of Executive Committee
The Executive Committee shall meet quarterly and at other times if called by
the President. At the quarterly meetings, the Committee shall review financial
reports, hear reports from standing and ad-hoc committees, affirm or modify
strategic and operating plans, and deal with any other matters.
ARTICLE V
FUNDS
Section 1: Maintenance and Disbursement
All funds accrued by the Friends shall be deposited into the accounts of the
Friends of Mahopac Library and shall be disbursed by the Treasurer of the Friends
as authorized. Funds of the Friends supplement the Library’s operating
budget to provide materials, programs, and equipment that enhance the Library’s
service. These funds should not replace monies that are normally provided for
Library operations. The Friends shall decide how to spend their funds after
conferring with the Library Director.
Section 2: Fiscal Year
The fiscal year for the Friends shall be January 1 to December 31.
Section 3: Dissolution
In the event of the dissolution of the Friends, and after all obligations have
been satisfied, no remaining funds or property of the Friends shall accrue to
the benefit of any individual, officer, or member of the Friends, but shall
revert to the Mahopac Public Library.
ARTICLE VI
MEETINGS
Section 1: Annual Meeting
The annual meeting of the Friends shall be held between January 1 and June 30
of the fiscal year to hear and receive the annual reports of the officers and
chairs of the committees, to elect officers if necessary, and to handle any
other business brought before the membership.
Announcement of the meeting shall be made at least two (2) weeks in advance
of the meeting.
Section 2: Other General Meetings
The President may call other meetings of the membership and must call one at
the written request of twenty-five per cent (25%) of the membership. Announcement
shall be made at least two (2) days in advance of the meeting.
Section 3: Quorum
At any Executive Committee meeting, three (3) members shall constitute a quorum.
At general meetings, nine (9) members shall constitute a quorum.
Section 4: Rules of Order
Robert’s Rules of Order, latest revised edition, shall be observed.
ARTICLE VII
INDEMNIFICATION OF OFFICERS
Section 1: Since the members of the Friends are volunteers,
when they are working in the Library they are covered by the umbrella policy
that covers all Library employees and volunteers.
ARTICLE VIII
AMENDMENT PROCEDURE
Section 1: Proposing Amendments
Amendments to these by-laws shall be proposed by the membership or by the Executive
Committee of the Friends. Amendments proposed by members must be mailed to the
Executive Committee of the Friends of Mahopac Library, c/o Mahopac Public Library,
668 Route 6, Mahopac, NY 10541 at least ten (10) days prior to the annual meeting
or special meeting in order to be included on the agenda for that meeting.
Any proposed amendments shall be made available to the membership ten (10) days
prior to the annual meeting or special meeting on the Friends section of the
Library’s website (www.mahopaclibrary.org).
Section 2: Amendment Approval
Proposed amendments shall become effective when approved by two-thirds of the
members present and voting at the annual or special meeting.
Adopted: July 14, 1987; Accepted September 8, 1987
Revised: October 27, 2003; Accepted March 23, 2004
Revised: September 25, 2006; Accepted