THE INSTITUTE OF
INFORMATION SCIENTISTS
THE LIBRARY ASSOCIATION REVISED PROPOSALS
FOR A NEW ORGANISATION FOR THE LIBRARY AND INFORMATION PROFESSION:
GOVERNANCE
Experience within both the
Institute and the Association suggests that it is preferable that the Council of the new
body should consist of no more than 40 members. The Council would be the ultimate
governing body and would set the policies and priorities for the organisation, including
exercising financial control. However it would be sensible to ensure direct representation
from each region and each SIG as well as a number of Councillors elected by the membership
as a whole. The final number would therefore be determined in part by the number of
regions and SIGs.
The Council of the new organisation would comprise
a combination of members elected in three main categories:
- National Councillors: elected by the
membership at large, perhaps with some categorisation by type of workplace
- Regional Councillors: elected by members
in each region, with specific provision to ensure adequate representation from Northern
Ireland, Scotland and Wales
- Specialist Councillors: elected by the
membership of special interest groups (or clusters of such groups)
This structure is designed to ensure reasonable
representation of the diversity of membership interests.
The term of office for Councillors would be three years,
with a limit of three set on the number of consecutive terms for which a Councillor could
sit without a break.
A smaller Executive Board comprising some members of
Council would be set up to advise Council on matters affecting general policy, legal,
financial and parliamentary business, on new developments proposed in the work of the
organisation. It would act on behalf of council in an executive capacity in matters of
urgency. Assuming charitable status, it would act as the board of trustees of the charity.
The Honorary Officers: there would be four Honorary Officers; the President and the
Honorary Treasurer would be elected by the membership; the Chair of Council and the Chair
of the Executive Board would be elected by Council from its own membership. All four would
be members of Council.
Council would establish a series of standing committees to which it would delegate
policy making and developing priorities for action within their individual remits and
within the overall policy direction of Council. They would comprise a core of Council
members, together with other members of the organisation selected for their expertise.
Some of the committees would deal with issues of general concern such as copyright and
freedom of information. Others would deal with issues specific to sectors within the broad
profession. There would also need to be an internal focus on professional and vocational
qualifications, membership services, the organisation's businesses and professional
disciplinary matters, etc. The chair of each of these committees would be a member of
Council.
The structure outlined above would be organic and would be reviewed from time to time.
The Annual General Meeting of the organisation would have specific powers including the
approval of membership subscription rates, approval of the annual report and of the annual
accounts. It would also consider motions submitted by members.
The Annual General Meeting would be an open meeting, but only those members with voting
rights would be able to take part.
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