TEXAS LIBRARY ASSOCIATION
[Unit Name]
Operating Procedures – (OVERVIEW)
These templates for Unit Operating Procedures should serve as guides for
members in the process of establishing a new unit and converting the bylaws of an
existing unit to Operating Procedures. These provide the basic information
necessary for the operation of a unit.
Note: Any information found in blue is advisory or explanatory in nature.
This is the “short version” of unit operating procedures. (For more details, please
see the following pages.)
SECTION I – NAME
[Provide the name of the unit.]
SECTION II – OBJECTIVES
[Provide a short statement on the objectives of the unit.]
SECTION III – MEMBERSHIP
[Open to any TLA member; except units based on geography (districts).]
SECTION IV – ADMINISTRATION
[Provide a listing of officers, standing committees (if any), the unit’s election process, and
anything else related to the administrative operation of the unit.]
SECTION V – MEETINGS
[Provide information on your unit’s meetings – annual; in person or virtual; at conference
and/or assembly; etc. Units should hold an official meeting (in person or virtually) at least
once a year.]
SECTION VI – COMMITTEES
[Explain how committees are created and members appointed (by chair or executive
committee).]
SECTION VII – PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
[The official parliamentary authority for TLA is the current edition Robert’s Rules of Order,
Newly Revised. This should be stated in this section.]
SECTION VIII – AMENDMENTS TO THE OPERATING PROCEDURES
[Explain how the unit’s Operating Procedures may be amended – vote at a meeting, mail
ballot, electronic ballot; majority vote(?); amount of notice to be given for amendments (30
days?).]
TEXAS LIBRARY ASSOCIATION
[Unit Name]
Operating Procedures – (DETAILED VERSION)
This template is the “long version,” with more details.
Note: Any information found in blue is advisory or explanatory in nature. This is adapted
from the current “Model Unit Bylaws.” Much of the additional explanatory information is
taken from the proposed amendment to Section XI of the TLA Bylaws which provides the
guidance for the governance of TLA Units.
SECTION I – NAME
The name of this organization shall be the [unit name] of the Texas Library Association (TLA).
If a unit acronym is used, the acronym must be included in Section I following the complete
name of the unit. Example: Unit Name, Acronym. The acronym then may be used throughout
the remainder of the document.
SECTION II – OBJECTIVES
The objective of the [unit name] shall be...
Examples are:
...to contribute to library service and librarianship through...
...to represent Texas librarians in the field of...
SECTION III – Membership
Any member of the Texas Library Association may select membership in the [unit name].
Officers must be current members of TLA.
The above statement applies to units other than Districts. District membership is based on the
member’s residence or work location.
SECTION IV – ADMINISTRATION
A. Officers
1. The officers of the [unit name] shall be….
All Units shall have at least the following officers:
 A presiding officer, chair, or facilitator
 A person designated to succeed the current presiding officer
 A person elected or appointed to handle unit funds, if the unit has or expects to
have funds
 A person elected or appointed to take minutes at official meetings and provide a
copy of those minutes to the TLA Office.


A councilor and councilor-alternate (if the unit wishes to be represented on TLA
Council)
Other officers and committees may be elected or appointed as deemed necessary
by the unit and provided for in the Operating Procedures
2. Officers shall assume office immediately following the TLA Annual Conference and
shall serve a term of one year or until a successor is elected. The Councilor and
Alternate Councilor serve for three years or until a successor is elected.
3. The officers of the [unit name] shall perform those duties usually attached to their
offices and all duties as prescribed in the TLA Bylaws and Standing Rules.
If desired, specific duties of officers may be included, and include presiding at meetings,
appointing committee members, planning programs, etc.
B. Elections
1. A Nominating Committee shall present a slate of candidates for all offices. There
shall be at least two candidates for the office of Councilor. Nominations may be made
from the floor [unless balloting is electronic].
[The Nominating Committee may either be elected by the membership or elected by
the Executive Board of the unit. According to Robert's Rules of Order Newly
Revised, the Chair of the unit may not be involved in the appointment of the
Nominating Committee and may not serve on the committee as ex officio or
otherwise]
2. Officers shall be elected at a regular business meeting during Annual Conference [or,
for Districts, at the Annual Meeting of the district] by a plurality of the members
present. OR Officers shall be elected by electronic means prior to TLA Annual
Conference by a plurality of members voting. [Note: Electronic balloting must take
place at the time of TLA electronic balloting.] The Councilor candidate with the
highest number of votes shall be elected Councilor. The candidate with the second
highest number of votes shall become the Alternate Councilor.
3. In case of a tie vote …
[It is important for units to address how tie votes will be resolved. Another election
must be held in the same manner as was used in the original vote if the unit
operating procedures do not specify an alternative means to break the tie. Some
alternatives include, but are not limited to, re-balloting membership at Annual
Conference, drawing names, or a requirement for an Executive Board decision.]
C. Executive Committee
1. The elected officers shall constitute the Executive Committee and shall administer
the business of the unit when it is not in session.
If the immediate past chair is to sit on the Executive Committee, be sure to include
that information since this is technically not an elected officer. If the unit has a
large number of elected officers, specify which officers actually make up the
Committee. Also, any officers who are to serve as non-voting members of the
Executive Committee should be so specified.
2. The Executive Committee shall meet…
If appropriate, specify meeting times, such as TLA Annual Conference and/or TLA
Annual Assembly. You also may wish to add, “Other meetings may be held as
deemed necessary by the Chair or a majority of the Executive Committee. “
D. Vacancies
Units shall specify a method for filling vacancies in elected offices. (A vacancy in the
office of presiding officer shall be filled by the person already selected to succeed the
presiding officer. A vacancy in the office of Councilor shall be filled by the Counciloralternate. Other vacancies shall be filled through appointment by the presiding officer
with the approval of the unit’s elected leadership [executive committee or elected
officers]. A vacancy in both the presiding officer and the elected successor positions
shall be filled through appointment by the President of the Texas Library Association.)
Following is wording for a possible way to address the filling of vacancies. These
procedures may be modified to meet the needs of each unit.
1. If a vacancy occurs in the office of the Chair, the Vice Chair/Chair-elect shall
become Chair for the remainder of that term and also serve the term to which the
Chair-elect had been elected.
2. If a vacancy occurs in the office of Councilor, the Alternate Councilor shall
become Councilor for the remainder of the term.
3. If a vacancy occurs in any of the other elected offices, the Chair, with the approval
of the Executive Committee, shall fill the vacancy by appointment until the next
general election.
4. If a vacancy occurs in both the Chair and Vice Chair/Chair-elect positions, the
President of the Texas Library Association shall appoint a new Chair, who shall
proceed as outlined above.
SECTION V – MEETINGS
Regular meetings shall be held annually… [Normally, in conjunction with the TLA Annual
Conference]. Members present shall constitute a quorum.
"A quorum is the number of voting members who must be present in order that business can be
legally transacted." (Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised) At their discretion, a larger unit
may choose a number that can reasonably be expected to attend rather than stating those
members present.
SECTION VI – COMMITTEES
Other committees may be created as needed by the Executive Committee or the Chair. The Chair
shall appoint the members and designate the chair of each committee. The committees shall
serve until their charges have been completed and reports have been accepted or until such time
as the Executive Committee designates.
Any Standing Committees should be detailed in this Section.
SECTION VII – PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
The rules of procedure as stated in the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised
shall govern this unit in all cases in which they are applicable and in which they are not
inconsistent with the Bylaws and Standing Rules of TLA.
Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised is the approved parliamentary authority for TLA and,
as such, should be used by all TLA units.
SECTION VIII – AMENDMENTS TO THE OPERATING PROCEDURES
Units must specify a method for amending, updating, and revising its Operating Procedures.
Following is one way to address this:
Operating Procedures may be adopted or amended at any general membership meeting of the
unit by a majority vote of the members present and voting, provided notice has been previously
given [recommend that notice of at least 30 days be given] and such changes are consistent
with the Bylaws and Standing Rules of TLA.
Operating Procedures should include dates of adoption, amendments, and/or revisions.
Adopted indicates the first time the Operating Procedures were written; amended indicates
very minor changes; and revised indicates extensive changes scattered throughout the
operating procedures.
A copy of each Unit’s Operating Procedures and all updates to those Procedures shall be filed
with the TLA Bylaws Committee. If the Unit maintains a web page, Operating Procedures
should be posted there and kept up to date.
Please keep in mind that Operating Procedures should provide Units more
flexibility than Bylaws. These should allow units to respond more rapidly to
member needs. Also, the above template may be adapted to best meet the needs
of your unit. If you believe that a particular section is not needed by your unit,
please confer with the chair of the TLA Bylaws and Resolutions Committee. And,
keep it as simple as possible!