ARTICLE I. NAME

The name of the organization shall be the University System of Maryland and Affiliated Institutions (USMAI) Consortium of Libraries.

ARTICLE II: PURPOSE

The purpose of the Consortium is to support effective access to library resources by providing and promoting a range of resource sharing services which are congruent with the objectives and maximize resources of the individual libraries of the member institutions.

ARTICLE III. MEMBERSHIP

Section 1.Charter institutional members of the Consortium include: Thurgood Marshall Library, Bowie State University; Coppin State University Library; Lewis J. Ort Library, Frostburg State University; Blackwell Library, Salisbury University; Albert S. Cook Library, Towson University; Langsdale Library, University of Baltimore; School of Law Library, University of Baltimore; Health Sciences and Human Services Library, University of Maryland Baltimore; Thurgood Marshall Law Library, University of Maryland Baltimore; Albin O. Kuhn Library & Gallery, University of Maryland, Baltimore County; University of Maryland Libraries, University of Maryland, College Park; Frederick Douglass Library, University of Maryland Eastern Shore; University of Maryland University College Library; and the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science Library.

Section 2.Affiliate institutional members of the Consortium include: Morris A Soper Library, Morgan State University and St. Mary's College of Maryland Library.

Section 3. Each full and affiliate member shall be entitled to one vote in the affairs of the Consortium through its participation in the Council of Library Directors.

Section 4. Affiliate membership may be awarded to a library of an institution of higher education within the State of Maryland by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Council of Library Directors. The benefits and obligations (including fiscal) of affiliate members will be defined by an MOU between the USMAI Consortium and the affiliate that is approved by the Council of Library Directors.

ARTICLE IV. GOVERNANCE

Section 1.The business and affairs of the Consortium shall be managed by a Council of Library Directors consisting of the current director of each full and affiliate member library plus the following Ex Officio Members: a representative of the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs of the University System of Maryland and the Director of the Information Technology Division.

Section 2.Each member of the Council of Library Directors is entitled to one vote on issues considered by the Council. A Council member may designate a staff member of the member library to act or vote in the director's absence. The Council will meet at least four times each year. Additional meetings may be called by a petition of more than half of the membership of the Council to the Chair. This must be done at least 10 working days in advance of the scheduled meeting. The purpose and agenda of the meeting must be part of the call.

Section 3.Council members have the responsibility of representing their campus' and library's perspectives. In particular, they should use campus governance structures (e.g., faculty senate advisory committee) to assess faculty perspectives to bring to Council deliberations. They are equally responsible for being the primary representative of the campus to the USMAI Consortium and for communicating policy and technical decisions to their library staff and campuses.

Section 4.The Chair and Vice Chair/Chair Elect of the Council of Library Directors will be elected by the membership and will each serve three year terms. Officers must be full voting members of the Council. Elections will be announced in advance and will take place at a spring meeting of the Council. The Council will fill vacancies in either position.

ARTICLE V. EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

Section 1. An Executive Council will be established consisting of the current Chair, the current Vice Chair/Chair Elect, the Dean of Libraries of the University of Maryland, College Park, and three library directors selected by general election. The Director of the Information Technology Division will serve as Ex Officio Member of the Executive Council.

Section 2. The Executive Council will handle administrative matters within the strategic and policy framework set by the Council. Members of the Executive Council will participate in searches for the position of Director of the Information Technology Division and the Dean of Libraries of the University of Maryland will consult with the Executive Council for annual review purposes.

Section 3.The Executive Council will meet regularly on a monthly basis when the Council does not have a scheduled quarterly meeting.

ARTICLE VI. COMMITTEES

Section 1.Committees may be formed and dissolved at the discretion of the Council of Library Directors.

Section 2.Committees will have a written charge and description of membership approved by the Council of Library Directors.

Section 3.A list of the current committees will be an addendum to these bylaws and will be revised annually at the beginning of each fiscal year.

ARTICLE VII. AMENDMENTS

These bylaws will be adopted and may be amended by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Council of Library Directors.