MENA IUG Bylaws

Codified on: 19 November 2008 at the MENA-IUG Business Meeting held at the American University of Sharjah

ARTICLE I. Name

The name of the organization shall be the Middle East and North Africa Innovative Users Group (hereafter MENA-IUG).

ARTICLE II. Purpose

  • The purpose of the MENA-IUG shall be to:
  • a. Serve as a forum to influence the development and improvement of Innovative Interfaces (hereafter III) products for the benefit of MENA-IUG members;
  • b. Foster and improve relationships and communication among members and between members and III;
  • c. Gather and disseminate information on the use of III products among the users of the systems.

ARTICLE III. Members

  • Voting membership shall be open to any institution in the Middle East and North African regions using any module of the Innovative Interfaces automated library system.
  • Such institutions shall designate one person as primary contact for the MENA-IUG.
  • Non-voting membership shall be open to institutions or individuals sharing concerns related to MENA-IUG’s areas of interest and using any module of the Innovative Interfaces automated library system.

ARTICLE IV. Membership fees

  • All members shall pay an annual membership fee.
  • The amount of the annual fees shall be set and reviewed annually by the Steering Committee.
  • The annual membership period shall be January 1 to December 31.
  • Members who do not renew their membership by paying the membership fee by March 31 shall be suspended from membership. They will be immediately reinstated upon payment of the membership fee.

ARTICLE V. Fiscal year

  • The fiscal year shall be January 1 – December 31.

ARTICLE VI. Steering Committee

  • The leadership of the MENA-IUG shall be a Steering Committee composed of five persons, each working at a member institution. Each Steering Committee member shall serve a two-year term with terms expiring in alternating years.
  • It shall be the duty of the Steering Committee members to select a chair, secretary, and treasurer from among its membership.
  • Vacancies on the Steering Committee shall be filled at the discretion of the Steering Committee for the duration of the vacated term.
  • It shall be the duty of the Steering Committee members to hold at least one annual membership meeting.
  • It shall be the duty of the Steering Committee members to set the amount of the annual membership fees.
  • It shall be the duty of the Steering Committee members to enable and monitor the MENA-IUG communications.
  • It shall be the duty of the Steering Committee members to appoint subcommittees that support the purpose of the MENA-IUG.
  • t shall be the duty of the Chair to schedule and facilitate meetings of the Steering Committee and to oversee the activities of the Steering Committee.
  • It shall be the duty of the Secretary to make a written record of each meeting and to make such record available to all user group participants, to prepare and send the election/bylaw ballots.
  • It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to oversee the collection of membership fees and/or event fees, record the primary contact for institutional members, pay MENA-IUG expenses and make a written record of income and expenses available to all members at the end of each fiscal year.
  • Nominations shall be solicited via email from the membership at least 30 days prior to the election.
  • Proposed changes to the bylaws will be placed on the ballot if the revision is forwarded to the Steering Committee along with a petition signed by no fewer than three members supporting the change.
  • Ballots shall be sent to individual members and institutional member’s primary contacts annually.

ARTICLE VII. Voting

  • A majority of the voting membership must vote to approve any changes to the bylaws before the bylaws are considered revised.
  • The Steering Committee nominees receiving the most votes shall be elected to the Steering Committee.
  • Other issues may be brought up for a vote at the discretion of the Steering Committee.

ARTICLE VIII. Meetings

  • At least one annual membership meeting shall be held each year.
  • The Steering Committee shall meet as necessary to conduct the business of the organization.