December 1999 Newsletter Highlights
(from vol. 17, no. 4,
December 1999)
Dec.
'99 Table of
Contents
Newsletter
Issues Listing
Mary S. Konkel,
Past President, University of Akron
The ad hoc Constitution Review
Committee, chaired by Sherri Edwards
recommended changes to the ALAO
Constitution which were endorsed by the
ALAO Executive Board at its April 1999
meeting. Additional information, including
rationales for these changes were reported
in the June 1999 issue of the ALAO
Newsletter. The Constitution in its
entirety was posted on the ALAO Web site.
According to the Constitution, proposed
changes shall be submitted to the
membership by mail ballot and shall be
adopted by two thirds of the members
voting. Ballots were mailed to current
ALAO members in early October. 159 out of
563 ballots were returned for a 28%
return. The proposed amendments passed 153
YES, 2 NO. Two ballots were invalid, as
was one destroyed in the mail and the
other was returned with no vote indicated.
The most noteworthy changes these
amendments provide is in the terms of
offices for Treasurer and Membership Chair
from 1 year to 2 years. This will allow
for more continuity and time to learn the
tasks these positions encompass, and ample
time to bring ideas and actions to
fruition. This also brings these offices
in line with the Secretary, which is a
2-year term. The other change is in
identifying a term limit for Board Members
at Large to no more than 2 consecutive
full terms.
Thank you to everyone who participated
in this important task. The amended
Constitution is posted on the ALAO Web
site.
Applications Invited
for the 2000 ALAO Research Grant
DEADLINE: APRIL 28,
2000
The Research and Publications Committee
is seeking interested researchers to apply
for its 2000 ALAO Research Grant. ALAO
members are encouraged to submit an
application by April 28, 2000. Projects
involving any subject related to libraries
and librarianship are eligible for the
award. Up to $500 will be awarded to the
grant recipient. A grant application form
is accessible at http://www.alaoweb.org/comsigs/respub.html,
and is also included in this
[print] issue of the Newsletter.
Please contact Committee Chair John Burke
if you have any questions: john.burke@uc.edu,
513/745-5710.
TREASURER'S REPORT
Elys Kettling, ALAO
Treasurer, University of Akron Wayne
College
At the end of the 1998-1999 fiscal
year, ALAO had a cash balance of $20,747,
including end-of-year adjustments. ALAO
used this healthy balance to make a few
changes in fiscal management, beginning
with the 1999-2000 budget year.
Internal Revenue Service guidelines for
non-profit organizations recommend an
emergency "reserve" of 50% of the total
annual budget or 1 year's operating
expenses; therefore, the ALAO Executive
Board voted to allocate $10,000 of the
above balance to a permanent "emergency"
fund. This one-time expense left a cash
balance of $10,747.
As a non-profit organization, ALAO's
goal is to have income less expenses equal
zero. For the past several years however,
ALAO 's projected expenses have exceeded
income. This fact prompted our request for
a dues increase beginning January 2000. To
balance the 1999-2000 budget required
$7,093 of the remaining $10,747 from
1998-1999.
This is not to say that the membership
will be in any way short-changed in a year
when we are asking for a dues increase.
Included in the current budget are funds
for registering the ALAO Web site,
expanded continuing education dollars, and
$1,000 for special projects supporting
ALAO strategic goals and directives.
The remaining $3,654 of this past
year's cash balance will be "spendable
reserves", able to be used to offset any
unforeseen expenses this fiscal year or to
provide a basis for 2000-2001 Project
Funds.
With these steps, you may be confident
that ALAO is on the right track to a
healthy financial future. Look for this
column next year to report a balanced
budget (income less expenses approximating
zero) and another year's worth of your
contributions well spent.
Dec.
'99 Table of
Contents
Newsletter
Issues Listing
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updated 2/15/00
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