Breadcrumb

Constitution

Constitution of Hong Kong Library Association

I. Name and Registered Address

  1. The name of the organization shall be the Hong Kong Library Association (the “Association”).
  2. The registered address of the Association shall be P.O. Box 10095, General Post Office, HONG KONG. The Council may change this provided the Registrar of Societies has approved the change.

II. Objectives

The objectives of the Association shall be:

  1. To encourage the development of policies promoting the provision of information and library services in Hong Kong. This shall include the provision of guidelines and standards for such services.
  2. To provide for librarianship and information work, a focal point as well as a network of formal and informal communication within Hong Kong and with China and other countries.
  3. To unite and promote the interests of all persons engaged in library and information work in Hong Kong, and to ensure the effective representation of the interests of members.
  4. To encourage professional education and training for librarianship and information work in Hong Kong.

III. Membership

  1. Membership shall consist of:
    1. Honorary Fellows, who have, in the opinion of the Council, rendered outstanding service to librarianship or information work or to the Association and who are elected to this honour by a unanimous vote of the Council to be ratified by a two-thirds majority vote of any General Meeting. Honorary Fellows are given a Certificate and granted permission to use the initials HFHKLA (Honorary Fellow of the Hong Kong Library Association) after their names and will be granted free membership for life.
    2. Fellows, who fulfil the following requirements, will be accepted to the register and given a Certificate granting permission to use the initials FHKLA (Fellow of the Hong Kong Library Association) after their names, provided membership is continuous and current:
      1. have had not less than 10 years experience in the profession since qualifying with the appropriate professional body exercising authority in the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand or such other jurisdiction as the Council may determine, and have attained a status considered by the Council as being suitable to the higher grade of membership;
        AND
      2. have worked in Hong Kong in the profession for a minimum of 3 years, have been a full member of the Association for a minimum of 3 years, and who have served on the Council or its sub-committees for at least 2 years;
        AND
      3. have been proposed and seconded in writing by full members to have Fellowship conferred by a majority decision of the Council.
    3. Full Members, who fulfil the following requirements will be accepted to the register and are granted permission to use the initials MHKLA (Member of the Hong Kong Library Association) after their names, provided membership is continuous and current:
      1. have acquired a qualification in librarianship or information studies recognized by the relevant official professional association of the country in which that qualification is validated. The qualification must be recognized by the Council as at a professional level of library or information work.
        OR
      2. have completed formal education in librarianship or information studies and have obtained an academic qualification in library or information studies which is recognized by the Council and at the level of Bachelor’s degree or higher.
        OR
      3. in the case of Associate Members, have obtained a Bachelor’s degree AND have completed five years of full-time practice in library or information work recognized by the Council AND have been registered as Associate Members of the Association for at least three consecutive years immediately prior to application for Full Membership.
        OR
      4. in the case of Associate Members, have obtained a Bachelor’s degree AND have completed five years of full-time practice in library or information work recognized by the Council AND have been registered as Associate Members of the Association for at least three consecutive years immediately prior to application for Full Membership.
    4. Associate Members, who are employed or otherwise actively engaged in libraries or information centres or related work as approved by the Council, and who are not eligible for full membership. Associate members will not be eligible to vote or stand for office. Associate members are granted permission to use the initials AHKLA (Associate of the Hong Kong Library Association) after their names, provided membership is continuous and current.
    5. Institutional Members, which are libraries, societies. corporate bodies or organizations which maintain or are interested in libraries or information services. Each such institution may appoint one of its staff members as a representative to attend Association meetings. Such representatives will not be eligible to vote or stand for office.
    6. Student Members, who are currently enrolled in certificate programmes for library assistants, diploma programmes in librarianship or other programmes in librarianship or information studies. Student members will not be eligible to vote or stand for office. (Rev. 2000.)
    7. Corresponding Members, shall be any persons who having at one time been eligible for personal members, are no longer residents in Hong Kong or otherwise not actively engaged in libraries or information centers or related work as approved by the Council. Such persons shall be entitled to be the same rights and privileges as personal members, except that they may not vote, be elected to the Council or hold office.(added 2001)
  2. Election of Members
    The Council shall have the power to elect members to the Register in accordance with the conditions laid down in Article III (A).
  3. Register of Members
    The Register of membership (the “Register”) shall be established in accordance with the categories of membership in Article Ill (A). The Register shall be kept by the Honorary Treasurer.

IV. Council

  1. The Council shall be the governing and executive body of the Association and shall consist of the Officers of the Association (the “Officers”) and up to ten other members elected at Annual General Meetings.
  2. The Officers of the Association shall be a President, Vice-President, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer and such other Officers as the Council may deem to be necessary from time to time.
  3. The Council may co-opt other members to fill vacancies arising during the Council’s term of office. Co-opted members must be full members of the Association.
  4. Council members shall be elected for two calendar years. Five members shall retire at each Annual General Meeting but shall be eligible for re-election.
  5. Nominations for the Council, duly proposed and seconded, by full members, shall be in the hands of the Honorary Secretary two weeks before the Annual General Meeting. If insufficient nominations are received to fill all the vacancies, the outgoing Council shall put forward its own nominees to the meeting.
  6. If the number of nominations received exceeds the number of vacancies, election shall be by written ballot at the Annual General Meeting. If the number of nominations equals the number of vacancies, election shall be on a show of hands.
  7. If an equal number of votes are cast for two or more candidates, their names shall be submitted to a second ballot in which votes should be cast for one candidate only. In the event of a tie between two or more candidates at a second ballot, or in the election for the President, the election shall be decided by lot.
  8. The Council shall appoint a Vice-President, Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer at the first meeting of the new Council, which shall be within one month of the date of the Annual General Meeting.
  9. If the President resigns or becomes incapacitated, the Vice-President shall assume the Presidency for the remainder of the term. The Council shall then elect a new Vice-President from among its members, and may complete the membership of the Council by co-opting another full member.
  10. If the Honorary Treasurer resigns or becomes incapacitated, the Council must within two weeks elect another of its members to assume the office of Honorary Treasurer.
  11. The Association may, by resolution at an Extraordinary General Meeting, remove any Officer or Council member before the expiration of his or her term of office and elect another full member in his or her stead.
  12. A quorum at all Council meetings shall be five.
  13. The Council may appoint Committees of normally not less than three members each. Such Committees may be ad hoc committees or standing committees. Committee chairpersons shall be members of the Council. Committee members need not be full members of the Association. The Council shall fill vacancies on Committees as necessary, but the filling of a vacancy on the Council shall not necessarily imply the filling of those vacancies formerly occupied by the Council member who has been replaced on any Committee.
  14. Minutes of Council meetings shall be kept by the Honorary Secretary.
  15. The Council shall be empowered to employ professional advisors and secretarial or clerical help, at the cost of the Association.

V. Meetings

  1. The Annual General Meeting shall take place in December each year.
  2. Written notice of the Annual General Meeting together with a copy of the audited statement of accounts shall be distributed by, the Honorary Secretary to members of the Association. At least fourteen days’ written notice shall be given, such notice to specify the date, time and place of meeting and the business to be transacted.
  3. The business of the Annual General Meeting shall include the presentation of the Council’s annual report and the audited accounts of income and expenditure for the previous financial year, as well as the election of the President, Council and Honorary Auditor for the year following.
  4. The President, Vice-President or another Officer shall normally preside at the Annual General Meeting. If no Officers are present, the full members may choose one among themselves to be President for that meeting.
  5. A quorum at an Annual General Meeting shall be twenty-five voting members. If a quorum cannot be formed within half an hour of the advertised starting time, then the Annual General Meeting shall be adjourned for not longer than one month, all members to be given at least fourteen days’ written notice of the date, time and place of the adjourned meeting. Should a quorum not be formed within half an hour of the advertised starting time, the meeting shall be held no matter how many members are present. Any decisions of an adjourned meeting at which less than twenty-five voting members are present shall be subject to confirmation by the affirmative vote of the majority of the full members in a postal ballot.
  6. Full members shall have one vote. Votes may only be made personally, except that full members who, in the case of illness or other sufficient cause, cannot attend the meeting, may apply not less than seven days in advance of the meeting to the Council for permission to vote by proxy. The Council shall accept or reject any such application as it sees fit.
  7. The President of the meeting shall have the right to vote, and if the number of votes for and against any motion be equal, he or she shall have an additional casting vote.
  8. At the Annual General Meeting, a motion put to the vote (except motions for the election of Officers and Council) shall be decided on by a show of hands, by full members only unless a ballot is demanded by at least three full members. If a ballot is duly demanded, it shall be taken in such manner as the President directs. A declaration by the President that a motion has been carried or lest and an entry to the effect in the minutes of the proceedings shall be conclusive evidence of the fact.
  9. An Extraordinary General Meeting may be convened by the Council at any time for any specific purpose, or upon the request in writing to the Honorary Secretary of at least twenty-five full members. Such requests must state the reason for which the Extraordinary General Meeting is required. On receipt of a valid request in accordance with the foregoing conditions, the Honorary Secretary shall convene an Extraordinary General Meeting by giving no less than fourteen days notice to all members unless the matters to be dealt with by the Extraordinary General Meeting are of such urgency as to require the requisite fourteen calendar days to be waived.
  10. The procedure at Annual General Meetings shall apply to the Extraordinary General Meeting.
  11. Seven days’ written notice of Council meetings shall be given to all Council members.
  12. The notice, time, date, place and procedure for all ordinary meetings of the Association of a professional character, e.g. seminars, workshops, etc. shall be determined by the Council.
  13. Overseas visitors may attend ordinary meetings by invitation of the Association. Local non-members may not attend without the approval of the Council.
  14. No formal resolution of the Association shall be proposed or allowed at an ordinary meeting.

VI. Finance

    1. The amount of membership subscriptions shall be as from time to time determined at Annual or Extraordinary General Meetings. Journal subscriptions and other fees shall be as from time to time decided by the Council.
    2. Initial subscriptions shall be due immediately membership has been accepted and thereafter on the 1st January each year. The payment of subscriptions will be monitored. A late payment fee will be charged at a rate and at a time decided by the Council. New members joining after June 30th in any year shall be charged half of the regular subscription.
    3. If any member shall fail to pay his or her subscription after final notice has been sent, the Council shall delete his or her name from the Register of members.
    1. The Honorary Treasurer shall receive all monies due to the Association, shall make such payments as the Council directs, and shall keep the accounts of all receipts, payments, assets and liabilities as directed by the Council.
    2. A petty cash account not exceeding the amount decided by the Council from time to time shall be maintained by the Honorary Treasurer to meet sundry expenses necessary and incidental to the Association’s business.
    3. All cheques shall be signed by one of the following, the President, the Vice-President, the Honorary Secretary, or the Honorary Treasurer on behalf of the Association.
    4. The funds of the Association shall be used only to meet the expenses of the Association, and to undertake those activities which shall be deemed by the Council to contribute towards the objectives of the Association.
    5. The financial year of the Association shall end on 31st October.
    6. The Officers and Council members shall be indemnified by the Association from all losses and expenses incurred in the course of their Association duties, other than those due to their own respective wilful default or negligence.
    1. An Honorary Auditor shall be proposed and seconded at the Annual General Meeting. Council members may not serve concurrently as Honorary Auditor. Non-members of the Association shall be eligible for election as Honorary Auditor.
    2. The Honorary Auditor shall have the right of access at all reasonable times to the books and accounts of the Association, and shall be entitled to require from the Council and Officers of the Association such information and explanation as may be necessary for the performance of the duties of an auditor.
    3. The annual account of income and expenditure shall be certified by the Honorary Auditor, stating whether the balance sheet is properly drawn up so as to exhibit a true statement of the Association’s financial affairs, to be presented to the Council by not later than 30th November of each year.

VII. Amendments to the Constitution

  1. Substantial amendments to the Constitution shall be made only at an Annual General Meeting or at an Extraordinary General Meeting. Minor amendments may be made after circulation of proposals for a deadline agreed by Council.
  2. Any proposed amendments to the Constitution shall be made in writing properly proposed and seconded by full members to the Honorary Secretary. Details of proposals and a notice of the meeting shall be circulated to members at least fourteen days before the meeting.
  3. Amendments to the Constitution must be approved by a two-thirds majority of voting members present at the General Meeting and are subject to the approval of the Registrar of Societies under Societies Ordinance and Societies Rules, Chapter 151 of the Laws of Hong Kong.

VIII. Dissolution

  1. The Association may only be dissolved or merged with another organization on the resolution of an Extraordinary General Meeting convened in accordance with Article V (I) confirmed by a two-thirds majority of the total membership in a postal ballot. The Council shall appoint the Honorary Auditor and two of their own members to act as scrutineers of the ballot.
  2. In the event of a decision to dissolve or merge the Association in accordance with the above, a further and final Extraordinary General Meeting shall be called to confirm the disposal of any remaining assets of the Association, after all liabilities have been met. For this purpose an audited statement of account shall be prepared and circulated to all members at least one week before the final General Meeting.

This Constitution will be effective from 11th December, 2009.

HKLA CONSTITUTION

REVISED 21-04-86
REVISED 28-04-86
REVISED 03-06-86
REVISED 02-09-86
REVISED 27-09-87
REVISED 01-06-88
REVISED 14-12-90
REVISED 01-06-91
REVISED 04-03-92
REVISED 08-12-94
REVISED 07-12-00
REVISED 11-12-01
REVISED 16-12-03
REVISED 11-12-09