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All professional associations must have a clearly defined set of rules and procedures to govern their internal operations and their relationship with the wider community. Library associations are therefore required to establish the necessary framework of policies and procedures that would enable consensus, conformity and a generally acceptable, collective approach to internal and external issues that may arise. These policies and procedures provide the infrastructure that under-pins the activities of an association and must be carefully formulated, adopted and implemented. Associations must therefore create a Constitution/ Charter, Bylaws, Regulations, and a Code of Conduct/Ethics.

Constitution/Charter

The policies that govern professional associations are embodied in what is generally known as a Constitution, Charter or the document that legally recognizes an association. This policy document is in fact, the legal instrument by which the association establishes its existence and provides a framework through which the association can function and relate with its members and the wider community. It is the legal policy foundation on which the establishment of an association and its work rests. This document is generally written in broad all-encompassing terms.

Bylaws

Bylaws provide explanations and details of the broader statements which are articulated in the Constitution/Charter. Bylaws interpret the Constitution in less formal and simpler language and provide explanations on the following:

definitions of the categories of membership
professional qualifications
the composition, modus operandi, powers and responsibilities of the Executive Committee/ Presiding Body
the eligibility of members to stand for election
procedures for the elections of officers
procedures for disciplining officers and staff
financial matters such as the appointment of auditors, preparation and presentation of accounts, subscription levels and general management of the association's finances.
rules and procedures for running the annual general meeting

The Bylaws must also provide the list of the officers and a general statement of their responsi-bilities.

Regulations

Regulations, some of which may be incorporated into the bylaws, provide for the orderly conduct of association business. They must define proce-dures for:

the conduct of elections
the issue of notices for the elections
methods and deadline fore the receipt of nominations
identification of the persons qualified to vote
the form of nomination and voting papers
instructions for voting
vote-counting procedures
scrutiny and reporting of election results

Other regulations can also be developed to provide definitions and terms of reference for standing committees, working groups, task forces and similar sub-organizations.

Rules of Procedure

Rules of procedure provide for the actual stan-dards of behavior and conduct during meetings. They should therefore provide guidelines on such issues as courtesy and relevance, advice on the moving of motions, their withdrawal and amend-ment, right of reply, and brevity during speeches.

Code of Conduct/Ethics

It is important for associations to develop specific guidelines which govern the relationship between the members and their various publics. This can be achieved through the development of a Code of Conduct/Ethics that stipulates the relationship among members and their association; between the user and the professional; between the professional and his/her employer; and the services that they provide. In fact, the Code of Conduct is the instrument which conveys to the public and the government the seriousness and responsibilities of the profession.

The Code may therefore:

urge members to comply with the rules and regulations of the association;
instruct members to comply with the national laws and policies and not indulge in any activity which would bring the profession into disrepute;
urge members to maintain high standards of services, keep abreast of new developments in the field and take responsibility for mentoring and training new professionals;
emphasize the obligation of the professional to facilitate the unhindered flow of informa-tion and ideas;
emphasize the obligation of members to protect and promote the rights of every individual to have free and equal access to sources of information without discrimination and within the limits of the law;
provide a set of principles which would give direction on public issues such as censorship and copyright.

Policy Formulation

Ideally, policies should be formulated by a board, committee, task force, or working group with the specific responsibility to develop a policy in a particular area. In view of the fact that policies have implications for the entire organization, wide consultation is advised at the policy formu-lation stage.
All policies should be recorded in a handbook and made available to members.

Policy Adoption

Once policies have been drafted, they should be passed to the membership for their views. This can be done as an agenda item at an Annual General Meeting. A resolution must be made recommending the adoption or amendment of the policy. The association's governing body and/or membership must formally adopt the policy for the policy to go into effect. If the policy is required urgently and must be adopted by the entire membership in keeping with the bylaws, it can be adopted at an extraordinary general meeting of the Association. Alternatively, a postal ballot can be used.

Policy Implementation

Policy implementation is the responsibility of the governing body or paid association staff who seek to ensure that new policies are widely promoted among members and followed by the association. Policies should be reviewed as the need arises by a governing body, executive committee, or other association entity and changes to the policies recommended, if necessary. Policies that are of public interest, for example those governing public access to information, should be given the widest possible coverage in the media. The art of 'lobbying' is useful when the association is seeking to put into effect new policies that may have an impact at a national/political level. This may require the association to approach indi-vidual members of government or to mount a major campaign to influence changes in legisla-tion. The 'lobbyists' must therefore be fully conversant with the association's policies and the external issues in order to be effective. See the IFLA MLA Section brochure "Expanding Advocacy in the Library Community" for more information about this.

Planning

Library Associations must recognize the need for proper long-term planning, implementation and monitoring to ensure that the required targets are achieved. It is therefore essential for associations to adopt strategic plans to give clear direction to the leadership and to support their mission. The plans should be reviewed, evaluated, and revised on a regular basis to keep abreast of the internal and external changes taking place in the association's environment.

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