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ACRL Board Manual 2024-2025

Board Manual for the ACRL Board of Directors.

5.2 Roles & Responsibilities: Vice-President

Association Governance – Board meetings, strategic planning
  1. Serves as an officer of the division and as a member of the Board of Directors, the Executive Committee, and the Budget and Finance Committee.
  2. Reaches out to vice-president/president-elect and board candidates who were not elected. Solicits interest in committees or projects that former candidates might wish to serve on.
  3. Appoints division-level committee members, vice-chairs, and chairs not otherwise appointed by the Publications Coordinating Committee. Terms to begin in presidential year.
  4. Appoints representatives to outside organizations and other ALA units as needed.
  5. Performs such other duties as the Board of Directors or the president may assign.
  6. Is ex-officio member of the Budget and Finance Committee and attends meetings as a way to be grounded in the financial operations of the association.
  7. In the absence of the president, presides at meetings of the Board, the Executive Committee, and at the membership meeting.
  8. Plans with president, past president, and executive director Strategic Planning and Orientation Session to be held early in presidential year (typically September or October).
  9. As an officer, advises the president on ACRL executive director's annual performance evaluation.
  10. Participates in regular conference calls with other officers and executive director.
  11. Works with staff and presidents to plan Virtual Leader Orientation.

Officers (president, vice-president, and past president) review progress to date and confer with executive director regarding any necessary midyear adjustments (e.g., unexpected emergencies or opportunities, ALA-directed changes) and/or concerns.

Communication- about ACRL to its units and to ALA
  1. Maintains effective relationships between ACRL and ALA and its divisions. Shares information, communicates concerns, participates in governance through attending meeting such as:
    • ALA Division Vice-Presidents’ orientation and meetings
    • ALA Division Vice-Presidents’ Luncheon
  2. Provides information to staff to create ACRL Vice-President’s page to include, biographical information, schedule, special events, press box, reports, contact info, and a photo.
  3. Communicates activities and plans in reports for C&RL News.
  4. Represents ACRL at chapter conferences by invitation.
  5. Prepares quarterly officer’s report (examples below).
Quarterly Vice-President's Reports
Quarterly Report Template
Representation- external to media
  1. Responds to requests from ALA Communications & Marketing Office for interviews and information.
Ceremonial – awards, ACRL Conference
  1. Attends ACRL Leadership Council & Membership Meeting and Welcome Reception
  2. During ACRL Conference year, may preside or host an event.
  3. Attends invitational receptions at Midwinter and Annual Conference, as schedule permits, e.g., receptions for ALA officers, ALA vice-president’s lunch, etc.
Vice-President/President Elect’s Ex Officio and Liaison Responsibilities
  • Ex-officio member of Budget & Finance Committee
  • Ex-officio member of ALA Appointments Committee
  • Board liaison to the following committees:

The ACRL vice-president/president-elect attends the Midwinter Meeting, Annual Conference, spring and fall Executive Committee meetings, the annual fall Strategic Planning and Orientation Session, and other meeting commitments.

In addition to those duties specified in the ACRL Bylaws and those listed under the roles and responsibilities for the position, the ACRL vice-president/president-elect has several meeting commitments at the ALA Midwinter Meetings and ALA Annual Conferences, along with a variety of others occurring at various times during the year. Meeting commitments fall into three categories: ALA, ACRL, and external organizations.

Following are the meeting commitments for this position.

ALA Meetings
ALA meetings are scheduled by the ALA vice-president working with the ALA Executive Office. Communication about the time, agenda, and any supporting documents comes from the ALA Executive Office.

  • ALA Committee on Appointments: The ACRL vice-president is a member of the ALA Appointments Committee. Work with the Appointments Committee ends with the year as vice-president. The Appointments Committee works virtually and may also meet at Midwinter.

As a member of the Appointments Committee, the vice-president will be asked to recommend members to serve on ALA-wide committees. Vice-presidents should start making a list of people to serve in various capacities as soon as they are elected and talk to other division vice-presidents about supporting their choices very early.

  • ALA Vice-President’s Lunch, Saturday 11:30–12:45 p.m.

The ALA Vice-President usually hosts a lunch for all Division Vice-Presidents at the Midwinter Meeting and Annual Conference typically on Saturday from 11:30–12:45 p.m.

  • ALA Division Leadership Orientation

An ALA Division Leadership Orientation is usually held in the fall for vice-presidents/presidents-elect. The purposes of this session is to provide information on how the association works, share information about division programs, get acquainted with colleagues in other divisions and provide training in working with the media. Beginning in 2017, this orientation will be offered as a series of virtual meetings.

ACRL meetings

  1. The vice-president attends the ACRL Board of Directors meetings at both the Midwinter Meeting and Annual Conference (Saturdays and Mondays).
  2. The vice-president attends the ACRL Executive Committee meetings twice a year, fall and spring. The fall meeting had been scheduled for one day and the spring meeting for one day. In recent years, the full Board has met virtually in the fall and spring. The virtual meetings have been held in lieu of, as well as in addition, to the executive meetings.
  3. The vice-president attends the ACRL Board Strategic Planning and Orientation Session, typically held in September or October.
  4. The vice-president is an ex-officio member of the ACRL Budget and Finance Committee. The committee meets three times during Midwinter Meetings and twice at Annual Conferences (typically Saturday, Sunday, and Monday mornings.). Two virtual meetings are typically held in the fall—one orientation and a review of budget assumptions.
  5. Three spring Virtual Leader Orientation sessions are held annually for newly elected and appointed committee, section, discussion group, and interest group leaders. In recent years, the orientation has been a flipped classroom format, with pre-recorded content shared in advance of a live virtual FAQ. The vice-president is expected to work with staff to record the presentation, and host a live FAQ.
  6. The Leadership Council & Membership Meeting is held at Midwinter and Annual on Fridays, between 1:00 and 3:00 p.m.
  7. A Leadership Council Welcome Reception lunch is held during Midwinter and Annual on Fridays. The Board is expected to attend and get to know other ACRL leaders.
  8. The vice-president is expected to meet with the Chapters Council during the Midwinter Meeting and Annual Conference. Chapters Council typically meets on Sundays, 8:30–10:00 a.m.
  9. ACRL provides opportunities for its officers to visit the local chapters. The vice-president may be invited to visit a chapter as a speaker to share information about ACRL’s programs, services, and activities. The vice-president should confirm availability with the chapter and ask that they contact the ACRL office about further details.
  10. The vice-president meets virtually with the Appointments Committee and Appointments Chair throughout the year at his or her discretion in order to complete appointments work plan.
  11. The vice-president participates in the Executive Directors evaluation process. At the Midwinter Meeting, officers review progress to date and confer with Executive Director regarding any necessary midyear adjustments (e.g., unexpected emergencies or opportunities, ALA-directed changes) and/or concerns. At Annual Conference, the Executive Session convenes at the close of the first ACRL Board meeting to review performance of Executive Director.

MAY

  • Immediately upon election, provide quotes for press release and C&RL News election article (published in June).
  • Immediately upon election, secure appointments for Appointments Committee chair, Leadership and Recruitment and Nominating Committee vacancies.
  • Reach out to the other candidates for vice-president to determine if there is an ACRL project in which he/she would like to engage.

JUNE
Annual Conference

  • Attend Welcome Reception lunch (Friday Noon-1:00 p.m.)
  • Attend ACRL Leadership Council & Membership Meeting (Friday 1:00–3:00 p.m.).
  • Attend ACRL Board meetings (Saturday and Monday afternoons) and Budget and Finance Committee meetings (Sunday and Monday mornings).
  • Meet with Executive Director and other ACRL officers to discuss the work and direction of the association. Arrange with the president to receive appropriate files.
  • Attend ALA Inaugural Luncheon (Tuesday 11:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m.).
  • Attend orientation for newly elected Board members (Friday 10:00 a.m.–noon).

JULY/AUGUST

  • Begin to plan for association's projects and programs for year as president.
  • Appoint President's Program Committee (if you’d like to have a program or other activities).
  • Appoint Appointments committee members and chair. Appoint Leadership Recruitment and Nomination Committee vice-chair and one member.

SEPTEMBER

  • Communicate to the President's Program Committee chair and members the nature of program for the year and expectations of them.
  • Finish remaining appointments to President’s Program, Leadership Recruitment and Nomination, and Appointments Committees.
  • Prepare goals for appointments process that your committee will use to guide them in recommending appointments.
  • Communicate to the chairs of appointments and set goals for filling vacant positions. This committee will be receiving official instructions from the ACRL office later this month (with a cc: to you).
  • Start preparing vice-president’s report for Fall Executive Committee meeting.
  • Attend the ACRL Board Strategic Planning and Orientation Session (usually in September or October) Begin thinking about the ACRL Board Strategic Planning and Orientation Session that vice-president will plan.

OCTOBER

  • Begin thinking about any special budget needs (outside of those in the action plan) for upcoming fiscal year and inform the Executive Director so that they can be incorporated into the first draft of the budget.
  • Check in with committees appointed (Appointments, President’s Program) as needed to assist with overview/direction, etc.
  • Attend the Division Leadership Program, which will be a virtual series of meetings on various topics.
  • Attend ACRL Executive Committee or Virtual Board Meeting.

NOVEMBER

  • Finish goals for appointment process.
  • Advise Appointments Committee as needed.
  • Finalize appointments letter so it can be sent to new appointees.
  • Begin developing written update about plans for ACRL Leadership Council at Midwinter (if time is allocated for this).
  • Think about goals/outcomes for the Board Strategic Planning and Orientation Session (SPOS).

DECEMBER

  • Consider whether any initiatives will require special task forces and if so prepare request for Board action.

JANUARY

  • Check in with Appointments, and President’s Program Planning Committees as needed to see that all is going smoothly.
  • Finalize Board Strategic Planning and Orientation Session (SPOS) dates and location.

FEBRUARY

  • Attend ASAE CEO symposium (date to be determined).

Midwinter

  • Attend Division Leaders Meeting (Thursday 3:00–5:00 p.m.)
  • Attend ACRL Board Update session (Friday 8:00–10:00 a.m.)
  • Attend ACRL Leader Welcome Reception lunch (Friday)
  • Attend ACRL Leadership Council (Friday afternoon)
  • Attend ACRL Board meetings (Saturday and Monday).
  • Represent ACRL on the ALA Committee on Appointments.
  • Attend meetings of ACRL Budget and Finance Committee for review of budget requests for next fiscal year.
  • Attend joint meeting of Board and Budget & Finance Committee (Monday 8:00–10:00 a.m.)
  • Represent ACRL on ALA Committee on Appointments.
  • Meet with ACRL officers and Executive Director to review progress to date and confer with Executive Director regarding any necessary midyear adjustments (e.g., unexpected emergencies or opportunities, ALA-directed changes) and/or concerns.
  • Attend invitational lunch with ALA vice-president and divisions (Saturday 11:30–12:45 p.m.).

MARCH

  • Attend ACRL Conference (in odd-numbered years—March or April).
  • Recommendations from Appointments Committee due to vice-president
  • Send names of chairs and appointees to committees to ACRL office.
  • Prepare for ACRL Conference presentations/functions (typically introductions, welcomes, etc.) (odd-numbered years).

APRIL

  • Prepare for spring Executive Committee/Board meeting.
  • Prepare vice-president's report for Spring Executive Committee/Board meeting.
  • Monitor appointments with help of staff; work with Appointments Committee to make additional appointments that come up when members decline.
  • Make the appointments that the vice-president is the appointing authority for.
  • Work with staff to plan Virtual Leader Orientation.
  • Continue planning content of Board Strategic Planning and Orientation Session.

MAY

  • Attend ACRL Executive Committee/Board meeting.
  • Monitor appointments with help of staff; work with Appointments Committee to make additional appointments that come up when members decline.
  • Prepare vice-president's report for Annual Conference (this will be a Board document; selections may also be highlighted orally at the Leadership Council & Membership Meeting).
  • Provide quotes about upcoming presidential year for C&RL News election article (published in June).
  • In consultation with the officers and Executive Director, assign Board liaisons to division-level committees and sections as appropriate for the coming year.

JUNE

  • Continue working on topics/authors for C&RL News column if you are planning one.

Annual Conference

  • Attend ACRL Board meetings and updates (Saturday and Monday afternoons).
  • Attend ACRL Leader Welcome Reception lunch (Friday)
  • Attend ACRL Leadership Council & Membership Meeting (Friday 1:00–3:00 p.m.)
  • Attend Professional Development Coordinating Committee meeting (Saturday 8:30–10:00 a.m.).
  • Attend Chapters Council as schedule permits. (Sunday 8:30–10:00 a.m.)
  • Attend ALA Division President-elects Luncheon for all vice-presidents within ALA. (usually, Saturday 11:30–12:45 p.m.)
  • Attend ACRL Board meetings and Budget and Finance Committee meetings (Sunday and Monday mornings).
  • Attend ACRL President’s Program and awards reception.
  • Meet with officers to prepare performance review with Executive Director.
  • Meet with incoming vice-president and other ACRL officers to discuss the work and direction of the association.
  • Arrange with the president to receive appropriate files and arrange to send appropriate files to incoming vice-president.
  • Receive passing-of-the-gavel at final Board meeting and conduct the closing portion of the meeting with newly-elected Board members.
  • Attend ALA Inaugural Luncheon (Tuesday 11:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m.).

JULY

  • If desired, write inaugural column for C&RL News. If a presidential column is planned, it is due July 30 for September issue.
  • Plan orientation with Executive Director for Board Strategic Planning and Orientation Session. Finalize content with facilitator, etc.