AALDI Byelaws

The name of the Association shall be “Association of Agricultural Librarians and Documentalists of India (AALDI)”.

• To improve readers' services, information literacy programmes, continued and extended library education and such other activities in libraries under NARES, NARS and ICAR.
• To promote bibliographical and user studies, and arrange short-term hands-on training programmes for better library services.
• To improve the status and service conditions of professional library personnel working at SAUs, Central and Deemed Agricultural Universities, ICAR Institutes and other agro-biological centres of advanced studies in India.
• Collaboration with other national agro-biological associations.
• Formulation of standards, norms and guidelines for the management of library and information systems and services.
• Organising annual conferences, publishing IJALIS — the official journal of the Association — and bulletins, and coordinating with Organising Secretaries of annual conferences in bringing out the Conference Volume.
• To take all such actions as may be incidental or conducive to the attainment of the objectives of the Association.

Membership of the Association is open to:

• All trained professionals in librarianship, documentation, reprography, etc. working in libraries, documentation centres and information literacy & training units of agricultural and agro-biological areas under NARES, ICAR and SAUs who subscribe to the objectives of the Association.
• Retired personnel of such categories.
• All persons interested in the development of agricultural libraries and directly related activities in agro-biological areas.

The Society shall consist of:

• Ordinary members on payment of an annual subscription of ₹500 per head for each calendar year.
• Institutional members on payment of an annual subscription of ₹2,000 for each calendar year — open to academic and R&D institutions only.
• Life members (open only to individuals) on payment of a one-time subscription of ₹3,000.
• Honorary members, approved by two-thirds of the members of the Executive Council. No membership fee is required from Honorary Members.

• A person seeking membership shall apply in the prescribed form.
• The application shall be recommended by another valid member of the Association.
• Admission shall be approved by the Executive Council and is effective from the date of approval.
• This clause applies only after the meeting of the General Body of the Association.
• The Executive Council may terminate any membership if the subscription is in arrears for a long time.
• The Executive Council may cancel a membership whose conduct is, in its opinion, prejudicial to the interests of the Association — after giving the member an opportunity to present an explanation.

Each category of member shall have one vote in the election of members to the Executive Council. Members do not have voting rights unless arrears of membership subscription are paid.

A member may withdraw from the Association by applying to the Secretary. The Association shall not be liable to return any membership subscription paid in advance.

The administration of the Association's affairs shall vest in an Executive Council consisting of:

• President
• Senior Vice-President
• Vice-President
• Secretary
• Joint Secretary — 2 (one from SAUs, one from ICAR institutions)
• Treasurer
• Chief Editor of Publications
• Five more elected members, with not more than one from a single institution
• Two members may be co-opted by the Council on being nominated by the Secretary

• Members of the Executive Council shall normally hold office for two years only.
• No individual shall be elected for more than two consecutive terms to the same post.
• Non-members and defaulters shall not hold any post in the Executive Council.

• Elections to the Executive Council and the post of Secretary shall be carried out by secret ballot. Votes may be cast either in person or by post.
• Office bearers other than the Secretary shall be elected by the Executive Council members by secret ballot.
• Only members present in the General House shall participate in the election process.

The Executive Council shall have general powers of supervision over the affairs of the Association, managing them in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Association and such general or special directions as may be approved by the Annual General Meetings.

The methods of all operations shall be finally decided by the Council for carrying out elections and fulfilling all other aims and objectives. The Council shall form sub-committees or regional committees, if necessary, to carry out the objectives of the Association.

The President, Secretary, Treasurer or Chief Editor shall accept donations or subsidies on behalf of the Association to carry out its aims and objectives.

President — to preside over all meetings of the Association and the Executive Council and regulate proceedings; to ensure due effect is given to these rules; and, in case of doubt, to decide the interpretation of any rule, which holds until the next meeting of the Council.

Vice-President — in the event of the President's inability to fulfil their duties, the Senior Vice-President shall act as President with all powers of the office.

Secretary — to conduct correspondence and sign all letters and papers; to attend and minute all meetings and read aloud the previous minutes; to keep records of all meetings and the minutes of Annual Conferences; to be an ex-officio member of all sub-committees; and to co-opt two Council members to assist the Secretary or Chief Editor.

Joint Secretary — shall act as Secretary in the event of the Secretary's inability to fulfil their duties, with prior permission of the Council President.

Treasurer — shall receive and hold all money paid to the Association, disburse all sums due and keep exact accounts of receipts and payments; shall be an ex-officio member of all committees appointed by the Council.

Chief Editor — shall be responsible for preparing and printing the Association's publications with the right of direct correspondence with authors, press and members; shall keep stock of publications under proper record and safe custody; and shall coordinate with Organising Secretaries of annual conferences to bring out the Conference Volume and Souvenir.

Other members — shall carry out duties assigned by the Council or Secretary in conformity with the aims and objectives of the Association.

• The General Body meeting shall normally be held once a year. Seventeen members constitute a quorum.
• Extraordinary or special general meetings may be called either by the Executive Council or by a requisition of at least 50% of the total members to the President.
• Notice of a meeting shall be emailed by the Secretary at least 15 days before the date of the meeting.

• Accounts and vouchers of receipts and expenditure shall be examined by the Council at prescribed intervals and subjected to annual audit; the audited annual statement shall be circulated to members with the Annual Report.
• All securities and money shall be held in a bank under a joint account, operated jointly by the Honorary Treasurer and one Executive Committee member.
• Money collected from life members shall be kept as a fixed deposit in a bank.

• Proposals for additions or alterations to existing rules by any ordinary or life member shall reach the Secretary 30 days before the Annual General Meeting at which they are to be moved.
• The Secretary shall circulate such proposals to all members at least 15 days before the Annual General Meeting.
• Proposals for additions and alterations may also be placed before the Annual General Meeting by the Council.
• Such proposals shall be placed at the Annual General Meeting; members may move amendments, which are accepted if carried by a two-thirds majority of the members present in the voting.

The office of the Association shall be located at the address of the Secretary.