Our Purpose

(From the OLA Handbook. Updated March, 2003)

1. See Constitution:

   Article VI
   

   Bylaws:

   Article II, 2: Article IX

   Mission Statement

2. To provide a forum for discussion of various issues of social concern as they impact libraries, library collections, and the communities served by these libraries; to present workshops, programs, and exhibits to increase awareness and understanding and to promote library responsiveness to those issues to recognize libraries/librarians who have responded creatively to social concerns within their communities.

   Purposes and Functions:

A. Purposes:

1. Increase awareness and understanding of social responsibility issues among libraries and librarians.
2. Encourage libraries and librarians to provide services and programs to people whose information needs are underserved. The Ruth Brown Memorial Award will be awarded in response to this need.
3. Promote the role of libraries as centers for the exchange of information and the importance of serving all library users by providing balanced collections and services.
4. Recognize libraries or individuals and organizations affiliated with libraries that respond creatively to social concerns.
5. Plan and present a program at the annual Conference.
6. Plan and present workshops.

B. Ruth Brown Memorial Award (Citation of Merit)

Purpose:

1. General Guidelines:

   
   
   a. Entries are limited to libraries OR individuals OR organizations affiliated with a library in the state of Oklahoma.
2. b. This award is not necessarily presented every year.
3. c. The winner will be recognized at the Annual Conference of the Oklahoma Library Association (OLA).
4. d. Winning entries immediately become ineligible for reentry.
5. e. Entries will be used by SRRT for the purpose of publicizing outreach efforts and other activities, which increase awareness of social concern in the Oklahoma library community.
6. f. Entry must be a recent (completed within the last 3 years) or an ongoing project.
7. g. Current members of the SRRT Award Committee are not eligible to submit entries.

1. Entry Procedures:

   
   
2. a. Obtain entry forms from the Executive Director of the Oklahoma Library Association.
3. b. Return completed entry forms and supporting documentation to the Executive Director of the Oklahoma Library Association.
4. c. Deadline for entries is February 15.

Judges:

1. a. The SRRT Award Committee will be responsible for selecting the winner.
2. b. The Award Committee consists of the following SRRT members: immediate past chair, chair, chair-elect, and two additional members to be selected each year by the SRRT chair.
3. c. The incoming chair of SRRT will serve as chair of the Awards Committee.

Judging Procedures:

1. a. The SRRT Award Committee will review, score, and rank all entries.
2. b. The entry with the highest ranking will be the winner.
3. c. A summary of the entries received and the name of the winner will be reported to the Executive Board of the Oklahoma Library Association at least one month prior to the OLA Annual Conference.

Judging Criteria - Entries should demonstrate:

C. Each roundtable member must have a personal paid-up membership in the Oklahoma Library Association.

IV Officers

A. Term:

1. Chair and Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect are elected for one year and shall assume their duties on July 1 after the elections.
2. The Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect shall serve the following year as Chair.
3. The Scribe is not an elected office but is appointed by the Roundtable. The Scribe's position will generally be for one year but may be extended if necessary.

B. Elections:

1. A Nominating Committee of no less than three people shall be appointed by the Chair of the roundtable and the names of these committee members be sent immediately to the Executive Director.
2. The Nominating Committee shall study the election procedures outlined in the Bylaws, Article III, and prepare a slate of two nominees each to serve for the offices of Vice-Chair/ Chair-Elect, and other elected offices as deemed necessary by the roundtable. All nominees must be a member of the Association for the current year and must agree to permit their names to appear on the ballot.
3. The Nominating Committee shall prepare a ballot restricted to one page (see sample ballot at back of HANDBOOK), duplicate it in sufficient quantity for each member of the roundtable, and mail the prepared ballots to the Executive Director by December 15. The Executive Director will mail the roundtable ballots with the ballots for the election of Association officers.
4. All ballots will be returned to the executive Director who will set a ballot counting date at least thirty days prior to the Annual Conference. A representative from the roundtable's Nominating Committee will meet at the time and place designated by the Executive Director to tabulate the ballots received from the roundtable membership.
5. The Nominating Committee will report the results of the election to the Executive Director, the roundtable chair, and the roundtable membership at the business section of the Annual Conference.

C. Chair:

The duties and responsibilities shall be:

1. ) Polling the membership to ascertain specific interests in a workshop.
2. ) Appointing a committee to prepare a workshop program.
3. ) Preparing a self-supporting workshop budget and submitting a proposal for a program and budget to the Executive Board. (Follow the guidelines suggested in the Continuing Education Committee's "Guide to Workshop Production Within the Oklahoma Library Association").
4. ) To prepare a roundtable budget for presentation to the Budget and Finance Committee that realistically supports the roundtable efforts for the year.
5. ) To report roundtable activities, idea exchanges, and concerns of the roundtable to the Association Newsletter.
6. ) To appoint by November a Nominating Committee of at least three members to select a slate and prepare a ballot for the election of roundtable officers.
7. ) To prepare an Annual Report summarizing activities during the current year. This report will be included in the printed pamphlet entitled "Annual Report of the Oklahoma Library Association", and is available to all who attend the Annual Conference.
8. ) To clear all roundtable meeting dates and workshop dates with the Executive Director and the official calendar.
9. ) To work with the Executive Director on all roundtable mailings at least two weeks in advance.
10. ) To attend the spring Leadership Conference for Association officers and chairs.
11. ) To assume responsibility for official roundtable records.
    
    i. Send copy of all roundtable meeting agendas and minutes to the Executive Director.
    
    ii. Submit a summary of workshop, meeting, or activity involving the expenditure of money and an expense report to the Executive Director within one month of said event.
    
    iii. Forward roundtable records from predecessor to the Executive Director by June 30 so that they may be sent to the Oklahoma Library Association Archives and turn over current roundtable records to the incoming Chair at the Leadership Conference (See Appendix: "Archivist").