Nevada Library Association Handbook

Board of Trustees
Delegates

Mountain Plains Library Association (MPLA) Delegate

HISTORY
The Mountain Plains Library Association includes Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming and has been in existence since 1948. The Nevada Library Association first affiliated with MPLA in late 1958. With the exception of a period in 1973, when continued affiliation with MPLA was disputed, membership in that regional association has continued. Joint NLA/MPLA conferences were held in Nevada in 1978 (Stateline), 1985 (Las Vegas), 1994 (Incline Village), and 2003 (Incline Village). Various modifications in the terms and conditions of office of the NLA/MPLA delegate have been made as well as other changes to harmonize the NLA and MPLA bylaws. The latest changes were made in the NLA bylaws in 1995 dealing with term of office and in the NLA Handbook in 1996 covering NLA policies on MPLA delegate expenses.

OFFICERS

• 1958-1959, Doris Martinez
• 1959-1960, Lee Mortensen
• 1960-1965, Barbara J. Mauseth
• 1965-1967, Billie Mae Polson
• 1967-1971, Harold H.J. Erickson
• 1971-1973, Elmer Curley
• 1974-1975, Barbara J. Mauseth
• 1976-1977, Nancy Cummings, Clark County Library District
• 1978-1979, Hailie Gunn, Elko County Library
• 1980-1981, Robert G. Anderl, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
• 1982-1985, Joseph J. Anderson, Nevada State Library
• 1986-1987, Dorothy Rice, University of Nevada, Reno
• 1987-1989, Joyce Lee, Nevada State Library and Archives
• 1990-1991, Bill Strader, Nevada State Library and Archives
• 1991-1992, Joyce C. Lee, Nevada State Library & Archives (to complete term for Bill Strader)
• 1992-1993, Sharon Scott, University Nevada Reno to replace Joyce Lee
• 1993-1995, Sharon Scott, University Nevada Reno
• 1995-1999, Sylvia Bartak, Silverpeak Library
• 2000-2004, Linda Deacy, Douglas County Public Library
• 2005-2006, Martha Greene, Washoe County Library System
• 2006-2008, Janet Mastalir, Henderson District Public Libraries
• 2009-2010, Florica Hagendorn, Henderson District Public Libraries
• 2011-2013, Ellen Fockler, Fockler Library Consulting, LLC.
• 2014-2016, John Crockett, Washoe County Library System
• 2017-present, Luise Davis, Douglas County Library District

CONDITIONS OF OFFICE
Affiliation

1. The Nevada Library Association is affiliated with the Mountain Plains Library Association.
2. Affiliation with MPLA was accomplished by a majority vote of NLA members.
3. Affiliation and NLA representation on the MPLA Executive Board is governed by the MPLA Constitution and By-Laws.
   

NLA Bylaws

ARTICLE V. ORGANIZATION. Section 1. Affiliation with National and Regional Organizations. Upon a majority vote of their members and with the approval of the board of trustees, NLA and its constituent groups and committees may affiliate or disaffiliate with national and regional organizations. Delegates to these organizations may be elected by the membership of the appropriate group or appointed by the president with the approval of the board of trustees.

MPLA Bylaws (revised 09/07): Article III. Membership.

3.1 Any person, institution, or organization interested in supporting the Association in its mission shall be eligible for membership.

3.2 There shall be the following classes of membership:

3.2.1 Personal members include librarians, other library employees and others employed in library service or related activities.

3.2.2 Institutional members shall include libraries, firms or organizations who have an interest in or relationship to library work that have applied for membership and have paid annual dues. Institutional members shall not be entitled to the privileges of individual members.

3.2.3 State Library Association members. When a state library association elects to apply for membership in the Association, it shall have voted to become a member in such a manner as shall be prescribed by its constitution and/or bylaws and shall have certified to this action in its initial application for membership. A state association’s application for membership must be approved by a three-fourths vote of the MPLA Executive Board. Upon acceptance, the state association shall thereby be entitled to voting representation on the Executive Board.

Article VI. Executive Board.
6.1 The Executive Board shall consist of the elected officers of the Association, one representative from each member state library association, and the chair of each standing committee. All members of the Executive Board shall be individual members in good standing of the Association. Should Executive Board members fail to pay dues following written reminder by the Executive Secretary, they shall by removed from the Executive Board and a successor for the office shall be appointed by the President with the exception of state representatives who shall be replaced in office by the appropriate state association as provided in their procedures or bylaws.

6.4 Each member state library association in the Association shall choose a representative who shall be selected in such manner as shall be prescribed by its constitution and/or bylaws.

6.4.1 Representatives shall serve for three years or until their successors are chosen, and their term of office shall begin at the first MPLA Executive Board Meeting following election by their state association.

6.4.2 If a member state library association has not chosen a representative within four months following the beginning of the representative's term of office, or in case a representative has resigned and no provision for replacement been made in that association's constitution and/or bylaws, the President in consultation with the President of the state association, shall appoint a member from that state to serve as representative.

PURPOSE AND DUTIES

1. NLA's delegate to MPLA serves on the MPLA executive board and is a voting member of the MPLA Board.
2. The MPLA delegate must be a member in good standing of NLA and MPLA and serves as an advisory nonvoting member of the NLA Executive Board.
3. The MPLA delegate is elected by the NLA membership as a whole.
4. The executive secretary notifies MPLA of the results of the election.
5. The MPLA delegate shall serve for three years and their term of office shall begin at the first MPLA Executive Board Meeting (January) following election.
6. The MPLA delegate may not hold any other office in NLA.
7. The MPLA delegate may not serve more than two consecutive three-year terms.
8. The MPLA delegate reports on NLA activities to the MPLA board and reports on MPLA activities to the NLA board; he/she also requests time during the NLA annual meeting to speak on MPLA activities and promote membership (MPLA Manual of Procedures).
9. The MPLA delegate submits MPLA press releases and reports on MPLA matters of interest to NLA members to the Nevada Libraries, in particular after attending each meeting of MPLA.
10. The MPLA delegate submits reports of NLA and other Nevada library activities to the MPLA Newsletter and the MPLA Public Relations Committee, including:
    a. State association officers, activities, programs, conventions, etc.;
    b. Library personnel changes;
    c. Innovative programs (MPLA Manual of Procedures).
11. The MPLA delegate assists with the recruitment of MPLA members in Nevada, as follows:
    a. Annually providing the MPLA Executive Secretary with an up-to-date complete-as-possible list of all possible potential MPLA members in the state for purposes of mailing membership brochures and personal letters from the state's representative;
    b. Obtaining membership brochures and MPLA information from the MPLA Executive Secretary and the Public Relations Committee and be sure they are included in state association convention packets (MPLA Manual of Procedures).
12. The MPLA delegate investigates possibilities of joint MPLA/NLA conventions or places in Nevada to hold MPLA conventions, and actively assists the MPLA convention chairperson if an MPLA convention is held in Nevada (MPLA Manual of Procedure).

MPLA Manual of Procedures

State representatives serve three broad purposes: membership promotion; transmittal of publicity (both MPLA to state and vice versa); two-way liaison between the MPLA Executive Board and the state association executive board. Both MPLA and the state associations can be strengthened by mutual cooperation; the state association representative is the primary vehicle of that cooperation. Representatives are not only the state associations' representatives to MPLA and its objectives is as important, if not more important, than loyalty to the state association. If for reasons of personal conviction, wholehearted support of MPLA cannot be met, it is suggested that the appointment be declined and that the state association appoint another individual.

Dues

1. The treasurer is responsible for the annual budget request for payment of MPLA association dues.
2. The MPLA delegate pays his or her own dues to both NLA and MPLA.

Meetings

1. The MPLA delegate attends at least two meetings of the MPLA executive board, including those at the MPLA annual convention, if possible consulting with the NLA president, board of trustees, or other appropriate officers before voting on controversial matters.
2. As an advisory, nonvoting member of the NLA board of trustees the MPLA delegate attends both the midwinter board of trustees meeting and the annual meeting of NLA to report on MPLA.
   

Budget

1. It is the policy of NLA that it may compensate the MPLA delegate for his/her travel and per diem expenses to attend the required meetings (usually three or four per year) of the MPLA executive board.
2. Travel to the midwinter board of trustees meeting should not be included as this is covered in another budget. Travel and per diem to attend the NLA annual meeting may not be requested.
3. The delegate should include the following in his/her budget request as needed:
   Printing
   Postage
   Telephone
   Travel and per diem for MPLA board meetings