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Revised Bylaws
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Revised November 2009  
THE FRIENDS OF THE MANSFIELD PUBLIC LIBRARY BY-LAWS 
ARTICLE I NAME 
The name of this organization shall be The Friends of the Mansfield Public Library. It is recognized that the administration of the Mansfield Public Library is vested in the Mansfield City Council and the Mansfield Public Library. 
ARTICLE II PURPOSE 
Section 1.  The Friends of the Mansfield Public Library is a group of volunteers who actively support the library and its mission through fundraising, promotion and advocacy. 
Section 2.  Said corporation is organized exclusively for charitable, and educational purposes, including, for such purposes, the making of distributions to organizations that qualify as exempt organizations under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or the corresponding section of any future federal tax code. 
ARTICLE III MEMBERSHIP 
Section 1.  Membership in this Organization shall be open to all individuals in sympathy with its purposes, and to representatives of organizations and clubs when such representation is desired, in which case dues shall be paid to the Organization.  
Section 2.  Each organization and individual member who have paid dues and who are present at time of called vote shall be entitled to one vote. 
ARTICLE IV OFFICERS AND COMMITTEES
Section 1.  The officers shall be President, First Vice President, Second Vice President - Mansfield Reads, Third Vice President – Mansfield Writes, Secretary, and Treasurer or Secretary/Treasurer. 
Section 2.  The term shall be for two years, which may be extended with both approval and vote from members. 
Section 3.  The direction of affairs of this Organization shall rest with the Board of Directors, the President serving as Chairman and appointing the Standing Committee chairmen. A majority of the members of the Board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. The Board of Directors shall be the elected Officers of the Organization. The Director of the Mansfield Public Library will be an ex-officio member of the Board. Standing Committees shall be Merchandise, Bookstore/Book Sales, Publicity/Newsletter/Website, Mansfield Reads and Mansfield Writes.
Section 4.  Special committees as may be necessary from time to time shall be appointed by the President. 
Section 5.  The President is an ex-officio member of all committees. 
Section 6.  Nominations for officers shall be presented at the meeting in November. Nominations from the floor will be invited; no one shall be nominated without his/her consent. 
Section 7.  The officers shall be elected at the meeting in November. New officers will take office the following January after a transition period of one month. 
Section 8.  Vacancies arising on the Board shall be filled by appointment made by the remaining Board members. 
Section 9.  Outgoing officers shall deliver to their successors in office all records and other materials belonging to their office at the close of their term. 
ARTICLE V DUTIES OF THE OFFICERS 
The duties of the officers shall include but are not limited to the following: 
President:  To preside over and conduct meetings and to appoint all committees; to notify members of meeting time and place; to compose annual membership letter. 
First Vice President: To perform the duties of the president in the absence of the president, and to act as an aide to the president. 
Second Vice President – Mansfield Reads: To perform the duties of the president in the absence of the president and the first vice president. To chair, organize and appoint committee chairman for the annual Mansfield Reads program. To serve as liaison between the library and the Organization with regards to the annual Mansfield Reads program.
Third Vice President – Mansfield Writes: To perform the duties of the president in the absence of the president, the first vice president and the second vice president. To chair, organize and appoint committee chairman for the annual Mansfield Writes program. To serve as liaison between the library and the Organization with regards to the annual Mansfield Writes program. 
Secretary:  To record attendance and take the minutes at all meetings; to post or request to be posted the minutes to the organization’s website upon approval; to maintain a database of the names and addresses, including email where available, of all members; to conduct correspondence on behalf of the Organization when requested by the Board. 
Treasurer:  To collect and disburse dues and other revenues, and to handle all official finances of the Organization; to conduct all banking business including but not limited to deposits, CDs, and statement reconciliation; to write checks and maintain substantiating records as requested by Board; to convey dues payment information to secretary. 
ARTICLE VI MEETINGS 
Section1.   This Organization shall conduct monthly meetings, except in July, August and December, on the second Tuesday of the month. 
Section 2. A special meeting may be held as directed by the President, provided the membership is notified by mail or email (with the business to be transacted stated.)  
ARTICLE VII DUES 
The annual dues shall be determined by the Board of Directors and updated as needed. 
ARTICLE VIII FUNDS 
Section 1.  The Treasurer, who shall be responsible therefore, shall maintain adequate books of account. The fiscal year of this Organization shall begin January 1 of each year and end on December 31 of the same year. 
Section 2.  All CDs shall have the signatures of both the Treasurer and the President; the Treasurer and/or the President shall sign all checks. 
Section 3.  Funds shall be expended in accordance with the object if the Organization and upon approval of the Board. 
Section 4.  The Board may appoint an auditor, not an officer, to audit the Treasurer’s books within ninety days of end of each fiscal year. 
Section 5.  This Organization shall be authorized to accept funds from any individual, association or corporation to be used for any purpose consistent with this Constitution. 
Section 6.  No part of the net earnings of this Organization shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributable to its members, trustees, officers, or other private persons, except that the Organization shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the purposes set forth in this Constitution. No substantial part of the activities of the Organization shall be the carrying on of propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation, and the corporation shall not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distribution of statements) any political campaign on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate for public office. Notwithstanding any other provision of these articles, the Organization shall not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried on (a) by an organization exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or the corresponding section of any future federal tax code, or (b) by an organization, contributions to which are deductible under section 170(c)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code, or the corresponding section of any future federal tax code. 
ARTICLE IX DISSOLUTION
Upon the dissolution of the organization, assets shall be distributed for one or more exempt purposes within the meaning of section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or the corresponding section of any future federal tax code, or shall be distributed to the federal government, or to a state or local government, for a public purpose. Any such assets not so disposed of shall be disposed of by a Court of Competent Jurisdiction of the county in which the principal office of the organization is then located, exclusively for such purposes or to such organization or organizations, as said Court shall determine, which are organized and operated exclusively for such purposes. 
ARTICLE X AMENDMENTS 
The By-Laws may be amended at any regular meeting of the Organization by two-thirds of the voting members, provided that notice of the proposed amendment shall have been given to all members prior to said meeting.   
ARTICLE XI PARLIMENTARY AUTHORITY All meetings shall be conducted according to Roberts Rules of Order(Revised) except when in conflict with these by-laws or with the laws of the State of Texas.

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