Virginia Independent College and University Library Association

(Last revised April 24, 2023)

Article I. Name

The official name of the organization is Virginia Independent College and University Library Association, and it may be referred to as VICULA.

Article II. Mission

VICULA provides an organization for library directors and selected library representatives from independent colleges and universities in Virginia to:

1. discuss issues of common concern to these libraries, and
2. pursue projects of mutual benefit, including, but not limited to, the following:
   • grant proposals for cooperative endeavors,
   • resource sharing,
   • negotiation of group discounts for materials and services,
   • representation of members’ interests to state, regional, and national organizations.

Article III. Membership, Voting, and Membership Fees

Membership in the Association is limited to the libraries of the accredited (by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools), not-for-profit, independent colleges and universities in the Commonwealth of Virginia, as represented by their library directors. This includes private, non-profit institutions of higher education who have participated from the inception of VIVA. 

Only libraries of pooled-fund eligible institutions may vote on VICULA financial matters related to VIVA resources, and will be entitled to one vote, cast by the library director or the director’s designated representative. Pooled-fund, eligible institutions are defined by the State Council of Higher Education in Virginia (SCHEV) as those approved to participate in VIVA.

Each library will be entitled to one vote in non-financial matters concerning VICULA, cast by the library director or the director’s designated representative. These by-laws do not include having a membership fee.

Article IV. Officers

All officers of VICULA are members of the Association’s Executive Committee Officers include:

• Chair (Convener): chairs the meetings of VICULA and the meetings of its Executive Committee, announces upcoming meetings, confirms local arrangements with the hosting library, and compiles the agenda for each meeting. The chair also represents VICULA on the Virtual Library of Virginia (VIVA) Steering Committee and the Library Advisory Committee (LAC) to the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV).
• Information Officer: records minutes of meetings and distributes same to members within one month after the meeting, maintains an up-to-date directory of member libraries, maintains the VICULA Directors’ Listserv, and assumes the role of Chair when the latter is absent or otherwise unable to serve at a meeting of VICULA or at a meeting of its Executive Committee.
• Ex-Officio Officers: the elected VICULA representatives to the VIVA Steering Committee and the Library Advisory Committee (LAC) to the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) are ex-officio officers. (See Article X.) Additionally, any VICULA director serving as chair of a standing VIVA committee (Collections, Outreach and Resource Sharing) will also be recognized as an ex-officio officer of VICULA.

Only representatives of pooled-fund, eligible institutions are eligible to hold office. Officers of the Association are elected to staggered terms via a secret ballot at the spring meeting. The term of service is for three years beginning on July 1 of that year. No one may be elected to the same office for more than two consecutive three-year terms. As the terms of the Chair and the Information Officer end, the Nominating Committee will present nominees for election at the spring meeting (See Article VII). The membership may make nominations from the floor at the spring meeting or on the Association’s listserv at least one week or more before that meeting. A nominator must secure the consent of the nominee. The Chair will notify those elected as soon as possible after the election.

Article V. Meetings

Regular meetings of the Association take place once in the spring and once in the fall each year. The Chair will ask library directors to volunteer to be hosts to upcoming meetings as needed. The Executive Committee may call other meetings. A quorum sufficient for official actions consists of a simple majority of the libraries having an official representative present.

Article VI. Executive Committee

The Executive Committee consists of the elected officers. The membership authorizes the committee to coordinate the business of the group, maintain its professional integrity in internal and external relationships, and offer advice and direction to the Chair concerning the financial affairs of VICULA. The Chair calls the meetings of the Executive Committee as needed. An email poll resulting in a majority vote of the full membership is required to alter consortial commitments.

Article VII. Standing Committees and Ad Hoc Committees

Either a written petition representing a simple majority of the membership or an Executive Committee decision serves to recommend creation or dissolution of Standing Committees. A simple majority vote of the membership present at any regular meeting is sufficient to approve the formation or dissolution of a standing committee. Standing Committees include:

• THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE: - See Article VI above.
• THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE: In fall of years when elections are required for Chair or Information Officer, the Chair appoints two library directors, not currently serving as Association officers, to join the Past Chair, who serves as the committee’s chair, on the Nominating Committee. The Nominating Committee will present nominees for VICULA Chair or Information Officer at the spring meeting. In the case that a Past Chair is unable to serve as chair of the Nominating Committee, a chair will be appointed by the Executive Committee to serve out the remaining term.

Either a decision of the Executive Committee or a petition (in writing or at a meeting) of a simple majority of the membership may serve to create or dissolve Ad Hoc Committees. At the time of creation, the Executive Committee or the Association must define in writing the committee’s schedule and responsibilities in response to specific charges or needs of the Association.

Article VIII. Amendments

A two-thirds majority vote of those present at any regular meeting of the group may serve to amend these by-laws of VICULA if the Chair submits the amendments in writing to the membership at least two weeks before that meeting. Following a positive vote at the meeting, amendments to the bylaws take immediate effect.

Article IX. Parliamentary Procedures

The parliamentary procedures stated in Sturgis, THE STANDARD CODE OF PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURES will be observed in meetings.

Article X. Representation in Other Groups

As deemed appropriate, VICULA may elect one or more representatives to other groups. Only individuals from libraries at pooled-fund eligible institutions may serve as representatives to VIVA/SCHEV groups.

Three representatives from VICULA serve on the Library Advisory Committee (LAC) to the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV). One of these representatives is always the VICULA Chair. The other two representatives will be elected at the spring meeting to staggered three-year terms.

Two representatives from VICULA serve on the VIVA Steering Committee. One of these representatives is always the VICULA chair, and the other representative is elected at the spring meeting for a three-year term. The terms for the Chair and the other representative to the VIVA Steering Committee will be staggered.

Elected representatives to the VIVA Steering Committee and the SCHEV LAC are VICULA ex-officio officers and serve on the Executive Committee (see Article VI).

When representatives’ terms expire, the membership will make nominations from the floor at the spring meeting, or on the Association’s listserv at least one week or more before that meeting. A nominator must secure the consent of the nominee. Representatives will be elected by majority vote at the spring meeting. Appointment and terms of service are stipulated at the time of the election. If a vacancy occurs during the term of an elected representative, a representative will be appointed to complete the term by the Executive Committee, after obtaining the consent of the appointee.

VICULA representatives to other groups shall report information to the members of VICULA at its meetings or via the group’s listserv.