By-Laws

Curtis Memorial Library
By-laws of the Brunswick Public Library Association
Adopted January 16, 1968

Amended February 8, 1977
February 14, 1978
September 10, 1985
September 12, 1989
September 29, 1992
November 19, 1998
November 18, 2004

Article I Name
Sec. 1. This corporation shall be known as the Brunswick Public Library Association.

Article II Membership
Sec. 1. Any person of voting age, having legal residence in Brunswick, is a member of the Association.

Article III Use of the Library
Sec. 1. Subject to such reasonable rules as the Board of Directors may prescribe, any person having legal residence in Brunswick may take circulating materials from the Library free of charge. Persons residing outside of Brunswick but owning or leasing property in Brunswick, or enrolled full time as students in schools in Brunswick shall be considered residents. Other persons or communities may be allowed the same privilege upon the payment of such sums as the Board may fix.
Sec. 2. Any person may use materials within the Library during such hours and under such regulations as the Board may prescribe.

Article IV Board of Directors
Sec. 1. The Board of Directors shall consist of twelve persons elected by the Association, together with the Town Manager of Brunswick, the President of the Friends of the Library and the Administrative Assistant of the Town of Harpswell, all ex officio. The terms of office of the elected members shall be three years, so arranged that the terms of not more than four members expire each year. Individuals who have been elected to the Board for two consecutive terms subsequent to approval of this amendment, shall not be eligible for reelection to the Board until one year after the date of their last service.
Sec. 2. The Board may fill vacancies on the Board to serve until the next annual meeting of the Association.
Sec. 3. Promptly after each annual meeting of the Association, the Board shall organize by electing a President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and any other necessary officers.
Sec. 4. The President, with the approval of the Board, shall annually appoint any and all committees necessary for the proper conduct of the affairs of the Association.
Sec. 5. Regular meetings of the Board shall be held not less than every two months. Special meetings may be called by the President or by any two members of the Board. At all meetings of the Board, a majority of the Board shall constitute a quorum.
Sec. 6. The Board shall have the care, custody, and maintenance of the buildings and grounds of the Captain John Curtis Memorial Library, as provided in the By-laws of the Town of Brunswick. The Board shall also manage the property of the Association, apportion its income, and supervise the operation of the Library, subject to any vote of the Association.
Sec. 7. The Board may require the Treasurer or any other officer to give bond in such amount as shall be satisfactory to them.
Sec. 8. The Treasurer shall have the supervision of the collection, holding and disbursement of all funds of the Association. He shall cause to be kept full and accurate records showing the accounts, liabilities and financial condition of the Association.
The Treasurer, while having the general supervision of Association finances, shall give particular attention to the invested trust funds, the real estate account and the filing of government reports.
The Treasurer shall make a full report of the financial condition of the Association at the Annual Meeting. The accounts of the Association shall be available to the Board at all times and they will order an annual audit.

Article V The Director
Sec. 1. The Board shall appoint a Director and an Associate Director for indefinite terms. The Director shall appoint the other staff members. The Board may remove the Director or Associate Director from office for cause.
Sec. 2. The Director shall be the officer in charge of the administration of the Library in accordance with the policies established by the Board. The Director shall attend all full and committee meetings of the Board except those at which the Director's appointment or salary is to be discussed and shall recommend to the Board such policies and procedures as will promote the general efficiency of the Library. Regulations for the routine conduct of the Library may be made by the Director, subject to the approval of the Board.
The Director shall prepare an annual budget.
The Director shall supervise deposits of income, the payment of bills and the maintenance of a balanced checking account. The Director will also assure the prompt and accurate execution of the payroll and the payment of payroll taxes.

Article VI Meetings
Sec. 1. The Annual Meeting of the Association shall be held in the Fall.
Sec. 2. All meetings of the Association will be called by the Board through the issuance of a public notice at least ten days prior to the meeting. Specified articles shall be inserted in the notice upon written application of five members of the Association.
Sec. 3. A quorum at any meeting of the Association shall consist of the members present.

Article VII By-law Amendments
Sec. 1. These By-laws may be amended at any legal meeting of the Association by a two-thirds vote of the members present, provided an article proposing the amendment is included in the notice for the meeting.

Article VIII Indemnification
Sec. 1. The corporation shall have the power to indemnify and, without formal action by board members or other persons, shall indemnify any person, whether officer, board member, employee, agent or other person acting for or on behalf of the corporation, in respect to any and all matters or actions for which indemnification is permitted by the laws of the State of Maine, including without limitation, liability for expenses incurred in any threatened, pending, or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative. The corporation may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a board member, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as board member, director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against any liability asserted against such person and incurred by such person in any of the above-stated capacities, or arising out of his or her status as such, whether or not the corporation would have the power to indemnify such person.