March 24, 2005

Library Citizens Advisory Committee Bylaws
City and County of San Francisco

Article I Name, Purpose and Reporting Requirements

Section 1. Name

The name of this organization shall be the Library Citizens Advisory Committee (LCAC).

Section 2. Purpose

This LCAC has been established by Article XXV, Section 5.250 of the San Francisco Administrative Code, to publicly discuss and make recommendations to the Board of Supervisors regarding: the expenditure of San Francisco Public Library (SFPL) bond monies; the implementation and prioritization of SFPL plans and programs; and the efficiency and scope of SFPL operations and services to the public.

Section 3. Reporting Requirements

The LCAC shall take minutes of its regular and special meetings and shall submit copies of approved minutes to the Board of Supervisors on a quarterly basis. Where the LCAC identifies areas that it concludes may require changes or improvements, the LCAC shall recommend appropriate action to be taken by the Board of Supervisors. The LCAC shall submit to the Board of Supervisors and to the Library Commission a written report, by June 30 of each year, summarizing its findings and recommendations (San Francisco Administrative Code Article XXV, Section 5.250).

Article II. Membership and Officers

Section 1. Membership

The LCAC consists of 17 voting members. Each member of the Board of Supervisors shall appoint a member to the LCAC. The Board of Supervisors as a whole, through appointments recommended by the Rules Committee, shall appoint three members to the LCAC: one appointee shall be representative of senior citizens, one appointee shall be an English second language speaker, and one appointee shall be representative of children and youth and shall be between the age of thirteen and twenty-three at the time of appointment. The City Librarian shall appoint three members to the LCAC: one appointee shall represent the interests of the San Francisco Unified School District and/or public education in San Francisco, one appointee shall represent the interests of technology and/or user privacy, and one appointee shall represent the interests of the disabled community. All appointees must reside in San Francisco, use the facilities of SFPL and be SFPL cardholders in good standing. Appointments to the LCAC by the Board of Supervisors shall not consist of fulltime SFPL employees, members of the SFPL Commission or of the Council of Neighborhood Libraries or any other advisory body created by the Commission or City Librarian (San Francisco Administrative Code Article XXV, Section 5.250).

Section 2. Officers

The Officers of this LCAC shall be a Chair, a Vice Chair and a Secretary. All officers shall be members of the LCAC.

Section 2. Terms of Office

The Officers shall hold offices for one year and until their successors are elected.

Section 3. Election of Officers

The Officers shall be elected for the first time after adoption of these Bylaws and subsequently on an annual basis at the first regular meeting of the LCAC held on or before July 1 of each year, or at a subsequent meeting, the date of which shall be fixed by the LCAC at the first regular meeting on or after July 1 of each year. If any LCAC office becomes vacant, that office shall be filled at the first meeting after the vacancy occurs.

Article III Duties of Officers

Section 1. Duties of the Chair

The Chair shall preside at all meetings of the LCAC. The Chair, working with members of the LCAC and the staff, shall oversee the preparation and distribution of the agenda for the LCAC meetings. The Chair shall appoint all Committees and their chairs and shall perform all other duties as prescribed by the LCAC or by the Bylaws which are necessary or incident to the office. The Chair shall encourage LCAC members to participate on committees and shall ensure broad and diverse representation of the LCAC members on all committees.

The Chair shall be accountable to the LCAC as a whole in setting policy. The Chair or his/her designee shall serve as liaison to the Board of Supervisors (BOS), the SFPL and other city agencies, boards and commissions.

Section 2. Duties of the Vice Chair

In the event of the absence, or inability of the Chair to act, the Vice Chair shall preside at the meetings and perform the duties of the Chair. In the event of the absence of the Chair, the Vice Chair, and the Secretary, the remaining LCAC members shall appoint one of the members to act temporarily as Chair.

Section 3. Duties of the Secretary

The Secretary shall coordinate the taking of minutes and the recording of all meetings of this organization. Because the LCAC has no professional staff assigned to it, the Secretary shall depend on other members of the LCAC to assist in completing these tasks within the requirements of the San Francisco Sunshine ordinance.

Article IV Meetings

Section 1. Regular Meetings

Regular meeting times of the LCAC shall be established; the LCAC shall meet at San Francisco City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Room 278, San Francisco, California.

Section 2. Special Meetings

The Chair, or a majority of the members of the LCAC, may call special meetings.

Section 3. Notice of Meetings

The agendas of all regular meetings and notices and agendas of all special meetings shall be posted on the BOS and SFPL websites, and at the San Francisco Main Library, Government Information Center. Agendas and notices shall be distributed to each LCAC member and any person who files a written request for such notice with the LCAC.

Section 4. Cancellation of Meetings

The Chair may cancel a meeting if she or he is informed that a quorum of the body will not be present or if the meeting date conflicts with a holiday or other responsibilities of the LCAC members. Notices of cancellation shall be posted on the BOS and SFPL web sites, and the San Francisco Main Library, Government Information Center. If time permits, notices of meeting cancellations shall be sent to all members of the public who have requested, in writing, to receive notices and agendas of LCAC meetings.

Section 5. Conduct of Meetings

(a) All LCAC meetings shall be conducted in compliance with all applicable laws, including but not limited to the Ralph M. Brown Act (Government Code Section 54950 et. seq.), the San Francisco Sunshine Ordinance (San Francisco Administrative Code, Chapter 67) and the LCAC's Bylaws. Meetings shall be governed by Robert's Rules of Order, 10th edition, unless otherwise stated in our rules.

(b) Subject to the availability of funds, the LCAC shall comply with the provisions of the Sunshine Ordinance (Chapter 67 of the San Francisco Administrative Code) that apply to Charter boards and commissions.

(c) When a member of the LCAC desires to speak, she or he shall seek recognition by addressing the Chair, and when recognized, shall proceed to speak. The member shall confine her or his comments or remarks to the question before the LCAC.

(d) Cell phones and pagers shall be turned off during meetings of the LCAC. The Chair may issue a warning to any meeting participant or attendee whose pager or cell phone disrupts the meeting. In the event of repeated disruptions caused by pagers and cell phones, the Chair shall direct the offending attendee to leave the meeting.

Section 6. Setting Agendas

After consulting with the LCAC, the Chair or his/her designee shall create agendas and minutes for posting. The agenda for all regular meetings shall contain an item during which LCAC members may propose agenda items for the LCAC to consider at future meetings.

Section 7. Action at a Meeting; Quorum and Required Vote

The presence of a majority of the members (nine members) of the LCAC shall constitute a quorum for all purposes. The affirmative vote of a majority of the members shall be required for the approval of all matters. Procedural motions require an affirmative vote of a majority of the members present. If a quorum is not present, no official action may be taken, except roll call and adjournment.

At a standing or ad hoc committee meeting if a quorum of members is not present, the committee chair may appoint an LCAC member who is not a regular member of that committee but is present at the meeting to serve on the committee for the duration of the meeting to achieve a quorum.

Section 8. Voting and Abstention

LCAC members must be present to vote and participate. Teleconference participation is not permitted. Each member present at a LCAC meeting shall vote "Yes" or "No" when a question is put, unless the member is excused from voting on a matter by a motion adopted by a majority of the members present, or the member has a conflict of interest that legally precludes participation in the discussion and vote.

The LCAC shall take action on items on the agenda by roll call, voice vote or by show of hands. The minutes shall reflect how each member voted on each roll call vote.

Section 9. Order of Business

The general order of business at LCAC meetings shall be:

1. Call to order
2. Roll call
3. Approval of meeting minutes
4. Public comment on non agenda items
5. Report of the Chair
6. Report of the SFPL
7. Report of the Standing Committees
8. Action Items
9. Future Agenda Items and member comments
10. Adjournment

The order of items on the agenda may be changed by action of the Chair at any meeting.

Section 10. Public Comment

The LCAC and all committees shall hold meetings open to the public in full compliance with state and local laws. The LCAC encourages the participation of all interested persons. Members of the public may address the LCAC on any matter within the jurisdiction of the organization for up to three minutes during public comment. The Chair may limit the time permitted for public comment consistent with state and local laws.

Article V Library Citizens Advisory Committee Records

Section 1. Minutes

Minutes shall be taken at every regular and special LCAC meeting and shall comply with the provisions of the San Francisco Sunshine Ordinance, including the provisions that apply to Charter boards and commissions. (San Francisco Administrative Code, Chapter 67.16) Minutes shall be approved by the majority vote of the LCAC or sub-committee.

Section 2. Public Review File

The LCAC shall maintain a public review file of LCAC minutes in compliance with the San Francisco Sunshine Ordinance. (San Francisco Administrative Code, Section 67.23.)

Section 3. Records Retention Policy

The LCAC shall prepare, maintain and adopt a records retention and destruction policy as provided in Section 8.3 of the San Francisco Administrative Code.

Section 4. Tape Recordings

The LCAC shall audio record all regular and special meetings. The audio recordings shall be maintained in accordance with the San Francisco Sunshine Ordinance. (San Francisco Administrative Code, Section 67.14(b).)

Article VI Committees

Section 1. Standing Committees

Upon approval by a majority of the members of the LCAC, the organization may form standing committees to advise the group on its on-going functions. The standing committees shall be composed of members of the organization. The Chair of the LCAC shall name the Chair and members of each committee. The Chair of the LCAC shall encourage members to participate on committees and shall seek broad and diverse representation of LCAC members on all committees.

The LCAC shall establish the following standing committees: Rules, SFPL Capital Projects and SFPL Operations, Programs and Services.

Section 2. Special or Ad Hoc Committees

Upon approval by a majority of the members of the LCAC, the organization may form special or ad hoc committees. Special committees shall be formed for a specific purpose and cease to exist after completion of a designated task. Special committees shall be composed of members of the LCAC.

Article VII Attendance

Members of the LCAC shall notify the Chair if she or he is unable to attend a regular or special meeting. If a member of the LCAC misses more than three regular meetings in any twelve-month period of time, the LCAC may notify the Board of Supervisors or the City Librarian for members appointed by the City Librarian and request that action be taken to replace that member. The Chair or the Secretary shall notify any member who misses two meetings in any twelve month period of time that if the third absence occurs, the LCAC may notify the Board of Supervisors or the City Librarian of the member's lack of attendance.

Article VIII Adoption and Amendment of Bylaws

Section 1. Adoption

Adoption of the Bylaws shall be by the affirmative vote of the majority of the LCAC members present at an official meeting.

Section 2. Amendments

Amendments of the Bylaws shall be by a simple majority of the members of the LCAC after presentation of the proposed amendments as an agenda item at a meeting of the LCAC. The LCAC shall give ten days notice before considering any amendments to its Bylaws.

Adopted: March 23, 2005

Amended: