TANZANIA LIBRARY

AND INFORMATION
ASSOCIATION

CONSTITUTION

2005
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 CONTENTS

Article 1: Name and Interpretation ……. 4

Article II: Objectives …………………... 6
Article III: Functions ………………….... 7
Article IV: Membership ………………… 8
Article V: Organisation and
Management ………………..13
Article VI: Duties of the Governing
Council ……………………..19
Article VII: Committees …………………20
Article VIII: Elections ……………………22
Article IX: Funds and Properties ……….23
Article X: Publications, Research and
Development ………………..25
Article XI: Code of Ethics ……………...26
Article XII: Rules Regulations …………..26
Article XIII: Amendment to the
Constitution ………………..28

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Article 1: NAME AND INTERPRETATION

1. Name
The Association shall be known as the
Tanzania Library and Information
Association, designated by the acronym
“TLA”

2. Interpretation
In this constitution, unless the context
requires so:

“Association” means the Tanzania

Library and Information Association
mentioned under article 1.

“Constitution” means this constitution of

the Tanzania Library and Information
Association.

“Governing Council” means the duly

elected Council of the Association for the
time being, to manage the affairs of the
Association.
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“Member” means individuals or
corporations stipulated under article IV of
this constitution.

Executive Committee: means the body

formed under article VC of this
constitution.

“Regulations” means regulations of the

constitution made under article XII of this
constitution.

“Code of Ethics” means the code made

under article XI of this constitution.

In this constitution words importing the

masculine gender only shall include the
feminine; words importing the singular
number shall include the plural number’
and words importing persons shall
include corporations.

This constitution is applicable in

Tanzania.
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Article II - OBJECTIVES

The main objectives of the Association shall

be:
1. To unite all persons working in libraries or
interested in library development in
Tanzania
2. To enhance cooperation in the provision of
library services among member
institutions.
3. To represent and act as the professional
body for persons working in or interested
in library and information services.
4. To scrutinize any legislation affecting the
provision of library and information
services and to promote such further
legislation as may be considered necessary
to this end.
5. To promote and encourage the
maintenance of adequate and appropriate
provision of library and information
services of various kinds throughout
Mainland Tanzania.

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6. To improve the standards of library
services and enhance the conduct and
status of library personnel.
7. To promote the establishment and
development of libraries in Tanzania.
8. To encourage and facilitate the study and
research in library and information
management.

Article III: FUNCTIONS

In pursuance of the objectives mentioned under

article II Objectives, TLA shall have the
following functions:
1. To play an advisory role to the
Government and private organisations in
matters affecting quality in establishing
and managing libraries and information
services.
2. To organise meetings, seminars,
workshops, conferences and run courses
so as to impart new knowledge and skills.
3. To collect, collate and publish journal,
bulletins, newsletter, etc to inform
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 members and promote the objectives of the
Association.
4. To compile, keep and regularly update
information pertaining to each member.
5. To collaborate with national and
international associations and institutions
interested in the development of libraries
and the information industry.
6. To devise means to raise funds either
through fees, subscriptions, soliciting
grants and donations or economic
ventures.
7. To perform and/or do anything lawful of
interest to members and the association.
8. To develop, maintain and enforce a code
of conduct for its members.

Article IV: MEMBERSHIP

All persons dealing or engaged in the art of

library and information work or any related
field thereof shall be eligible for membership.
The membership of the Association shall be
classified as follows:
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1. Chartered Member
Chartered members shall comprise
trained library personnel qualified to
practice as librarians as defined by the
United Nations Education, Scientific and
Cultural Organization:

(a) Librarian
A librarian shall have a minimum
qualification of a Bachelors Degree
in library and information
studies/science or its equivalent

(b) Professional Librarian

A professional librarian shall have a
minimum of a bachelors degree
in/with library and information
studies and more than three years
library work experience.

(c) Fellow

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 A Fellow of the Association shall be
professional librarian with a
minimum of a Masters degree and
more than seven years library work
experience. Fellowship shall be
offered upon passing an interview
conducted by a panel of five fellows
appointed by the Association.

2. Ordinary Member
This category shall comprise library
assistants, other library personnel and any
interested party.

Non-Tanzanians (individual and corporate

bodies) can only apply for Ordinary
Membership status, and are not allowed to
stand for leadership positions

3. Institutional Member
This category shall comprise libraries of
Government Departments, private and
public bodies, corporate organisations
and other institutions interested in the
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 development of libraries and information
services.

B. Rights and Obligations

1. Members of the Association shall be
bound by the terms of this constitution.
2. Members shall be obliged to actively
contribute towards the success of the
functions laid down.
3. Members shall be obliged to actively
contribute toward the success of the
functions laid down in this constitution.
4. Privileges of membership shall include
the right and equal opportunities to
benefit from the activities of the
Association.
5. Members shall enjoy equally the right to
speak and vote at all meetings.
6. Chartered members only shall be eligible
to become office bearers and members of
any committee established under this
constitution.

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C. Loss of Membership
Membership to the Association shall
cease upon occurrence of the following:
1. Failure to pay subscription by the
end of February of the year it is due.
2. Resignation from the Association.
3. Permanent mental infirmity.
4. Loss of corporate personality.
5. Dismissal arising from activities
considered prejudicial to the
interest of the Association and upon
the approval of the General
Meeting.

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Article V: ORGANISATION AND
MANAGEMENT

The Association shall be managed by the

following principal officers and organs:-

A. Patron
1. There shall be a Patron of the Association
who shall be appointed by the Annual
General Meeting.

2. The Patron shall act as the Guardian of

the Association and shall provide a
backing and surety in procuring
pecuniary and other forms of assistance.

B. Chairperson
1. There should be a Chairperson of the
Association who shall be appointed by
the Annual General Meeting.

2. The Chairperson shall act as Chief

Executive Officer and the Spokesperson
of the Association
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3. The Chairperson shall be chairing the
Executive Committee, Governing
Council, Special and Extra - ordinary and
Annual General Meetings. In the
Chairperson’s absence, the above
mentioned meetings shall be chaired by
the Deputy Chairperson.

C. Governing Council
1. There shall be a Governing Council of the
Association.

2. The Governing Council of the

Association shall be elected in the Annual
General Meeting from among its
members.

3. The Council shall consist of not more

than 10 (ten) elected members and not
more than 3 (three) co-opted members

4. Members of the Council shall serve for a

term of three years. They shall be eligible
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 for re-election but in any case cannot hold
office for more than 2 (two) consecutive
terms.

5. The Council shall meet at least four times a

year. One third (1/3) of the Council
members shall form a quorum for the
Council meetings.

D. Executive Committee
1. There shall be an Executive Committee of
the Association

2. The Executive Committee shall consist of:

(i) Chairperson
(ii) Deputy Chairperson
(iii) Secretary General
(iv) Deputy Secretary General
(v) Secretary of Education,
Professionalism and Ethics
Department
(vi) Secretary of Publications, Research
and Development Department

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 (vii) Secretary of Sectoral Libraries
Department
(viii) Secretary of Planning,
Administration and Finance
Department
(ix) Secretary of Regional Branches
Department

3. Members of the Executive Committee

shall be elected after every three years
and shall be eligible for re-election.

4. The Governing Council shall have power

to co-opt other members, appoint sub-
committees, establish programmes and
fill any vacancy in the committee.

5. A simple majority of the Executive

Committee members present at a meeting
shall form a quorum to enable the
meeting to proceed.

6. The Executive Committee shall meet

every month.
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 E. Annual General Meeting
1. The final authority of the Association
shall vest in the Annual General Meeting.

2. The Annual General Meeting shall be

held during the month of February each
year. The Secretary General shall give a
one-month notice of the meeting.

3. The business of the Annual General

Meeting shall be conducted in the
following order:
i) Adopting minutes of the previous
Annual General Meeting
ii) Matters arising from the minutes
iii) Chairperson Annual Report
iv) Financial Annual Report
v) Matters raised by Committees
vi) Any other business
4. If the Annual General Meeting is taking
place at the time of the general elections,
office-bearers shall be elected soon after
the presentation of the financial report.
The out-going office-bearers shall vacate
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 office soon after the declaration of
election results.

5. At the Annual General Meeting only paid

up chartered members shall have the right
to vote and eligible to become office-
bearers.

F. Special General Meetings

1. The Secretary General, in consultation

with the Chairperson, shall have the
discretion to call Special General
Meetings whenever deemed necessary.
They shall have to give a two weeks
notice before holding the meeting.

2. Any member of the Association has the

right to call for a Special General Meeting
through the Executive Committee
provided that the member attains 5
signatories of paid up members of the
Association

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3. The purpose of the Special General
Meeting shall be stated on the Agenda
and no other matters shall be discussed.

G. Branches of the Association

1. The Association may open branches
whenever and wherever desired and the
branches shall be required to perform any
functions conferred upon them, or to act
as agents of the Association in respect of
any functions conferred on the
Association under the constitution.

2. Except for the performance of the day-to-

day activities or when authorized by the
Headquarters, no branch shall issue any
statement either verbally or in writing on
behalf of the Association.

3. Branches shall have powers to:

(a) Conduct their own meetings
according to the constitution and
regulations.
(b) Collect their own funds.
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 (c) Carryout any other activities that
shall help further the aims and
objectives of the Association.

4. Branches shall help finance the activities

of the Association and shall submit a
certain agreed proportion of each
member’s subscription to the
Headquarters.

Article VI: DUTIES OF THE GOVERNING

COUNCIL

A. Governing Council
The Governing Council shall be charged with
the following functions:

1. Carryout faithfully the objectives and

functions of the Association.
2. Act as an advisory organ of the Council
and the Annual General Meeting.
3. Advising on proper management of
funds and properties of the Association

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4. Prepare or cause to be prepared annual
accounts for presentation before the
Annual General Meeting.
5. Carryout the decisions/deliberations of
the Annual General Meeting.
6. Establish programmes appropriate to
further the aims and objectives of the
Association.
7. Hire/recruit any member or other
personnel for the purpose of giving
effect the functions of the Association.
8. Liaise/Consult with members and
committees of the Association on all
important matters due for presentation at
the Annual General Meeting.

Article VII: COMMITTEES

1. The Association shall have the following

Committees on:
a) Education, Professionalism and Ethics
b) Publication, Research and
Development

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 c) Sectoral Libraries and Information
Units
d) Planning, Administration and Finance
e) Regional Branches

2. The powers of these Committees shall be

described by the Rulers and Regulations of
the Association.

3. Members of a Committee shall not exceed

five, including the Chairperson who shall
come from among the Executive
Committee members.

4. The Annual General Meeting, acting on

the advice of its junior bodies, shall
appoint members of the Committees for a
term of three years.

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Article VIII: ELECTIONS

1. General Elections shall take place after

every three years, during the Annual
General Meeting.

2. Four weeks before the date fixed for the

Annual General Meeting, to which
elections are due, the Secretary General
shall invite nominations for office
bearers.

3. Nominations must be countersigned by

the nominees and signed by proposers all
of whom must be paid up members. Form
shall be returned to the Secretary General
within two weeks of the issue of notice
inviting nominations. Nominations can
be sent to the Secretary General by hand
or through postal services and emails.

4. The Annual General Meeting, with

advice from the Governing Council, may

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 nominate office bearers, so long as the
prospective nominees consent.

5. Names of persons nominated for the posts

of the office bearers shall be circulated
before or at the Annual General meeting.

6. The elections shall be conducted by secret

ballot on the General Election day.

7. The Association’s Secretariat shall assist

the Annual General Meeting Committee
in matters relating to the General
Elections.

Article IX: FUNDS AND PROPERTIES

1. The funds and properties of the

Association shall comprise the following:
i) Membership registration fees
ii) Annual subscriptions
iii) Grants and Donations
iv) Proceeds from sales of publications
and other items
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 v) Income derived from economic
ventures
vi) Assets and monies acquired in the
course of business
vii) Any other lawful fund raising
activities

2. The Secretary of Planning, Finance and

Administration Department shall be the
custodian of the Association funds and
properties.

3. The Governing Council shall determine

membership registration and subscription
rates and seek approval of the Annual
General Meeting.

4. Membership subscription shall be paid by

the end of February during the year it is
due.

Article X: PUBLICATIONS, RESEARCH

AND DEVELOPMENT

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1. The Committee on Publications,
Research and Development shall publish
journals, and newsletters and conduct
research on library and information
science as a means of generating
knowledge, exchange ideas and
communicating with members.

2. The Committee on Publications,

Research and Development shall publish
any information relevant to the cause of
the Association and distribute to
members and other interested parties.

3. The Committee on Publications,

Research and Development shall have
powers to charge and determine a price on
any publication as deemed appropriate.

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Article XI: CODE OF ETHICS

1. The Association shall have a Code of

Ethics that shall provide guidance on the
acceptable professional conduct of
members.

2. Members shall abide by the terms and

conditions provided in the Code of
Ethics.

Article XII: RULES REGULATIONS

1. The Annual General Meeting shall have

power to draw up and enforce rules and
regulations regarding the conduct of the
Association and its members.

2. These rules and regulations shall become

binding to all members

3. The Annual General Meeting shall have

power to expand, revise or amend the

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 rules and regulations whenever
necessary.

4. In order to become operative, the rules

and regulations drawn, expanded or
amended shall require the approval of
two-thirds majority of the Annual
General Meeting.

5. The final decision shall be communicated

to all members at the Annual General
Meeting.

6. The same decision shall be

communicated to the Registrar of
Societies.

7. The Annual General Meeting shall be

sole authority for the interpretation of
these rules, regulations and by-laws made
there-under; and the decision of the
Annual General Meeting, upon any
question of interpretation or upon any
matter affecting the Association and not
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 provided for by these rules, regulations
and bye-laws made there-under shall be
final and binding on the members.

Article XIII: AMENDMENT TO THE

CONSTITUTION

1. The Annual General Meeting shall have

the power to amend the constitution of the
Association upon recommendations from
the Council and the Executive
Committee.

2. Any member wishing to have some

sections of the constitution amended shall
communicate such information to the
Annual General Meeting through the
Secretary General.

3. Any question of interpretation of any

clause in this constitution shall be
determined by the Annual General
Meeting and its decision shall be binding
upon members.
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4. All such decisions made under this article
shall require a two third majority of paid
up members present at the meeting.

5. All amendments made to the constitution

shall be communicated to the Registrar of
Societies.

-The End-

Passed by the Annual General Meeting in

Arusha, on 25 February 2005

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