Constitution

ARTICLE II
The purposes and objectives of the Society are to encourage the production of indexes and abstracts, to promote the employment of indexers and abstracters, to make available information about indexing and abstracting techniques, and to facilitate communication between indexers and abstracters.

ARTICLE III
Membership is open to any person, institution, corporation and service interested in the promotion of the Society's objectives.

ARTICLE IV
The working languages of the Society are English and French. Members may communicate within the Society in whichever official language they desire.

ARTICLE V
The officers of the Society are the President, Vice-President/President-Elect, Treasurer, Membership Secretary, Editor of the Newsletter, Editor of the Register of Indexers Available, and five Directors comprising the following: four regional representatives and one member-at-large, in order to cover all parts of the country. The executive will review regional boundaries annually so they continue to reflect the geographic distribution of the membership.

These officers, together with the immediate Past President, constitute the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee has all the powers of the Society in the intervals between meetings. It meets on the call of its Chairperson, or on the request of any three members of the Committee.

ARTICLE VI
Elections are held every two years. Candidates for the positions on the Executive Committee may be nominated by any member of the Society. If there is more than one candidate for a vacancy, the office will be filled by ballot. The candidate for any given position who receives the largest number of votes is elected to that position.

Each successful candidate assumes office at the Annual Meeting immediately following the election. Term of office is determined according to the Bylaws.

ARTICLE VII
The Annual Meeting is held on a date fixed by the Executive Committee. The Committee will notify each member of the date and place of the meeting, such notices to be sent out at least thirty days prior to the scheduled meeting date.

ARTICLE VIII
Membership fees are assessed as determined by the Bylaws of the Society.

ARTICLE IX
Regional groups may be established according to the Bylaws of the Society and will meet according to the wishes of the members of that group.

Regional groups will report to the appropriate Regional Director.

ARTICLE X
This constitution may be amended by either the affirmative vote of two thirds of the members of the Society in attendance at an Annual Meeting, provided that the proposed amendment is given with the notice of that meeting; or, by the affirmative vote of two thirds of the members of the Society responding to the proposed statement. New Bylaws may be adopted by following the same procedures.

A Bylaw may be amended or repealed by passing a Bylaw to that effect.

Bylaw No. 1
The Society encourages the production of indexes and abstracts through the

1. promotion of an awareness of the importance and utility of indexes and abstracts
   
2. encouragement of publishers to employ experienced indexers and abstracters.

The Society fosters the employment of indexers and abstracters through the

1. production and distribution of the Register of Indexers Available
   
2. promotion of equitable rates of remuneration.

The Society makes available information about indexing and abstracting techniques through

1. the production and distribution of a newsletter
   
2. establishment and maintenance of a website, with appropriate links, and
   
3. provision of a subscription to The Indexer for all members.

The Society facilitates communication between indexers and abstracters through

1. meetings and workshops
   
2. print and electronic publications
   
3. contacts with other associations and organization involved in indexing, abstracting, and related fields.

Bylaw No. 2
The annual membership fee of the Society is established by the Executive Committee subject to the approval of a majority of the members of the Society present at the Annual Meeting. The annual fee is due on either the first of January or the first of July.

Payment of the annual membership fee entitles members to vote on all matters brought before the Society, to hold office and to receive its newsletter.

The annual membership fee will include a subscription to The Indexer, as established at the Annual Meeting.

Bylaw No. 3
A fee will be charged for a member's listing in the Register of Indexers Available, the amount of which will be determined by a majority vote of the Executive. Only those members whose membership fees and listing fees have been paid in full will be eligible to submit a listing for the Register.

Bylaw No. 4
Members of the Executive Committee hold their positions for a term of two years or until their successors are elected. A member may be permitted to serve a third term by a majority of the members present at the Annual meeting.

The members of the Executive Committee may appoint officers to assist in the work of the Society. These officers must be members of the Society and will have no voting privileges in meetings of the Executive Committee. The terms of office will be specified at appointment and will not exceed the term of the Executive Committee which made the appointment.

If a position on the Executive Committee becomes vacant, the other members of the Executive Committee may select a replacement. The replacement will fill the position until the next election.

Bylaw No. 5
If a vote is required, members of the Executive Committee are elected by ballot sent to members of the Society.

The transfer of office takes place immediately following the Annual Meeting at a time agreed upon by the old and new executives.

Bylaw No. 6
The duties of the President will be to

1. act as chief spokesperson for the Society,
   
2. preside over all meetings of the Executive Committee and the Annual Meetings,
   
3. coordinate the activities and supervise and administer the business of the Society on behalf of the Executive Committee.

Bylaw No.7
The duties of the Vice-President/President Elect will be to

1. perform the duties of the President when the President is unable to do so because of absence or incapacity,
   
2. assist the President in coordinating the activities and supervising and administering the business of the Society on behalf of the Executive Committee,
   
3. assume the position of President when the President's term ends, usually at the end of the first term of office.

Bylaw No. 8
The duties of the Membership Secretary will be to

1. maintain all the membership records of the Society, both in print and electronically,
   
2. remind members to renew,
   
3. inform and encourage new members,
   
4. produce and distribute mailing labels as required,
   
5. ensure that only appropriately paid-up members receive publications and a listing in the Register of Indexers Available.

Bylaw No. 9
An International Liaison Officer will be appointed to communicate with other indexing societies on the international level.

The Liaison Officer will be a member of long standing, who is thoroughly versed in the affairs of the Society, and who has a good knowledge of the other indexing societies. He/she will normally be a member who has either been President or a member of the Executive Committee for a number of years, and must be able to attend conferences internationally.

Should the Liaison Officer not hold a position on the Executive Committee, she/he will sit on the Committee as a non-voting member.

The Liaison Officer will

1. represent the Society in official international discussions,
   
2. act as the official means of communication with the other indexing societies,
   
3. attend the designated international conference at least every two years.

Bylaw No. 10
The Treasurer:

1. has custody of the Society's funds and maintains an account (or accounts) in a bank or other financial institution in the name of the Society,
   
2. is authorized to make all payments in the name of the Society. Such payments are to bear the signatures of the Treasurer and another member of the Executive Committee,
   
3. maintains full accounts of receipts and disbursements in the books belonging to the Society,
   
4. submits a written report twice annually, which is published in the newsletter, and also to the Executive Committee at any time and on reasonable notice, should the Committee request it.

Bylaw No. 11
The rules contained in the latest edition of Bourinot's Rules of Order govern all deliberations of the Society provided they are not in conflict with the Constitution, Bylaws, or any special rules of order the Society may adopt.

Bylaw No.12
Society publications promote the Society's purposes and objectives. Consequently, publication policy decisions are made by the Executive Committee.

1. The Editor of the newsletter is responsible for issuing a minimum of three issues per year.
   
2. The Editor of the Register of Indexers Available is responsible for updating and producing the Register once a year, and for submitting the information contained therein to the Webmaster for display on the Society's web site.
   
3. The Web coordinator is responsible for keeping information on the web site current, and establishing and maintaining links to information of value to members and others consulting the site.

Bylaw No. 13
Regional groups are established by agreement of the members within a given region, in coordination with the Executive Committee of the Society. Regional groups report to the Regional Director in their area.

The executive of a regional group is established in a manner approved by the members of that regional group. The executive of a regional group is not governed by the regulations established for the Executive Committee in the Constitution and Bylaws of the Society.

The Regional Director of each regional group undertakes to report on regional group activities, at least once a year, to the Executive Committee of the Society.