HARRINGTON LIBRARY CONSORTIUM
ARTICLE I. The name of this organization shall be the Harrington Library Consortium, hereinafter known as HLC.
ARTICLE II. The purpose of HLC shall be to promote multitype library cooperation among its licensed members.
ARTICLE III.
Section 1. Charter membership shall be limited to the members listed below:
a. Amarillo Junior College District
b. City, of Amarillo, Texas
Section 2. HLC services may be made available to other institutions on a schedule determined by HLC Council.
ARTICLE IV.
Section 1. Annual operational costs shall be shared by the licensed members through the application of a cost sharing formula.
Section 2. The cost sharing formula shall be set and reviewed annually by the Council and adjusted, as necessary.
Section 3. Adjustments to the cost sharing shall be done during the first quarter of each calendar year to ensure that the resulting cost shares are congruent with the use of the system.
Section 4. Each licensed member must pay all monies owed HLC when due as determined by the Council.
ARTICLE V.
Section 1. The HLC shall be governed by a Council to include:
a. The chief administrator responsible for library services for each licensed charter member institution shall represent that member on the Council. If a licensed charter member does not appoint its Library Director as a Council representative, said Library Director shall be available to serve in an advisory capacity to the Council. Each representative may designate an alternate.
b. One representative selected from the Harrington Users Group with voting membership.
c. One representative from the Financial Advisory Committee with voting membership.
d. One lay representative from the community with voting membership.
Section 2.
a. Each Representative shall have one vote.
b. All decisions of the Council shall be by majority vote.
c. Voting shall be via voice, except upon the request of one or more representatives for a secret ballot or email.
Section 3. The chair shall:
a. Be elected from the membership for a two-year term at the first meeting of the fiscal year ending in an even number;
b. Preside at all meetings;
c. Serve as public spokesman for HLC;
d. Be removed from office by majority vote of Council.
Section 4. The vice-chair shall:
a. Be elected from the membership for a two-year term at the first meeting of the fiscal year ending in an even number;
b. Preside in the absence or incapacity of the chair.
c. Be removed from office by a majority vote of Council.
Section 5. A vacancy in the office of the chair shall be filled by the vice-chair who will serve until the end of the normal term of the vacated office. A vacancy of the office of vice-chair shall be filled by special election of the remaining members.
Section 6. The Council shall meet:
a. As decided by Council at regular meetings;
b. On the call of the chair or;
c. At the request of two Council members;
d. To approve all contracts and agreements prior to
signature by the Executive Director
ARTICLE VI. The Executive Director shall:
a. Be a representative appointed by the operating agent;
b. Be responsible for an agenda three business days prior to each regular meeting;
c. Be responsible for minutes of the previous meeting at each regular meeting;
d. Manage the fiscal affairs of HLC as directed by the Council;
e. Solicit, receive, and disburse all monies from licensed members in accordance with operating agent procedures;
f. Coordinate the purchase of HLC equipment and supplies which may be required to provide service of the automated systems as directed by Council;
g. Maintain adequate insurance on all central site equipment and communications devices as authorized by the Council;
h. Execute and administer contracts on behalf of the Council as first authorized and approved by the Council.
ARTICLE VII.
Section 1. Ad Hoc Committees shall:
a. Be appointed at the direction of the Council to serve at the pleasure of the Council;
b. Be instructed as to duties, reporting procedures and schedule of reports at the time of appointment.
Section 2. The Financial Advisory Committee (FAC) shall:
a. Include the chief fiscal officers or alternate of the licensed charter member institutions and a Member ISD; as well as any members at large appointed by the FAC, Operations Group, and the Council;
b. Meet with Council as requested for the purpose of the review and adoption of fiscal policy;
c. Develop a fiscal policy that will include but not be limited to: fee structures, capital replacement, annual budget, long-range planning, and review of financial information in preparation for the annual audit;
d. Recognize the chief fiscal officer of HLC’s fiscal agent as the Chair of the FAC and a voting member of the Council;
e. Review annually its scope of responsibility and recommend revisions to HLC Council as deemed necessary;
f. Assist in developing a long-range financial plan;
g. Review annual budget draft and fees;
h. Review and make recommendations on any request for budget amendments which alter the bottom line of the approved budget;
i. Review the audit report and management letter.
ARTICLE VIII. A budget shall be adopted annually at the first regular Council meeting of each fiscal year.
ARTICLE IX.
Section 1. The fiscal agent for HLC shall be designated by mutual agreement of the Council until terminated by action of the Council or the fiscal agent for due cause and/or failure to comply with terms of the agreement.
Section 2. The fiscal agent shall provide services per interlocal agreement.
Section 3. HLC will use the same auditing firm as the fiscal agent.
ARTICLE X. The operating agent will house and provide per interlocal agreement.
ARTICLE XI. These bylaws may be amended at any regular meeting of the organization by a three-fourths vote of the membership, provided written notice of the proposed revision has been given each member at least ten days in advance.
ARTICLE XII.
Section 1. Any licensed member may withdraw from HLC 365 days Section 1 after written notice of intent to withdraw is delivered to the Council. Any licensed member withdrawing according to these terms shall receive member files at a cost determined by the
Council and paid at the time determined by the Council.
Section 2. HLC may be dissolved at any time upon a majority vote of the Council. Assets shall be disposed of in a manner to be determined by the Council.
ARTICLE XIII. Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised, shall govern this organization in all cases in which they are not inconsistent with these bylaws.
Approved: November 12, 2025
Revised: November 2025