Nominating Committee Manual

Table of Contents

• Appointment of the Nominating Committee
• Responsibilities of the Nominating Committee
• Board of Trustee Nominations
  Nominee Requirements
• OCLC Members Council Delegate Nominations
  Nominee Requirements
• Duties of the Nominating Committee Chair
• Guidance for Nominating Committees
• Timetable for Elections
• Appendix

Appointment of the Nominating Committee

A Nominating Committee is appointed by the BCR Board president and approved by the Board of Trustees in the final quarterly meeting of the calendar year to serve during the next calendar year. The membership of this committee consists of one Board member, who chairs the committee, and non-Board members from four member states assigned alphabetically on a rotating basis. This committee shall solicit the names of candidates and develop a slate of qualified nominees for each vacancy for both the OCLC Members Council delegate election and the Board of Trustees election.

Committee members must be employees of BCR member libraries. The term of office for committee members is one year, but usually ends with submission of the final slates to the Board of Trustees in February.

Responsibilities of the Nominating Committee

The sole task of the Nominating Committee is to prepare slates of nominees for the elections to the following year's BCR Board of Trustees and OCLC Members Council delegation. This committee shall solicit the names of candidates and develop a slate of qualified nominees for each Board and delegate vacancy.

The chair of the Nominating Committee will be notified of any vacancies for which nominations are needed. Vacancies occur when a term of office expires or when any incumbent cannot complete a term of office.

The Nominating Committee will receive access to lists of BCR OCLC libraries and BCR voting member libraries and their designated voters from BCR staff. These lists provide the names of some potential candidates, but the committee may choose to consider any qualified staff member from the voting member libraries.

The committee will determine which candidates are qualified and select nominees for each vacancy, assuring as broad a representation as possible of different types and sizes of membership and geographical distribution.

The committee will assemble the final slate of nominees for the upcoming elections and present them to the BCR Board. The final slate for the Board, preferably including at least two nominees for each position to be filled, and the final slate for the OCLC delegate position, including three nominees, will be submitted to the Board at its first meeting in the calendar year, after which the Nominating Committee will disband.

Board of Trustee Nominations

Members of any BCR voting library may informally suggest names of candidates for trustee positions. The Nominating Committee may solicit candidates to vie for nomination to the Board of Trustee vacancies. Write-in candidates may be nominated for trustee positions by a petition signed by 10 BCR members and submitted to the chair of the Nominating Committee. A vita and position statement from each candidate shall be submitted in order for the individual to be considered for nomination.

Individuals are contacted to determine their eligibility and willingness to be nominated. Alternate candidates should also be identified in case of a refusal. The committee shall refer candidates for Board positions to the “BCR Board of Trustees: Duties and Responsibilities,” available on both the BCR website and the Board website.

Nominee Requirements: Board of Trustees Positions

The Nominating Committee shall determine whether a candidate is qualified to be nominated after reading each candidate’s vita and position statement. Candidates qualified to be considered for nomination are those who:

• Have significant interest in BCR and its activities
• Agree to make attendance at BCR Board meetings a priority and to attend all meetings if at all possible
• Have experience with financial oversight for a significant budget
• Have experience with making policy level decisions
• Have experience with a Board of Trustees or understand the role of a governing Board
• Have skills in needed subject areas, as determined by the BCR Board of Trustees before nominations are solicited.

Any nominee for elected position must:

• Be willing to serve
• Be willing to focus on making BCR a successful organization
• Be willing to accept fiduciary responsibility for BCR
• Be employed at a BCR Member Library throughout the duration of the term of office. A member library is either an institution that has contract(s) with BCR for ongoing service(s) or is located in a state that has paid a state membership fee.

OCLC Members Council Delegate Nominations

Procedures for OCLC Members Council delegate elections adhere to rules set by OCLC Members Council.  For the delegate election, the voting representatives from BCR OCLC libraries shall submit formal nomination petitions to the Nominating Committee for the committee’s consideration. A vita and position statement from the candidate shall be submitted with the petition in order to be considered for nomination.

Individuals are contacted to determine their eligibility and willingness to be nominated. Alternate candidates should also be identified in case of a refusal. The committee shall refer candidates for the BCR OCLC Members Council delegate position to the Board Policy “Delegates to OCLC Members Council” and to “Members Council Guidelines,” both available on the BCR and Board Web sites.

Nominee Requirements: OCLC Members Council Delegate Positions
The Nominating Committee shall determine whether a candidate is qualified to be nominated after reading each candidate’s vita and position statement. Candidates qualified to be considered for nomination are those who have:

• Understanding of OCLC’s mission and vision
• Experience in leadership in member institutions, U.S. regional networks, OCLC service center or library and information organizations.
• Demonstrated personal or institutional vision for the future of libraries and information.
• Demonstrated understanding of current developments in all types of libraries
• Experience in leading teams and processes in library and information settings.
• Advanced analysis and critical thinking and planning skills.
• Strong communication skills and collaboration experience with a range of colleagues to include international delegates.

Any nominee for elected positions must:

• Be willing to serve and to represent BCR OCLC libraries.
• Be employed by a BCR OCLC member library throughout their term of office.
• Be employed at an OCLC Governing Member Library that receives its OCLC services through BCR primarily in one of the member states of Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Nevada, Utah or Wyoming. (See description of OCLC membership levels.)

Duties of the Nominating Committee Chair

The committee chair will:

• Assemble a committee based on the current state rotation.
• Notify committee members of all meeting times and places.
• Preside at all meetings of the committee.
• Monitor all committee correspondence among members.
• Assure that all candidates have been contacted to determine their eligibility; invite their candidacy; and obtain their consent to be nominated.
• Submit the final slate of nominees to the Board of Trustees at its February meeting.
• Required for the OCLC Members Council delegate election only: Forward the Nomination Acceptance Forms (the nominees' signed, written consent to be a candidate) to BCR administration.
• After the elections are over, review and comment on the nominating process and the content of the Nominating Committee Manual.

No Trustee should accept an appointment as chairperson of the Nominating Committee unless he or she is willing to give some time and attention to the work of the committee and be prepared to assist in the committee's work

Guidance for Nominating Committees

• The President should emphasize to the Nominating Committee the importance of having a completed slate with completed Nomination Acceptance Forms before the first Board meeting in the calendar year after the committee's appointment.
• The Nominating Committee preferably selects at least two persons for each trustee office to be filled and three nominees for the OCLC delegate position. Membership lists will be made available for the Committee's consultation.
• A sample of the Nomination Form for the OCLC Members Council delegate election is available in the appendix of this manual.

Timetable for Elections

Appendix

• BCR Bylaws
• BCR Board Members: Duties and Responsibilities
• Board Policy –  Members Council Delegates
• Nomination Form for OCLC Members Council Delegate Candidates
• Responsibilities of BCR OCLC Members Council Delegates
• Form to Change Voting Representative
• Letter Sent to OCLC Libraries in December
• Members Council Delegate Travel Expenses