a. The Association shall be known as the International Association of University Libraries (IATUL) e.V.
b. The English language is its official medium of communication.
c. In view of the founding of the association as the ‘International Association of Technical University Libraries’, the 
    official abbreviation of the name of the Association for all purposes and in all languages, shall be IATUL.
d. IATUL is a registered association in the German Central Register of Associations located in Munich. Standards and 
    legal regulations of the German Civil Code apply. 
e. Any proposal for the modification or extension of the present Constitution, whether originating from the Board 
    of Directors or otherwise, must be submitted for the consent of members and must allow a full four weeks for 
    deliberation. Dissent by more than one quarter of the voting membership shall invalidate any such proposal.
f. IATUL is a non-profit-organisation. Its assets shall be used exclusively and directly for tax privileged purposes in 
    accordance with its purpose for the promotion of science and research in the field of library services.
g. No person may benefit from expenditures not related to the purposes of the association, or through 
    inappropriately high allowances. IATUL members shall not, in relation to that membership, receive allowances or 
    additional remuneration from the association.
h. The financial year runs concurrent with the calendar year.

a. The purpose of IATUL is the international promotion of science and research in the field of library services 
    provided by university libraries and other teaching and research institutions.

b. The purpose of the Constitution is realised in particular by
   - the opportunity for library directors and managers to exchange views on relevant developments in library
     services and to develop cooperative approaches to new challenges
  - the promotion of the introduction of cutting-edge technology and information on technology trends and methods
    of information management in order to facilitate the optimisation of library services by its members. 
    This includes in particular initiatives such as
     i.   the development of standards
     ii.  the publication of recommendations
     iii. the organisation of training courses
     iv. the publication of future trends in librarianship

c. To this end, the Association will exercise appropriate powers and implement measures such as
     i.   Representation of interests and professional partnership for its members with regard to business-related 
          topics and promotion of the networking of library services worldwide.
     ii.  Cooperation with international organisations with related mission and interest.
     iii. Regular review and implementation of the strategic plan regular review and implementation of the strategic 
          plan to promote the general objectives of IATUL.
     iv. Compilation of an annual report on its activities to be presented at the Annual General Meeting during the 
          annual conference of the association.

d. IATUL is an altruistic (not-for-profit) organisation and does not primarily pursue its own economic purposes. 
    Funds from IATUL may only be used for constitutionally defined purposes. Members do not receive any 
    contributions from IATUL funds. No person may be benefitted or favoured by expenditures not related to the 
    purpose of IATUL or by disproportionately high remuneration.

a. IATUL membership is institutional, with the respective library director as contact for the institution, or his/her nominee.

b. Ordinary Membership
    Available to libraries of universities offering internal PhD programmes or graduate programmes.

c. Associate Membership
    IATUL also welcomes membership applications from universities offering undergraduate degrees, also other university
    units performing tasks related to knowledge management and support for scientific research, as well as organisations 
    that supply services to university libraries, or government and national libraries, should they wish to be identified with 
    the association’s activities. Associate membership is available, subject to confirmation by the Board, to libraries/information 
    services and commercial organisations interested in supporting the aims and objectives of IATUL.

d. Honorary Membership
    As an exception to institutional membership, the Board may confer honorary membership upon individuals who
    have served the Association, or international librarianship, with particular distinction.

a. All Members have the right to participate in all events offered and organised by IATUL.

b. Ordinary Members shall have the right to vote on all questions put to the vote by the Board or the General 
    Assembly. Transfer of voting rights is not permitted.

c. Ordinary Members and Associate Members shall pay the regular annual dues of the Association.

d. Ordinary Members and Associate Members are allowed to submit proposals to the Board of  Directors and the 
    General Assembly.

a. Applications for membership of IATUL shall be addressed to the Secretary of the Association.
    Membership is subject to approval by the IATUL Board of Directors and will commence with the calendar year.

a. Membership shall end

i.  upon death (in case of honorary membership)
ii. in case of dissolution of a legal entity
iii. in the event of voluntary resignation
iv. by exclusion as defined in Article 6.b.

b. A member may be excluded for conduct damaging to the association or if its conduct grossly compromises the 
    interests of the association. The decision on exclusion is taken by resolution of the General Assembly, with a 
    three-quarters majority of the votes.

a. General Assembly (Article 8)
b. Board of Directors (Article 9)
c. Executive Board (Article 10)
d. A term of office for Board or Executive Board membership shall be three years, effective immediately following 
    the approval of the Board by the members at the General Assembly, with one optional extension upon request 
    by the candidate concerned and the approval of the Board of Directors.
e. IATUL is entitled to obtain loans. Details of regulations relevant to the Organs of the Associations are laid down 
    in the IATUL Rules of Procedure.

a. The General Assembly shall be made up of the official representatives of ordinary IATUL member libraries and 
    is the supreme body of IATUL. The General Assembly decides upon the directions for the work of the Board of 
    Directors and hence on all questions of fundamental significance for the association.

b. The General Assembly meets at least once a year. Invitations and meeting documents will be issued electronically
    at least six weeks before the meeting.

c. The meeting of The General Assembly shall be chaired by the President.

d. The tasks of the General Assembly consist, in particular, of the following:
     i.  Receive, discuss and approve of the President’s annual report
     ii. Receive, discuss and approve of the Treasurer’s annual financial report and budget proposals for the current 
         fiscal year
    iii. Adopt rules for membership fees for the different membership categories
    iv. Elect the Executive Board
    v.  Approve bylaws, amendments and editorial changes to the Constitution as well as dissolution of IATUL
    vi. Decide upon proposals presented at meetings

e. The General Assembly has a quorum, irrespective of the number of representatives of IATUL members present.

f. The General Assembly passes its resolutions by simple majority of the voting members present; abstentions are 
    not taken into consideration; a motion shall be deemed to be rejected in the event of an even split in the vote. 
    Resolutions may also be passed outside general meetings by written vote, also in electronic form, in such a way 
    that a draft resolution is forwarded to all members and no more than one quarter of the members entitled to 
    vote object to the draft resolution within a period of four weeks.

g. The decisions of the General Assembly shall be recorded in the minutes of the meeting and signed by the 
    President and the Secretary.

a. Members are eligible as members of the IATUL Board of Directors. The Board of Directors shall be composed 
    of the President, the Vice-President, the Secretary, the Treasurer, and at least six other persons to be elected 
    by the membership. Members of the Board shall be elected for a term of three years, effective following the 
    General Assembly and shall be eligible for immediate re-election to one additional term. The Board of Directors
    shall suggest the Officers, i.e. the Executive Board of the Association to be elected by the General Assembly.

b. The number of the Board Members shall be ten. In addition, the Board may co-opt up to two further members. 
    The composition of the Board of Directors shall reflect the diverse regions of the world.

c. In cases where a Board member resigns or is unable to serve his or her entire term, the Board will elect a 
    replacement in accordance with the respective article of the Constitution.

a. The Executive Board, its members being the Officers of the Association, shall be composed of the President, the 
     Vice-President, the Secretary and the Treasurer.

b. The term of the new Officer shall follow the principle set forth above if he/she is already a member of the Board, 
    whereas the previous years as non-Executive Board member are excluded from the calculation

c. At meetings of the Executive Board, resolutions are passed with a simple majority and the results must be 
    documented. The Executive Board stays in office until a new Executive Board is elected.

d. The Association is represented in and out of court by each member of the Executive Board.

e. The Secretary conducts the everyday business of the association. The Vice-President replaces the President in his 
    absence. The Treasurer is responsible for all financial affairs. Members of the Executive Board may receive an 
    appropriate remuneration for their activities.

f. If certain contents of the constitution obstruct entry onto the German Central Register of Associations or the 
    recognition of tax-exempt status by the responsible Tax Office, the Executive Board is authorized to carry out the 
    required modifications following a decision by the General Assembly.

g. When an Officer resigns or is unable to continue to serve in his or her office, the Board will suggest to the General 
    Assembly either one of its members or the official representative of a member library to replace him or her.

a. In the event of the dissolution or disbandment of IATUL or if tax-privileged purposes cease to apply, the assets of 
    IATUL shall pass to a legal entity under public law or an-other tax-privileged entity for the purpose of using them 
    for the promotion of science and research.

b. Liquidators of the process of dissolution shall be the acting Board of Directors, unless the General Assembly 
    decides otherwise.

We declare the correctness and completeness of this constitution according to the law of the country of
residence.

Anna Wałek
IATUL President

Updated February 2023