By-law 5: Project Teams

Amended and accepted: 07 May 2022

Project Teams may be formed for specific purposes that may be either short or long term. The Board determines the scope and terms of reference for each team. A proposal must be presented to the Board for consideration for any new project team.

The Board determines the finalisation of any team. All ongoing teams should be reviewed on an annual basis for:

• Success in team objectives
• Ongoing status

5.1. Specific purpose teams

Any member of ASLA may propose specific purpose teams. The purpose of the team must relate directly to ASLA’s objects.

A simple majority vote of the Board determines whether the team is formed or not. The proposal must include:

• Objective of team and relationship to ASLA’s objects
• Advocacy opportunities
• Duration of project or the projected date of finalisation.
• Indicators of success
• Team members
• Outline and timeline of project plan
• Reporting procedures to the Board
• Proposed budget

5.2. Ongoing project teams

The following teams established:

• Awards
• Professional learning
• ACCESS journal

The Board may determine to establish other ongoing teams as needed.

5.3. Project Team membership

The Board determines membership of each team either by appointment or a call for nominees. The Board may take advice from the team proposal in its determination, or in the case of ongoing project teams, from that project Team.

In general, membership of any team should be based on expertise and availability together with consideration of the timeframe.

The Board should also seek to involve Association members from a range of geographic areas.

It is recommended that each team consist of up to five (5)ASLA members,or more, if required, one of whom must be a Board member.  The Chair of the Project Team need not be the Board Director.

The members of the project team are bound by the specific Project Team’s Terms of Reference.

5.4. Ongoing project team membership

5.4.1. ACCESS journal team

• Board Member
• ACCESS editor
• At least one other ASLA member.      

5.4.2. Awards’ project team

• Board Member
• At least one ASLA member who has national recognition in the field of school libraries.
• Up to five (5) ASLA members
• Expert team members co-opted by the chair as needed for each award e.g. a representative from a sponsoring organisation, previous awardee.

5.4.3. Professional learning project team

• Board member
• Up to five (5) ASLA members               

5.5. Operation of project teams

5.5.1 ACCESS journal project team

a) The purpose of the ACCESS Journal Project Team is to:

• Maintain communication links between project team and publisher.
• Make recommendations on format, layout and content of ACCESS.
• Collaborate with Editor to source content.
• Encourage writers to publish articles in ACCESS.
• Advise Executive Officer of copy for placement on website.
• Organise other publications and communications as needed.
• Meet as required.

b) The chair of the ACCESS journal project team provides a written report to the Board.

5.5.2. Awards’ project team

a) The Awards Project Team identifies and drafts all awards’ selection criteria and judging panels for ratification by the Board.

• The chair of the project team facilitates and coordinates the awards process.
• Judges for awards are drawn from different geographic regions.
• Calls for nominations for each award are advertised to close on a date determined by the Board.
• A nominee for an award must be a member of ASLA.
• The chair of the project team distributes nominations to the judging panel for deliberation.
• The Awards’ Project Team recommends a recipient to the Board, who will then ratify the decision.
• The Awards’ Project Team develops a media release for each award for distribution by the Executive Officer.
• The media release must be published on the ASLA website, in ACCESS, on social media.

b) The Chair of the Awards’ Project Team provides a written report to the Board. 

5.5.6. Professional learning project team

a) The purpose of the Professional Learning Project Team is to:

• Identify possible professional learning events or relevant to staff working in school libraries
• Approve Professional Learning activities that either: 
  • provide an income stream for ASLA OR 
  • provide a direct benefit for members on a cost neutral basis 
• Propose professional learning opportunities for funding to the Board for approval.
• Manage the Professional Learning calendar for members 
• Meet at least once a quarter.

b) The Chair provides a written report to the Board.