It is the policy of the Special Libraries Association to provide guidance to its members, officers, and staff when involved in making statements regarding Association activities, practices, positions, or concerns.

The purpose is to ensure that the Association remains focused on the organization's approved position thus presenting a united front and when such is not available, indicating the individuals who have the authority to speak for the Association.

Purpose of Official and Public Statements

Association statements are usually made for one of the following reasons:

• Increase the awareness of special libraries and the importance of their present and future role.
• Enhance the public impression of librarianship and widen interests in special librarianship as a career.
• Cooperate with other professional associations, governmental units and other groups with similar interests.
• Delineate the position of the Association regarding matters of public signification that affect its membership.

Source of Association Statements

Statements should emanate from Association officers, Chapter Presidents, Committee Chairs, Caucus Conveners, Division Chairs, Representatives, and members of the Association's staff who may speak or act officially on matters which are within their respective areas of official responsibility and on which they are fully informed. When circumstances require, an official may designate an alternate to exercise this privilege. The alternate should be equally qualified and should hold a related official capacity in the Association.

Preparation of Statements

When the Association's official position is well-known, especially in writing, it should be quoted to ensure consistency of response. When used as background for local or special situations, a supplementary statement by the official is supplied to clarify the application.

Advice for higher Association authorities should be sought when the official position is not known. Without exception, controversial matters should be referred to the Association President and Executive Director when an official is drafting a statement that will reflect the Association's position.

For uniformity, the concise description of SLA's history, structure, publications and programs is ordinarily used in such statements, as it appears in the most recent version of the appropriate Association brochure.

Approval of New Association Statements

When time permits, statements of the Association's position or policy are referred to the Board of Directors for approval prior to release or use by any unit or representative of the Association.

When time does not permit referral to the full Board of Directors, the unit or representative refers a draft to the Executive Director and the President. If they concur with the draft, the Executive Director reports their release for use and distributes information copies to the full Board of Directors and includes the item on the agenda of its next meeting for ratification.

If either of them does not concur with the draft as submitted, the President makes the final decision to approve the draft for release, to rework the draft for release, or to decide that no statement may be made at that time. These transactions are also referred to the next full Board of Directors and included on the agenda of its next meeting.

Professional Activities and Public Events

Participation in any professional activities and public events bring credit to the Association is desirable. Invitations for others to participate in Special Libraries Association activities is equally desirable. In either case, decision rests with the authority appropriate to commit funds or action.

Affiliation, Contracts and Agreements

Association affiliation and disaffiliation with a society having objectives allied to those of Special Libraries Association is authorized by the Board of Directors (Bylaws, Article XIV, Section 1). Similarly a Chapter, Division or Caucus may affiliate and disaffiliate with a local or common interest group in accordance with the provisions of its own bylaws which have been approved by Association authority; except that affiliation or disaffiliation with a national or international society must be approved by the Association Board of Directors. Notice of affiliation or disaffiliation is reported to Association Headquarters for information.

Any contract, agreement, or obligation entered into by an Association unit which involves liability in excess of $5,000 must be reviewed and signed by the Executive Director; any which exceeds the unit's available or budgeted funds requires advance approval by the Association's Board of Directors.

No official of any unit may sign a contract, agreement, or obligation that does not meet the above requirements.

All affiliate and contractual relationships shall be directed towards the best interest of the Association and shall protect its property and identity.

The Association's President and Executive Director are responsible for all aspects of SLA's Extra-Association Relations with the assistance and cooperation of the entire membership, elected officials, appointed leaders and staff.

Approved: October 27, 1989
Supersedes: June 9, 1973
(paragraph 2 of Affiliation, Contracts and Agreements amended to read $5,000 1/95)