Article 1: Name and purpose

The Ticknor Society is an organization of individuals who are dedicated to the enjoyment, promotion, and support of books and book culture. The society is named in honor of George Ticknor (1791-1871), a prominent Boston collector, scholar, and library supporter, and his daughter, Anna Eliot Ticknor (1823-1896), who was an early member of the Massachusetts Library Commission (founded 1890), this country's first state library commission. The name of the society recognizes that both father and daughter were instrumental in making books widely accessible in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Article 2: Membership

Section 1. Membership is open to all who support the purposes of the society.

Section 2. Annual membership dues shall be determined by the board and be payable in July of each year. Any member whose dues are in arrears for a period of one year shall be dropped from the rolls unless payment is excused by action of the board of directors. Such honorary members as may be chosen shall not be required to pay dues.

Section 3. The annual meeting of the members shall be held on the occasion of the May program meeting of the society, which shall be at such time and place as the board of directors may determine. Members who are present shall elect directors and transact such other business as may properly be brought before such meeting. Special meetings of the members may be called at any time at the direction of the president or of the board of directors.

Section 4. Written notice of the time and place of the annual meeting shall be distributed on paper or posted on the web site of the society, at least five (5) days prior to the day of the meeting.

Section 5. Twenty (20) members shall constitute a quorum at the annual meeting.

Article 3. Directors and officers

Section 1. The business and affairs of the society shall be managed by a board consisting of the officers of the society, plus four (4) directors-at-large, who shall be elected by the members of the society, two (2) each year, to serve for a term of two (2) years or until their successors are elected and qualify.

Section 2. The officers of the society shall be a president, a vice-president, a treasurer, a recording secretary, and a membership secretary. They shall hold office for a term of two (2) years. Officers may serve more than one term.

Section 3. The president shall preside at all meetings of the board and of the members and shall in general perform all duties incident to the office of the president. The vice-president shall preside in the absence of the president, and the vice-president shall also head the program committee.

Section 4. The other officers shall perform the duties incident to their respective offices, including such as the board may direct.

Section 5. Nominations for board members and officers shall be presented to the annual meeting by a nominating committee made up of board members, whose names will be made available to the membership at least five (5) days before the annual meeting. Nominations may be made from the floor at the annual meeting. Vacancies that shall arise between annual meetings shall be filled by a majority of the remaining members of the board.

Section 6. Meetings of the board shall be held at such time and place as shall be designated from time to time by the president, or, in the absence of the president, by the vice-president.

Article 4: Committees

Section 1. A program committee shall be a standing committee, which, with the consent of the board, arranges for speakers and for the location of meetings.

Section 2. The board shall establish such other committees, both standing and ad-hoc, as it shall wish.

Section 3. The president shall designate the members of committees. Each committee shall consist of at least two members, including the chair; and at least one member shall be a member of the board.

Section 4. Each committee shall meet at the call of its chair.

Article 5: Office

Section 1. The registered office of the society shall be the post office maintained by the society, unless some other office shall be designated by action of the board of directors. The archives of the society shall be maintained at the Massachusetts Historical Society.

Article 6: Fiscal year

Section 1. The fiscal year of the society shall be from July 1 to June 30 of the following year.

Article 7. Amendments

Section 1. These by-laws may be amended by affirmative vote of a majority of the board at any of its meetings, providing that written notice of the proposed amendment shall have been given five (5) days prior to the meeting.

March 2003