IAML International Association of Music Libraries

Approved by the Council at Perugia on 6 September 1996: see Fontes 44/2 (1997), p129-130.

These Rules of Order pertain primarily to meetings of the Council and the General Assembly. When appropriate, they also govern the conduct of meetings of the Board and other formally constituted groups within the Association. The word "members" as used below refers to the members of the body in question as defined by the Constitution and Rules of Procedure. The chair (Note 1) is free to take part in the debate and vote on the same terms as any other member.

Motions

A substantive, or main, motion is a proposal placed before the meeting by any qualified member, the mover of the motion, for debate and decision, usually taken by vote.

A motion need not be couched in formal phraseology so long as the intent is clear.

Only one main motion can be before the meeting at one time.

Motions moved by the Board or the Council do not require a seconder. Otherwise motions must be seconded by another member before they can be considered.

When a motion has been made and seconded, the chair opens the floor for debate, if necessary restating the motion to clarify its intent. ("A motion has been made and seconded that...").

Motions can be modified or withdrawn by the mover at any time before they have been put to the vote.

Amendments

A motion to alter or vary the terms of a main motion can be made at any time during the debate. Amendments moved by the Board or Council do not require a seconder. Otherwise amendments must be seconded by another member before they can be considered. Once a motion to amend has been made and seconded, the main motion is set aside until the amendment has been decided. If an amendment is accepted by the mover and seconder of the main motion, it is adopted without a vote.
Any member may move to amend the amendment, but such a subamendment can only modify the amendment, not the main motion itself. Only one amendment and one subamendment can be before the meeting at the same time. However, once the subamendment has been voted on, another subamendment to the amendment may be made.

Points of order

Any member can at any time address the chair to point out a breach of the Constitution, the Rules of Procedure or these Rules of Order ("Rise to a point of order"). A question on a point of order need not be seconded, may not be debated, and must be considered immediately. It will normally be settled by a ruling from the chair, if necessary in consultation with the Chair of the Constitution Committee.

Debate

Except when otherwise stated, all motions may be debated.
There is no limit to the number of times a member may speak to a motion. However, in order to conclude the business in a timely manner, the chair may rule to close the list of speakers. This decision may not be debated and can only be overruled by a two-thirds majority. Also, any member may "move that the question be put" or "call for the question", i.e. close the debate and vote. This motion must be considered immediately. If it is defeated, the debate continues.

When no voting is involved, a motion can be made to finish the discussion of an item on the agenda and proceed to the next item in a similar manner.

A motion to postpone (Note 2) discussion and/or voting to a later time may be made at any time prior to voting, and must be debated and voted on immediately. If such a motion is made at the final or only meeting during a conference, the chair may rule that it is not appropriate. This ruling may not be appealed.

Voting

The Constitution and Rules of Procedure prescribe who is entitled to vote.

Voting is either by show of hands or secret ballot, as laid down in the Constitution and Rules of Procedure. For routine matters, the chair can ask for approval by voice vote ("ay" or "nay/no"). Following a voice vote any member may request that the vote be retaken by a show of hands.

Voting on a motion with amendments is done in the following order:

• Subamendment (if any)
• Amendment (as amended, if the subamendment carried)
• Main motion (as amended if the amendment carried)

Before the vote, the chair should explain the effect of a "yes" and "no" vote.

When voting is by a show of hands, the chair will

• ask for those in favour,
• ask for those against/opposed,
• ask for abstensions,
• announce the results of the vote (the motion carries/is adopted or is lost/defeated).

Unless otherwise required by the Constitution or specifically stated in these Rules of Order, motions are adopted by a simple majority. In this document, as in the Constitution and Rules of Procedure, the word "majority" means "more than half of the votes cast" (not of members eligible to vote, since voting is not compulsory). When tallying the votes, abstensions or blank ballots are not taken into account. (For example, if there are 14 votes in favour, 13 against, 2 abstentions, and 3 blank ballots, the motion has carried.) (Note 3)

Notes:

1 In this context, "chair" means the presiding officer, regardless of his or her title.

2 The term "Table / lay on the table" should be avoided because it has diametrically opposed meanings in the UK and Canada on the one hand ("To place a document before a meeting for its consideration or consultation") and in the US and many European Countries on the other hand ("Motion to place a main motion and all pending amendments aside temporarily, with the intention of bringing them back at a later time for action"). If it is used by a member, the motion must be restated by the chair to make the meaning clear.

3 In other words, voting to abstain and not voting at all has the same effect.