Current Rules

CHATHAM BOOK SOCIETY

Founded 1883

RULES

(as amended at the Annual General Meeting in December 2011)

 

  1. This Society shall be called the Chatham Book Society and its Members shall meet regularly, each Thursday, at such time and place as they shall determine.
  2. The Object shall be to encourage fraternity and friendship among Members with convivial conversations at meetings and to purchase new publications in order that Members may have these books on loan from the library.
  3. The Society shall consist of thirty Members, or such other number as may be determined at an Annual General Meeting.  Members who find it necessary to resign due to age, ill health or change of residence may be considered for Honorary Life Membership at an AGM.
  4. Potential candidates shall be personally introduced to Members at a regular meeting before being proposed and seconded.  The nomination will remain in abeyance for at least two consecutive regular meetings before that on which a ballot for election is held.  Two black balls shall negate admission.  Should the Secretary be notified by two Members that they object to the proposed candidate then the Secretary shall inform the proposer and seconder, and they shall use their discretion as to whether or not to withdraw his name from consideration.
  5. Any Member may introduce, as a visitor, a friend who is not resident in the Medway area.
  6. The financial year of the Society will begin on the 1st  December each year and end on the 30th  November of the following year.
  7. The Annual General Meeting will be held on the second Thursday in December at which time the Rules of the Society may be added to, rescinded, altered or amended subject to notice signed by a minimum of two members, being given to the Secretary not less than 21 days before the date of the AGM.  The Secretary shall inform Members of the proposal/s at least 14 days before the meeting.
  8. Members at the AGM will:
    · Receive the Secretary's Report
    · Receive the Treasurer's audited accounts
    · Appoint the Society's Officers
    · Determine the subscription for the year commencing 1st December previous.  Subscriptions shall be paid in full by the following 31st January.  New Members subsequently elected shall pay 1/12th of the annual subscription for each whole month between the date of election and the next 30th November
    · Determine the date and extent of the distribution of books
  9. An Extraordinary General Meeting shall be held within 28 days of receipt, by the Chairman or Secretary, of a written request signed by not less than three Members,
  10. No established practice shall be altered unless agreed at an AGM or EGM.  The quorum at such meetings shall be 10 members.
  11. The Treasurer and Auditors shall be responsible for ensuring that accounts are maintained in respect all monies received and expended.  Minutes of the proceedings at meetings and details of other activities of the Society shall be regularly maintained by the Secretary or Assistant Secretary.
  12. Members shall only participate in the distribution of books if they have paid a full annual subscription in the previous financial year.  The same principle shall apply to the distribution of any other assets of the Society.
  13. No political or theological discussions shall be permitted at any Meeting.
  14. A Member may propose, to the Literary Secretary, the purchase of any book at a meeting of the Society.  Should the proposal be rejected, the proposer can demand a ballot of all Members at that meeting.
  15. No Member shall lend any book belonging to the Society to any person other than family members living with him.
  16. If a Member, or his family, shall deface or damage a book belonging to the Society, the Literary Secretary shall determine what recompense shall be made.
  17. If any Member shall lose a book belonging to the Society he shall pay the original cost of such book unless it is one of a set in which case he shall pay the cost of the whole set but would then be entitled to take the remaining volumes.
  18. Any Member being absent from 8 consecutive Meetings without a satisfactory reason being given to the Chairman shall be considered to no longer be a Member, unless he lodges an appeal which is upheld at the AGM.
  19. Any Member who shall grossly misbehave himself at any meeting of, or in any matter concerning the Society, may be removed from any office he may hold, or may be expelled from the Society, or be censured by the vote of the AGM or EGM.  Notice of any proposal for such removal, expulsion or censure shall be given to all Members at least 14 days before the meeting is to be held.