MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
CONCERNING THE
TRIANGLE RESEARCH LIBRARIES NETWORK (TRLN)
A cooperative endeavor of Duke University,
North Carolina Central University,
North
Carolina State University, and
The University
of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
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HISTORICAL NOTE
Cooperation among the
academic research libraries of the Research Triangle dates to 1933
when the presidents of the University of North Carolina and Duke
University created the Committee on Intellectual Cooperation. Library
cooperation became the strongest and most enduring component of the
1935 Program of cooperation of the Universities. This cooperation
later expanded to include the libraries of North Carolina State
University and has now grown to incorporate North Carolina Central
University. For most of its history, the cooperative programs
consisted of coordinated collection development and resource sharing.
Library cooperation was revitalized in
1977 when the Triangle Universities Library Cooperation Committee (TULCC)
was formed to develop a technical and organizational support system
for resource sharing. The name Triangle Research Libraries Network
was adopted in 1980. The first memorandum of understanding was signed
in 1984 and revised in 1987. They emphasized the systems development
mission of TRLN, narrowly defining its purpose as "to develop and
maintain a network of online catalogs and other automated library
systems."
This new Memorandum of Understanding
incorporates North Carolina Central University into TRLN for the
first time. It also broadens the purpose statement to incorporate the
traditional programs of cooperative collection development, resource
sharing, and technical innovation with new concepts of collaboration
for leveraging institutional resources to improve access to
information for our users in a technologically advanced environment.
I. MISSION
The Triangle Research
Libraries Network is a collaborative organization of Duke University,
North Carolina Central University, North Carolina State University,
and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the purpose of
which is to marshal the financial, human, and information resources
of their research libraries through cooperative efforts in order to
create a rich and unparalleled knowledge environment that furthers
the universities' teaching, research, and service missions.
II. MEMBERSHIP
A. Member Institutions.
The member institutions of TRLN are Duke University, North Carolina
Central University, North Carolina State University, and the University
of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
B. Requirements for Membership
1. Member
institutions must:
a.
be institutions of higher education,
b.
have a library
c.
consent to this Memorandum of Understanding
as attested by the ratifying signature of their president or chief
executive offices and,
d.
assume fiscal responsibility for support of
TRLN. Such fiscal responsibility includes the assessment of annual
dues, proportional costs of joint projects and other assessments as
shall be mutually agreed upon.
2. The Governing Board may recommend the
addition or removal of member institutions to the chief executive
officers of the member institutions.
3. Continuance of membership requires that
all annual dues and assessments be remitted within the current fiscal
year and on a semiannual or more frequent basis.
4. The chief executive officer of a member
institution may withdraw his/her institution from membership in TRLN by
written notice to the chief officer of every other member institution.
Such notice must be given at least one year in advance of the effective
date or longer, as may be required by the particulars of TRLN
contractual obligations with third parties.
III. GOVERNANCE
A. Governing Board.
1. Responsibilities. The ultimate authority
within TRLN is the Governing Board. The Governing Board is responsible
for retaining qualified executive leadership for TRLN, establishing
policy, approving operating budgets, overseeing assets, and setting
strategic directions.
2. Membership. The membership of the
Governing Board consists of the Provosts of the member institutions,
the University Librarian from each member institution, and the TRLN
Executive Director, ex officio.
3. The chair of the Governing Board is a
provost of a member institution. The chair rotates among the member
institutions on two-year terms.
4. Meetings.
a.
Annual Meeting. The Governing Board meets
at least annually, at such time and place as the chairperson of the
Board may determine, given reasonable written notice of time and place
to the members of the board.
b.
Special Meetings.
i. Special meetings may be called by the
chairperson upon written request from two or more members of the Board
specifying the business to be transacted at the meeting.
ii. Special meetings may be held at such
time and place as the chairperson of the Board may determine, giving
the members of the Board reasonable notice of time, place, and the
business to be transacted.
c.
Quorum. A quorum consists of a majority of
the members of the Board, including one from each member institution.
B. Executive Committee.
1. Responsibilities. The Executive
Committee engages in planning, conducts mid-year budget reviews, plans
the annual board meeting, and makes decisions as necessary between
meetings of the full Board.
2. Membership. The membership of the
Executive Committee consists of the other library members of the
Governing Board, and the TRLN Executive Director, ex officio.
3. Chair. The chair of the Executive
Committee shall be a library director from the same member institutions
as the chair of the Governing Board. The chair rotates among the member
institutions on two-year terms.
C. Advisory Council.
1. Responsibilities. The Advisory Council
identifies and studies issues of interest to the directors and provides
advice and counsel to the Executive Committee concerning TRLN planning
and operations.
2. Membership. Composition of the Advisory
Council is defined in the addendum.
D. Decision Making. The
Governing Board and Executive Committee proceed in decision making by
unanimous consent of the members in good standing. When formal votes
are taken, each member institution in good standing has one vote, and
no project or action shall be undertaken nor any policy adopted without
unanimous consent of the members in good standing.
IV. STAFF
A. Central Staff. TRLN has a
central staff to support cooperative endeavors of the member
institutions. This central staff consists of an Executive Director and
such other regular staff as may be necessary to accomplish its goals.
All permanent and temporary staff are under the direction of the
Executive Director.
B. Temporary Staff. TRLN also
employs temporary project staff as is appropriate to pursue funded
projects. Member institutions may assign staff from time to time as
appropriate for projects that may be underway.
V. HOST INSTITUTIONS AND OTHER
SUPPORT
A. Host Institution. TRLN
is hosted by one of the member institutions, hereafter designated as
the host institution.
1. Responsibilities of Host. The host
institution provides space for TRLN staff and operations and certain
kinds of clerical and administrative support (e.g., purchasing
operations and accounting services) on terms agreeable to the Governing
Board and the host institution
2. Term. The period for serving as a host
institution shall be a minimum of three years and may be re-negotiated
for additional three-year periods with the mutual consent of the
Governing Board and the member institution that is willing to be host.
B. Other Support. Upon
agreement, any member institution may serve TRLN by housing projects,
supplying services, or serving as contract signatories.
VI. AMENDMENT AND REVIEW
A. Amendment. This
Memorandum of Understanding may be amended by unanimous approval of the
chief executive officers of the member institutions.
B. Review. At a minimum, the Governing Board
shall review this Memorandum of Understanding every five years. The
Governing Board shall submit to the chief executive officers for their
consideration any suggested amendments that it deems worthy.
Originally Signed (1989):
Nannerl O. Keohane, President, Duke
University
Julius L. Chambers, Chancellor, North
Carolina Central University
Larry K. Monteith, Chancellor, North
Carolina State University
Paul Hardin, Chancellor, University of
North Carolina at Chapel Hill
ADDENDUM OF CURRENT PRACTICE
ADVISORY COUNCIL
The Advisory Council consists of four
representatives from each member institution, the chairs of the
programmatic councils, and the TRLN Executive Director, ex officio.
Representatives will be appointed by the University Librarians from the
member institutions, and should be chosen to represent the key
libraries on the campuses whenever possible. The Advisory Council meets
at least annually. The TRLN Executive Director will serve as convener
of the Advisory Council, and will regularly communicate the agenda and
minutes of the meetings of the Executive Committee. The Executive
Committee will draw upon the expertise of the Advisory Council
membership as needed for broader discussion.
COMMITTEE STRUCTURE
Attendant committee structure will be
organized under the TRLN Executive Director. TRLN shall be the
coordinating agency for joint committees. Broad representation on
committees is encouraged, and an open meeting policy will be
implemented. A formal agreement for the organization and constituency
of committees will be developed after the new organizational structure
is in force.
GOALS
TRLN leverages resources to accomplish
the following goals:
-
to extend the scope of
information resources and services available to our users through
libraries and campus networks
-
to create new library and
information services
-
to make information
accessible to users among member institutions in a convenient, timely,
and equitable manner
-
to develop and pursue
strategic partnerships that enhance our ability to deliver information
and services
-
to provide a forum for
discussing cooperative library and information issues
-
to seek external funding in
support of these goals
-
to maintain a leadership role
among universities in the provision of collaborative research library
services
Warwick Ardin
Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
North Carolina State University
Bruce Carney
Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost of Academic Affairs
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Peter Lange
Provost
Duke University
Debbie Thomas
Associate Provost and Associate Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs
North Carolina Central University
Originally signed: August 29, 1989
Updated: May 26, 1995
Reviewed: July 13, 2000
Modified: November 13, 2002
Reviewed: September 28, 2005
Reviewed: December 9, 2010
Modified: January 10, 2012
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