Constitution & By-Laws

Amalgamated Printers’ Association

CONSTITUTION & BY-LAWS

(Last Revision: September 15, 2022)

Contents:
Article I: General
Article II: Membership
Article III: Activities
Article IV: Printing Specifications
Article V: Official Business
Article VI: Elections
Article VII: Officers, Board, Terms & Tenure
Article VIII: Duties of Board Members
Article IX: Amendments to the Rules

Article I: General

  1. The name of the organization is Amalgamated Printers’ Association, abbreviated APA.
  2. The purposes of APA are:
    1. To foster interest in the art of letterpress printing
    2. To encourage excellence in printing.
    3. To provide a means for collective exchange of members work, promoting mutual communication and improvement of skills.

Article II: Membership

  1. Membership is limited to 150.
  2. A partnership of two or more qualified persons at the same address may choose to be recognized as a single membership, provided they so advise the Secretary-Treasurer. In case of death of one partner, membership reverts to the surviving partner(s).
  3. Qualifications for membership are an interest in printing as a hobby, possession of or access to letterpress printing equipment, and a working knowledge of letterpress printing.
  4. Induction:
    1. A candidate for membership may apply to the Secretary-Treasurer. The application must be accompanied by a specimen of the candidate’s letterpress printing.
    2. An applicant wait list shall be maintained by the Secretary-Treasurer, and qualifying candidates shall be inducted in order of application.
    3. A candidate shall be notified when the candidate’s name reaches the top of the waiting list and a vacancy occurs, and invited to join by remitting dues, which at the discretion of the Secretary-Treasurer may be pro-rated.
    4. Membership numbers shall be consecutively assigned to all members at the time of induction. Following a new member’s probationary period, a member’s number will remain permanent. If a previous member rejoins, the original number shall be used by that member.
    5. Upon acceptance of dues copies of the APA Constitution & By-Laws and Membership Directory shall be sent to the new member.
    6. A new member is on probationary status until the member prints a Proprietor’s Card for distribution in the bundle, which must be done within three months of acceptance. It is encouraged that this include a brief introduction of the member, relating qualifications, background and shop information. The Secretary-Treasurer shall terminate by written notice any new member delinquent in printing and distributing a Proprietor’s Card within three months of the member’s induction; the member’s APA number will also be forfeited and given to the next candidate on the waiting list.
    7. By a majority vote of the board, a member can be designated a Tramp Printer. Tramp Printers are relieved of their annual obligation to print four items and pay dues. Tramp Printers are ineligible for holding any board positions. They will receive four quarterly bundles containing excess submissions from the past three month’s bundles, collected at the discretion of the Mailer. There can be no more than four Tramp Printers at any given time. Qualifications for Tramp Printer status are to be a lifetime recognition for participation and service within the APA and other qualities considered by the Board.
  5. Dues:
    1. Annual dues shall be in an amount determined by the Board. Members living outside the United States are asked to voluntarily contribute more than their dues to offset the extra postage in mailing their bundles.
    2. Renewal notices shall be distributed annually in January, with dues payable by March 1st.
    3. The Vice President shall attempt to personally contact any member delinquent as of March 15th. The Secretary-Treasurer shall terminate by written notice any member delinquent as of April 1st.
  6. Participation:
    1. All members shall actively participate in APA by publication of at least four separate and different letterpress printed items per calendar year for distribution in the bundle. Members may not submit more than two pieces for the December bundle.
      1. Each letterpress-printed contribution to Treasure Gems may be counted toward this requirement, provided that Treasure Gems is distributed to all members. If Treasure Gems is not distributed to all members, only one such contribution may be counted toward this requirement.
      2. Items produced as joint ventures shall be counted at half-credit for each participant.
      3. Items produced by a partnership shall be counted as if the partners were a single member.
      4. At the discretion of the board member responsible for checking participation, publications with multiple sheets bound together may be counted as more than one item.
    2. In the event a member in good standing suffers a disability or other hardship, a written request for waiver of the required participation may be filed with the Vice President. If the Vice President and the President agree, a waiver may be granted for the current calendar year only, after which the member may reapply.
  7. Rights:
    1. Members shall receive the monthly bundle.
    2. Subject to specific registration and fees, all active members are entitled to participate in all APA activities.

Article III: Activities

  1. The bundle is a packet mailed monthly to all members for the collective exchange of printing specimens. It may also contain announcements, reports, ballots, and other official business or unofficial items submitted by members for the general interest.
  2. Treasure Gems is a cooperative book published annually in May, containing works of members contributed on a voluntary basis. It is coordinated by a volunteer member other than the Mailer.
  3. The Wayzgoose is an annual convention held on a summer weekend, coordinated by a committee selected by the board with a volunteer host.
  4. Other activities such as cooperative calendars, contests, field trips, newsletters, keepsakes, awards, etc., may be initiated by any member.

Article IV: Printing Specifications

  1. General:
    1. Except for educational materials approved by the Vice President or official business, members are required to only submit letterpress-printed pieces for the bundle.
    2. Variable dimensions, thickness or weight of stock in one item is highly discouraged.
    3. Items sent to the Mailer shall be suitably packed and marked to indicate intended distribution if other than the current month.
    4. Items requiring folding, binding, or similar operations shall be so serviced before shipment to the Mailer.
    5. Identification and contents:
      1. Each piece submitted for distribution shall clearly indicate either the name or APA Number of the member who contributed it. The press name of the member does not fulfill this requirement but such further identification is encouraged.
      2. In the spirit of the free press, there are no restrictions to subject matter, but APA is not intended as a forum for material of inflammatory or controversial nature.
      3. Should the propriety of an item be questioned, the Mailer shall withhold distribution of it and refer the matter to the Vice President, who shall render a decision with due promptness.
  2. Proprietor’s Card:
    1. Each member shall print a 3”x5” Proprietor’s Card for distribution to other members, with the following format recommended:
      1. Name of member in the upper left hand corner with the last name first.
      2. Assigned APA number, name of press, mailing address, telephone number, and salient facts about member’s interests and equipment.
      3. Month and year the member joined APA in the lower right corner.
      4. Month and year the Proprietor’s card was issued, reissued or revised in the lower right corner.
    2. When new members join APA, each member is requested to welcome them by mailing a Proprietor’s Card.
    3. Members are encouraged to reissue Proprietor’s Cards occasionally, especially in case of significant changes.
  3. Monthly Bundle:
    1. Regular bundle items shall not exceed 6”x9” flat, or 5½”x8½” folded.
    2. For the special November bundle, items shall not exceed 8½”x11” flat, or 8”x10” folded.
    3. To be counted towards the printing requirements, members must furnish a minimum of 155 copies to the Mailer of each item intended for bundle distribution.
    4. Except for official association notices or variances approved by the Vice President, all items submitted for the bundle must be printed via the letterpress process.
  4. Treasure Gems:
    1. Items submitted for publication in Treasure Gems shall be 4½”x6”, preferably printed both sides, and sent to the special coordinator, not the Mailer.
    2. Use of stock thicker or heavier than text grade is discouraged.
    3. Deadlines and particulars shall be published in the bundle by the coordinator as appropriate.

Article V: Official Business

  1. Items of official business may be printed by any Board member, or any lay member or outside source duly designated by a Board member.
  2. Costs of paper, binding, typesetting, shipping or similar services performed within or outside APA membership on official business may be borne by APA funds. Such expenditures must be approved by the President.
  3. Reimbursement for personal labor, consultation, coordination, travel, or similar expenses to any Officer or member from APA funds is strictly prohibited.
  4. A fee determined by the Board of Directors shall be paid to each of the Secretary-Treasurer and the Mailer, over and above itemized expenses, to cover incidental costs.

Article VI: Elections

  1. Nominations shall be by petition from the candidate seeking office. The Petition must be endorsed by another member in good standing for the last two years. The Petition shall be submitted to the Secretary-Treasurer by August 1st of even numbered years.
  2. Balloting is by mail or digitally in September. Vote recorders shall be the Registrar and the Senior Director. A recorder who is running for office shall be replaced by an alternate appointed by the President. Ballots received after October 15th will be considered invalid.
  3. Results of the election shall be published in the November bundle.
  4. Special elections for official business may be held any time as required, following the same sequence set forth above.
  5. In any contest the candidate or choice receiving the greatest number of valid votes shall be the winner.
  6. In case of tie vote the outcome shall be determined by a majority of the Board.
  7. If there are no contested races for APA offices, the President, with the approval of the Board, may declare those who filed for an office the winners without an election.

Article VII: Officers, Board, Terms & Tenure

  1. The four elected officers are President, Vice President, Secretary-Treasurer, and Mailer: they are elected for two year terms, taking office on January 1st of odd-numbered years. These officers shall not serve more than two consecutive terms in the same office.
  2. The three directors are elected for staggered six-year terms, one each to take office concurrently with the elected officers. Directors may not serve consecutive terms.
  3. The Archivist and Registrar shall be appointed by the President, with the advice of the Board, and serve for indefinite terms at the pleasure of the Board..
  4. The holders of the above nine offices shall constitute the Board.
  5. No member may hold more than one office simultaneously.
  6. Vacancies:
    1. Should the office of the President become vacant, it shall be assumed by the Vice President.
    2. Other vacancies shall be filled by appointment by the President, and ratified by at least two other Board members.
    3. Directors so appointed shall serve until the next general election, at which time a Director shall be elected to finish the vacated term.
    4. At the next general election such appointees, or Vice President assuming the office of President, shall not be construed to be in conflict with the tenure rules set forth in this article.

Article VIII: Duties of Board Members

  1. The President is the chief spokesman and serves as Chairman of the Board. The President shall be the alternate signatory for the APA bank account. The President shall ensure that the constitutional duties of all officers are discharged as specified.
  2. The Vice President shall assist with the coordination of duties of all Board members, and with particular regard to:
    1. Making every effort to contact all members whose dues are delinquent as of March 15th.
    2. Evaluation of the propriety of questionable bundle contributions.
    3. Membership petitions for activity waiver.
  3. The Secretary-Treasurer is responsible for APA funds and membership records, with particular regard to:
    1. Processing applications from prospective new members.
    2. Collecting membership dues and annual Wayzgoose registration fees.
    3. Advising Vice President promptly of all members whose dues are delinquent as of March 15th.
    4. Processing election petitions from members seeking to run for office or sponsor a constitutional amendment.
    5. Arranging ballot distribution for general and special elections.
    6. Maintaining proper bank accounts.
    7. Publish or have published an annual report in the February bundle, to include a financial statement from the previous year, changes in the membership, and any other pertinent official business.
    8. Maintain and publish or have published the current APA Constitution & By-Laws as required.
    9. Publish or have published annually in the September bundle a notice reminding members that the November bundle will accept large items.
    10. Publish or have published annually in the January bundle a dues notice.
  4. The Mailer is responsible for distributing monthly bundles, with particular regard to:
    1. Printing 6.5” x 9.5” or larger envelopes, at the mailer’s descretion, for mailing regular monthly bundles and 9” x 12” envelopes for the November bundle. The mailer may use any kind of envelope the mailer sees fit for mailing.
    2. Normally mailing the bundles between the 10th and 15th day of each month.
    3. Withholding the distribution of items of questionable propriety, and referring them to the Vice President.
  5. The Archivist shall:
    1. Receive and file an extra monthly bundle.
    2. Collect historical papers, pictures, clippings, journals, and similar items concerning APA.
    3. Maintain a log of bundle contributions to determine compliance with the activity requirement.
    4. Publish a report annually in the September bundle, listing by membership number only, all members who have not yet met activity requirement for the current year. For each such member, the report shall list the number of qualifying and non-qualifying items published both year-to-date and for the previous calendar year.
    5. File a year-end activity report with the President and Secretary-Treasurer within 10 days upon receipt of the December bundle.
  6. The Registrar is responsible for APA membership records, with particular regard to:
    1. Maintaining an up-to-date computerized record of all active and inactive members of the APA, including adding new members and marking members as inactive as necessary.
    2. Recording membership dues and donations to the member database, as reported by the Secretary-Treasurer.
    3. Performing the attendee registration tasks for the annual APA Wayzgoose, with assistance of the Secretary-Treasurer to handle incoming funds.
    4. Publishing or have published a current membership directory annually in the June bundle.
  7. The Directors provide continuity for APA, and with the officers, comprise the Board, which sets policy.

Article IX: Amendments to Constitution

  1. Any member may begin amendment proceedings by publishing a proposal in the bundle, gaining supportive petitions from at least 15 other members, and submitting the proposal and required member support to the Secretary-Treasurer.
  2. A majority of the board may begin amendment proceedings by publishing a proposal in the bundle and submitting it to the Secretary-Treasurer.
  3. When either of the above procedures is duly completed, the Secretary-Treasurer shall promptly conduct a special election for the proposed amendment.

Ratified by membership vote concluded on September 15, 2022