Conflict of Interest Statement of the Open Library Society, Inc.

Introduction

Conflict of interest arises whenever the personal or professional interest of a Board Member is potentially at odds with the best interests of the Open Library Society, Inc.
Although the legal standards for avoiding conflict of interest for nonprofit organizations are fairly limited, the Open Library Society will avoid where possible even the appearance of impropriety.
Individuals and businesses qualified to provide goods and services in the Open Library Society area are limited, and therefore situations may arise where Board Members are engaged by the Open Library Society, or hired by the Open Library Society for projects.
Because these situations all involve potential conflict of interest, the board of the Open Library Society, Inc. during its meeting of 2009–03–29 introduced this conflict of interest policy.

Policy

If an issue is to be decided by the Board that involves potential conflict of interest for a Board Member, it is the responsibility of the Board Member to:
  1. Identify the potential conflict of interest.
  2. Not participate in discussion of the program or motion being considered.
  3. Not vote on the issue.
It is the responsibility of the Board to:
  1. Only decide to hire or contract with the Board member if they are the best qualified individuals available, and willing to provide the goods or services needed at the best price.
  2. Record in the minutes of the Board Meeting the potential conflict of interest, and the use of the procedures and criteria of this policy.
Although it is not a conflict of interest to reimburse Board Members for expenses incurred (such as the purchase of supplies), Board Members are prohibited by law from being paid for serving on the Board. Board members will not be able to gain financially or in in kind, either directly or indicectyl, from individual projects conducted by the society.
The board—or a duly constituted committee thereof—shall determine whether a conflict exists and in the case of an existing conflict, whether the contemplated transaction may be authorized as just, fair, and reasonable to the society. The decision of the board—or a duly constituted committee thereof—on these matters will rest in their sole discretion, and their concern must be the welfare of the society and the advancement of its purpose.

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