1. Purpose

   The purpose of the Latin American Microform Project is to acquire, preserve, and maintain for its subscribers microform collections of unique, scarce, rare and/or bulky and voluminous research materials pertaining to Latin America. The Project emphasizes original filming, though it may also purchase existing microfilm. The Project conducts its activities on the basis of annual subscription fees, plus outside resources including grant funds as appropriate.

2. Organization
   • The Center for Research Libraries
     • The Project is administered by The Center for Research Libraries, which bills for and receives all subscription fees. The Center utilizes these fees and other Project income in order to acquire, catalog, house and circulate films, and to carry out all other activities related to the Project and its administration.
     • An official LAMP Coordinator from The Center for Research Libraries, appointed by the President of The Center, serves as an ex-officio member of the LAMP Committee and as non-voting ex officio member of the Executive Committee. Meeting attendance by the CRL Coordinator will, as required, be funded by the Project.
   • The LAMP Committee

     The LAMP Committee consists of one representative from each subscribing institution wishing such representation, plus the CRL Coordinator. The LAMP Committee meets annually in conjunction with the annual meeting of the Seminar on the Acquisition of Latin American Library Materials. The official business of the LAMP Committee may be conducted by mail ballot and also when a quorum is present at the annual meeting. A quorum consists of representatives from one-half of all subscribing institutions that appoint such representatives, plus one. A simple majority of those voting decides all votes of the LAMP Committee.

     The functions of the LAMP Committee are:

     • To establish annual and retrospective subscription fees. (See Appendix I for the current annual subscription.)
     • To determine the acquisitions policy of the Project.
     • To set the expense level at which a proposed acquisition or microfilming project will require approval by the full LAMP Committee rather than its Executive Committee. (See Appendix II for the current level.)
     • To select the three institutional representatives who comprise the Executive Committee.
     • To work with The Center for Research Libraries in developing mutually acceptable policies for operations and access. Proposed policy changes that affect this Prospectus must be ratified through the procedure established in Section VII.
   • The Executive Committee

     LAMP's Executive Committee consists of three institutional representatives selected from the full LAMP Committee, one ex officio voting member from the Library of Congress, and the CRL coordinator as non-voting member. The Executive Committee's three institutional representatives serve for staggered three-year terms, and one new member is chosen at each annual meeting. Selection is by self- or third-party nomination, followed by an open vote. Elections to the Executive Committee do not require a quorum of the LAMP Committee. Vacated positions are filled until the following annual meeting by the Chairperson of the Executive Committee. Longer-term vacancies are filled, to the normal expiration of the original incumbent's term, through the nomination and balloting process just described. The Executive Committee is authorized to meet in conjunction with such non-SALALM events as ALA's midwinter meeting or the Latin American Studies Association.

     The duties of the Executive Committee are:

     • To determine specific acquisitions in accordance with the policies of the Project as determined by the full LAMP Committee.
     • To make policy recommendations to the full LAMP Committee.
     • To carry on the business of the Project between meetings of the full LAMP Committee.
     • To select a Chairperson.
     • To circulate minutes of both Executive Committee meetings and the annual meeting of the full LAMP Committee as soon as possible after each meeting.
     • To maintain close liaison with such scholarly associations as the Conference on Latin American History, the Latin American Studies Association, and the Seminar on the Acquisition of Latin American Library Materials; to similarly maintain contact with the other Area Studies Microform Projects associated with The Center for Research Libraries; and to remain aware of current trends in preservation and cooperative collection developments as articulated through such agencies as the Commission on Preservation and Access. These contacts will enhance LAMP's ability to assess priorities, to employ appropriate technologies in conducting its projects, and to develop strategies for the future.
   • The Chairperson

     The Executive Committee chooses a Chairperson from its membership. The same person may serve as Chairperson for more than one year.

     The duties of the Chairperson are:

     • To ensure that the Executive Committee fulfills its charges in an expeditious manner.
     • To work with The Center for Research Libraries in identifying and resolving issues of policy, procedure and operations.
     • To prepare an agenda for the annual meeting of the full LAMP Committee.
     • To preside over the annual meeting of the full LAMP Committee.
     • To serve as LAMP's representative to meetings of the CRL-based Cooperative Area Study Microform Project Council.
     • To appoint members of the full LAMP Committee, as needed, to fill temporary vacancies on the Executive Committee.
3. Membership
   • Any non-profit institution may request to become a LAMP subscriber, subject to approval by LAMP's Executive Committee. CRL membership is not a requisite for participation in LAMP. Subscribers may withdraw from the Project by providing written notice to the CRL Coordinator by March 15 of the year preceding withdrawal.
   • Project subscribers have the following rights and obligations:
     • Any former subscriber shall retain the right to borrow materials acquired both during its subscription period and during the two years following termination of that subscription.
     • Any subscriber may purchase at cost from the Project, for its own use, positive microfilm prints for negatives controlled by LAMP. Such negatives must have been acquired during the subscriber's years of dues-paying participation, plus the two years immediately following its subscription cancellation. Active subscribers may also borrow positive prints purchased by the project, and will regularly receive lists of Project holdings.
     • A group of subscribers may purchase positive prints for negatives controlled by LAMP for the years during which their subscriptions have been paid. These positive prints shall not be loaned to institutions not subscribing to LAMP.
     • Any borrowing institution will reimburse the Project for any damage or loss of film that occurs while the film is in its custody. Loan provisions are those generally in force at The Center for Research Libraries.
4. Subscription Fees
   • Project subscribers pay an annual subscription fee that is due and payable in full on July 1 of the subscription year. LAMP's subscription and fiscal year run from 1 July to 30 June of the following year.
   • Institutions wishing to join LAMP may do so by paying an initial subscription of five times the annual fee, or a negotiated amount subject to the approval of the full LAMP Committee. This initial fee may be paid over three years, or as negotiated by the Executive Committee.
5. Access to Material by Non-members
   • Any LAMP holdings acquired through grant-funded projects may be borrowed by all members of The Center for Research Libraries, subject to the limitations established in Section III.B.4, above. Non-members of The Center who are not LAMP subscribers will have access to these materials through CRL's non-member interlibrary loan service and through on-site use in the Center's Reading Room.
   • Positive microforms acquired by the Project will not be lent to non-subscribers, except in special cases approved by the Executive Committee. Subscribers may not borrow LAMP holdings on behalf of non-subscribing libraries. A subscriber may borrow LAMP holdings for use in its library by a visiting scholar from a non-subscribing institution. The full LAMP Committee may approve "special case" exceptions to this Access Policy by mail ballot or majority vote during the annual meeting. (See Appendix III for current "special cases.")
   • Non-subscribing institutions may purchase positive microform copies of LAMP holdings from any negative acquired and controlled by the Project for the cost of the positive print plus one-third of the negative cost.
6. Ownership and Project Termination
   • The assets of the Project shall be the property of The Center for Research Libraries. Subscribers to the Project will always have the right to purchase from The Center any positive print from any negative acquired and controlled by the Project, for the cost of producing the positive print.
   • Should the Project be terminated, subscribers to the Project will retain their original rights of access to all microforms acquired during the Project's existence. Any cash balance shall be distributed among all members active as of the termination date.
7. Amendment of Prospectus
   • Amendments to this Prospectus may be proposed by any member of the LAMP Committee. For consideration during the current year, proposed amendments must be received by the Chairperson of the Executive Committee and the CRL Coordinator at least 90 days prior to the annual meeting.
   • Within 60 days of the annual meeting, all subscribers will receive copies of the proposed amendment(s).
   • Within 60 days of discussion at the annual meeting, the amendment(s) will be circulated to all subscribers for mail ballot. Amendments will be enacted with a 3/4 majority among the ballots actually returned.

Appendices

The Appendices detail LAMP policies currently in effect per procedures detailed in the Prospectus. The Appendices do not form part of the Prospectus per se.

Appendix I. The current annual LAMP subscription fee is $765.

Appendix II. The Executive Committee is currently authorized to spend up to one year's subscription income during any LAMP fiscal year.

Appendix III. The following "special case" exception to LAMP's access policy was approved by the full LAMP Committee at its 1992 annual meeting:

"During fiscal years 1993 and 1994, all CRL members will be allowed five filled requests, totaling no more than 20 reels of microfilm or fifty sheets of microfiche, for materials acquired with Project funds. When an institution that does not subscribe to LAMP reaches this cut-off point, CRL will send it a letter that describes how the Project serves scholarship and that urges it to consider participation. The institution will also be advised to contact the LAMP Executive committee if it has a temporary research need that would justify a limited exemption from these restrictions. The subsequent decision of the Executive Committee will be final."