Roberts Rules of Order Basics

Yes, there was a real Mr. Robert--Henry Martyn Robert, an engineer in the U.S. Army in the 1870s. When he was unexpectedly asked to chair a meeting, he realized he had no idea how to do that, and the results were so mortifying, he decided to write a book to lay out and standardize meeting rules. (source: https://robertsrules.com/history.html) Robert's Rules of Order is now in its eleventh edition. It provides rules and procedures to allow for a fair and orderly meeting, no matter what the group. Even a passing familiarity with the basic tenets of parliamentary procedure can make you a more valued member of the boards and commissions on which you serve. For a basic, two-page cheat sheet, try this: https://states.aarp.org/roberts-rules-of-order. For the official book, go to any bookstore or order here. You can also find videos about about Robert's Rules of Order on YouTube, such as this one.