GEN-EDITOR-L Archives

Archiver > GEN-EDITOR > 1997-08 > 0872896997


From: Janet Reinhold <>
Subject: Re: Donations to Libraries
Date: Fri, 29 Aug 1997 16:23:17 -0700


I'm sorry to repeat this message but it was the easiest way to respond!
Janet
from Libbie, mine in parens:
>I missed your first message (I was on vacation) so I don't know if your
>newsletter is a family one, one for an organization or a for-profit
>enterprise.
(I see it as all 3--am not independently wealthy, and want it to pay for
itself.)

>It seems to me there is a difference -- is your goal to
>share information or to make a profit?
(I'd like it to be both!)

Sending copies to libraries is a great way to find new subscribers, but if
you're not careful you'll just give away your information. When I first
began my newsletter I mailed copies to about 30 libraries -- all the state
archives in the region where this family lived, plus selected county
libraries where I thought descendants might look. After the first year,
though, I realized that people were reading the newsletters at the library
but not subscribing. Our goal is to "grow"
>our association, so I wanted people to join the group and subscribe to
>the newsletter. So on the fourth issue I stapled a notice that said I
>would hold all of the second year issues until the end of the year, then
>mail them together. The reason I gave was that I could send out twice
>as many free library copies if I did that -- which is true. It costs
>about a dollar to mail one issue and less than $2 to mail four. The
>benefit to doing that, though, was that I got many new subscribers --
>the people who had been reading library copies and didn't want to wait a
>year for more.
(This is a very good idea!)
>I would add to your list the LDS Family History library.
(They have subscribed to it, as has the State Hist Soc of Wisconsin in
Madison. Your idea about the delayed copies makes sense. Libraries which
pay for their copies should get them as soon as other subscribers, and
those which don't can wait. Now what about the exchange folks--those who
send you a copy of their publication and notices? I am treating those folks
just like paid subscribers. To my mind, it would be OK if the publication
had value to you.)
Janet

This thread: