Re: [GBW] GBW Digest - 2 Mar 2004 to 3 Mar 2004 (#2004-36)

[Betsy Eldridge <BPEldridge@xxxxxxx>]

Dear Karl:

Don't I wish it were as simple as you make it sound!

I am delighted that you find the New England GBW Chapter so helpful.  Indeed,
the GBW Chapters are extremely important in providing local support and
encouragement for people in this book arts field and need to be helped in every way
possible.

However the regional groups cannot stage national conferences, put together
national traveling exhibitions, publish national newsletters, journals, supply
and membership directories, produce instructional videos, maintain a lending
library, and sustain a national web site and listserv such as this, not to
mention provide the legal and financial framework in which all of these activities
occur.  If you are new to the field, these activities may not be of much
interest to you.  But they are the activities that have created the field in this
country over the past 50/100 years.

GBW is a major accomplishment, of which we can all be justifiably proud.
Everyone who is a member helps to support it.  Many have worked hard and long to
establish and maintain it, as it is the one US book organization with
international status and recognition.

If individual Chapters wish to raise their dues to cover their activities,
they certainly may request to do so.  The Chapter dues have been deliberately
kept low to encourage new members.  The GBW dues on the other hand will continue
to carry the major portion of the financial responsibility not only for
maintaining the organization and its chapters but for promoting the book arts field
in the US.  Your support - and participation - will always be welcome, and
much appreciated.

Betsy Palmer Eldridge, President, GBW

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