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

[Mel Kavin <mel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Dear Betsy,

Your answer to Karl was great. You made him realize the importance of the
Guild, the respect it has earned in the book arts world internationally and
the services it provides. More important you pointed out to the rest of the
membership what a bargain we are getting for our dues. Karl seemed concerned
about what he personally got for his membership. In a democracy we pay to
support activities that benefit the whole even though we may only use parts
of the services available. You didn't point out that the whole operation is
run by volunteers who put in countless hours to do their jobs. Look at the
list of executive board members in the Newsletter, including the chapter
presidents, they make it work and they are all volunteers.

Betsy, executive board members and all the other volunteers who make the
Guild a great organization, a thousand thanks.

Love,

Mel Kavin

-----Original Message-----
From: Guild of Book Workers Discussion Group.
[mailto:GBW@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Betsy Eldridge
Sent: Thursday, March 04, 2004 12:15 PM
To: GBW@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [GBW] GBW Digest - 2 Mar 2004 to 3 Mar 2004 (#2004-36)


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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