[Artemisia] SCA Announcements: E-Newsletters

[Jackman-Brink, Julia]

Hopefully the formatting will stay with this....but here goes.   Below is a (very long!) e-newsletter announcement forwarded upon request by the SCA Publishing Officer. The original can be found on SCA-Announcements.  Please take the time to read as everyone of you with a membership will have to make a choice. There are several places listed to contact for questions, but this is a very good summary of what is going to happen next year.
Juliana
Acting Kingdom Seneschal
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E-NEWSLETTERS
The Optional Steps to Take to Discontinue Your Paper Newsletter and FAQs Updated
On March 1, 2012, the first electronic issues of kingdom newsletters will be available through the newsletter website. For Sustaining and International members who choose to discontinue their paper subscriptions, electronic-only access will begin with the March issue. Starting January 1, 2012, you can complete an online form at www.sca.org<http://www.sca.org/> that will allow you to discontinue receiving paper copies of your newsletter(s), no matter when your membership is due for renewal.

All Sustaining and International members will have access to the website, whether or not they currently receive paper copies, so discontinuing paper is not a requirement for having access to the online versions. To continue receiving paper newsletters through the balance of your current membership, no action is needed. If you choose the electronic-only option, no refunds or discounts for either production or postage costs will be forthcoming, but we do thank you profusely for helping the SCA run more efficiently!
 Frequently Asked Questions
When will the first e-newsletter be available? On March 1, 2012, the first electronic issues of kingdom newsletters will be available through the newsletter website.
Why is there a delay between the policies going into effect and the first issue? Once the policies go in effect on January 1, 2012, members have the option of choosing e-newsletters only, and this means the mailing label list needs to be updated for each individual that chooses the e-newsletter option. For the March issue, the mailing labels are issued the beginning of February.
Will I have to choose between paper and electronic copies? All Sustaining and International members will have access to the SCA Newsletters website, but those members who wish to continue receiving paper may add on that option when they renew their memberships after January 1, 2012.

Why are all the paper newsletters being standardized? The majority of the members have expressed their wish to get their newsletter electronically, and based on the information from Lochac, we see many (if not all) of the kingdoms quickly dropping below the minimum quantity for bulk mailing rates. In order to avoid all paper subscribers being required to pay first class rates, all kingdom newsletters will be mailed in one bulk mailing. In order to accomplish this, all newsletters have to be the same size and weight.

Can I continue to receive my paper newsletter first class? Yes.
 What differences will there be between the e-newsletter and paper versions? None. Only the method of delivery is different.
What are the "supplements"? Kingdom chroniclers may opt to create PDF supplements of articles, artwork, etc.  They may create these monthly, or quarterly, or as desired. All official business (event announcements, letters from officers, position openings, changes in kingdom law, etc.) may not be included in the supplements - they must remain in the newsletter itself.
What else will be available on the website? A current inter-kingdom directory and an excerpt from Tournaments Illuminated.
How  will I get my password? Each member will be given an ID and a temporary password in order to access the e-newsletter site. We ask that everyone change the temporary password immediately.
Will the e-newsletter be archived online? Yes, beginning with the March, 2012, issue. (No earlier issues can be archived on the website.) Initially, we are looking at archiving the issues and supplements for 12 months.
Will e-newsletters constitute proof of membership? No, as the membership information does not appear on e-newsletters, they cannot constitute proof of membership. If you have lost your membership card, you can receive a replacement from Member Services by sending them a letter (P.O. Box 360789, Milpitas, CA 95036-0789), fax (408-263-0641<tel:%28408-263-0641>) or e-mail (membership at sca.org<mailto:membership at sca.org>). Be sure to include your legal name and address. If you purchased your membership online, you can print a proof of membership letter (directions are available at http://www.sca.org/members/memberfaq.html#noltr).
 Can the e-newsletter be updated between issues? No. The e-newsletter and paper versions need to remain the same all members have access to the same content.
 Why won't kingdoms continue to get newsletter stipends? The stipends covered mailing and production costs (prior to the 2010 stipend reduction) and now all of that will be paid for directly by the Corporate office, no stipends will be issued. (See the question on the standardization of newsletters.)
 What happens to any money left in our Chronicler's account? This is up to the individual kingdoms. Some will continue to have separate accounts (and exchequers) for the chroniclers office and others are combining it with the kingdom funds.
 Can the kingdom newsletters still accept advertising? Yes. As the paper and electronic versions will be the same, the advertisements will appear in both. Another positive aspect for advertisers is that with the electronic version, their advertisements will be accessible by all members.
 Will I receive e-mail notification that the e-newsletter is ready for viewing? No, the newsletter availability will be sent out on the "Announcements" mailing list only. If you would like to receive Announcements, you can sign up at http://lists.sca.org/listinfo/announcements. (The number of e-mail announcements varies, but to date, they haven't exceeded five in a month.)
 Will I be able to access just my kingdom's newsletter, or all of them? All of the newsletters can be viewed and printed from the website.

Can I access other publications (such as Board Minutes) through this website if I did not subscribe to them? No, only the newsletters, the inter-kingdom directory, and the Tournaments Illuminated excerpt will be available here. If you would like to subscribe to the Board Minutes,  please contact Member Services at membership at sca.org<mailto:membership at sca.org>.

Will there be an easy way to print or download the newsletter? Yes, you can print and/or download the newsletters. If you don't have a PDF reader, you can download one for free from Adobe's website at http://www.adobe.com/products/reader.html. On some computers, it is quicker to download the file and then print it (rather than opening the PDF from the website and printing directly).
Are the newsletters accessible on my mobile device? While the website is accessible by smartphones and tablets (mobile devices with  browser software), it will not be optimized for smartphone/tablet browsers at this time.

Will officers be required to continue receiving paper copies? No, they can receive their newsletter electronically, but e-newsletters are not proof of membership (see below).
 Can affiliates access the e-newsletter site? Yes. The designated affiliate officer will need to send their member information to the SCA Corporate office and their information will be added to e-newsletter file.
 I still have more questions, comments or concerns. Who do I contact? Please e-mail any questions to the Publications Manager at pubmanager at sca.org<mailto:pubmanager at sca.org>. If you have comments or concerns about e-newsletters, you may contact the Board of Directors at comments at sca.org<mailto:comments at sca.org> or your Ombudsman (check your kingdom newsletter for contact information).
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