Another merit badge related bit of news

[Bob White 20]

The next printing of merit badge pamphlets will be in full color.

 

There is no plan at this time to put the pamphlet contents on-line except for the requirements.

 

 

Merit Badge Counselor training will be soon be on-line on the BSA on-line Learning Center

[Eamonn 61]

So Bob what were you up to at Philmont?

Ea.

[Bob White 20]

Doin' stuff at PTC.

[Lisabob 13]

Any word on why in color? All that tends to do is make printing more expensive. Not sure I see a need.

 

Thanks for passing along the info. I'm happy to see cooking back on the list for Eagle (from another thread)

[scoutldr 726]

Sorry to be cynical, but has anyone picked up a high school textbook lately?

 

Kids won't read black and white. If they read at all, we have to make it look like a comic book so they can be "entertained"...lots of color pictures.

 

 

 

[scoutmaster52 10]

I bought two new books last weekand went back to buy some more and now you cant buy any untill Sept. The books are identical to the old books except the covers and color photos instead of B&W.

[Bob White 20]

Cost-wise it is not that much more costly to do color instead of black and white due to digital printing as opposed to four-color offset which used to be the only way to get a full color image.

 

The reason for the change is they are more attractive and more pleasuarable to read.

 

As far as the delay, there are some content changes in some of the books, and it's not that unusual for there to be some distrubution back ups when new products are released. The books will be available soon.

 

(This message has been edited by Bob White)

[Gold Winger 9]

(This message has been edited by Gold Winger)

[Twocubdad 665]

My understanding from a very reliable source is that only the covers will be in color. Other than the usual updates, the only other significant change is the price -- $5.00.

 

The new books are supposed to be out around October. The biggest distribution problems we've seen is that existing books are in short supply. We couldn't get some of the books we wanted for summer camp.

[troutmaster 10]

Saw somewhere recently that the books were to be sold in regular bookstores soon. Possibly another reason for a more colorful cover. Remember when they offered the Fieldbook to the public; the cover was very different and more interesting it seemed to me.

 

 

[Gold Winger 9]

I wonder if they'll be printed in China.

[Horizon 97]

You could print in China, but then deal with shipping costs. If you shift to commercial strength digital printing, there is no longer a value to having large vs. short runs.

 

What would be great would be to provide local offices with both the ability to get bound books from National, or to be able to download the electronic files and get books printed locally if you have a good printer with the right press.

 

I could see asking my local Canon or HP sales office to do some ondemand donations of certain related books. For example, this fall my Troop has a counselor who is going to reach a 3 MB course covering Personal Fitness, Sports and Athletics. If we have the electronic files, we could have all three printed in flat spine bound versions for the Scouts taking the class, and it might be cheaper since only one cover would be needed.

[WilVick 10]

The new merit badge pamphlets are a four color format and will be available August 1. All of the pamphlets are being redone. The BW pamphlets will continue to be available in shops, probably until they are gone. The current, BW, editions will remain at the current $3.49 price; the new, $4.49.

 

 

[evmori 11]

The current, BW, editions will remain at the current $3.49 price; the new, $4.49.

 

Apparently color cost more than we think for the price to up $1.00! I really don't see the need to go to color for the pamphlets! I would be interested to see if more are sold in color than in B&W!

 

Ed Mori

1 Peter 4:10

[Knot Head 10]

Sure would be nice if BSA would just sell a CD Rom with all the badges on it and the Troop could just print and bind what they needed. They apparently already have it in digital format so a CD set wouldn't be too hard to do.

 

We needed a bunch of Env. Science books for summercamp and the scout shop only had one copy. They told us to just buy the one book make copies since they would not get another shipment in time. CD's would be so much more efficient and avoid problems like this. JMO.(This message has been edited by knot head)