Most recent issue of rank books?

[AnaMaria]

Is there a place on the web to check on what the most recent edition of a particular rank book is? What about finding out if an update is planned in the near future?

[SctDad]

Check Out Scoutstuff.org

 

Here is the link that I found the literature at

 

http://www.scoutstuff.org/BSASupply/CtgySearchPage.aspx?c=01RTL&d=BOOKS_LIT&page=LIST&free_text|=handbook||fieldbook&answers_per_page=15

 

That should be the most current books. Your council shop should also have the right book.

 

 

[Scouting Mom]

"Your council shop should also have the right book."

This statement is true at the moment, however, when books are changed, the Scout shops will sell the old books until they run out...at least that is true of the Tiger Handbook, which was the last book to be updated in 2006, even though the changes in that handbook were major. They also don't have the current Boy Scout Handbooks, even though new requirements went into effect in January 2008.

 

As far as I know there is no comprehensive list of what the most recent editions are...for example, as I said, the last book updated was the Tiger in 2006, however, the Tiger book I have here says, "copyright 2001, 2007 printing" A 2006 printing of the same book may or may not be current, because books printed in early 2006 are old, but late 2006 are new and I don't THINK there is anything in the book noting the difference, except that the changes between them are major, putting Bobcat rank before Tiger instead of afterwards.

 

The last changes to the other programs were made in 2004. My Webelos, Wolf and Bear books have a 2003 copyright with print dates of 2004 (Wolf) 2005 (Bear) and 2006 (Webelos) and are all current.

 

As for a schedule of when new editions might come out...you are more likely to get an announcement about that on a forum like this one before you hear about it from any official source.

[infoscouter]

Once a year, (in June?) the Supply Division publishes something called "Library of Literature". It is a listing of all print and AV items available *at that time* from National Supply (so it doesn't include most BIN items).

 

It used to be difficult to get your hands on, now they post it in the Customer Service Area of the www.scoutstuff.org web site.

 

http://www.scoutstuff.org/BSASupply/images/pdfs/70-080E_WEB_Alpha.pdf (warning - moderate size file - if you're on Dial up, prepare to wait)

 

Since it comes out in June - this is still last year's edition. There is a separate file that is in order by item # and another of AV items. Click on Customer Service, and then on 'Documents, Forms and Instructions'. Scroll down to Library of Literature.

[Region 7 Voyageur]

AnaMaria, inside the back cover of the annual requirements book is a listing that shows the most up to date publish date year for all merit badge books. I think that this is what you are asking. There are not individual rank books.

[ScoutNut]

AnaMaria is talking about Cub Scout Handbooks - not Boy Scout Merit Badge Books or the Boy Scout Requirements book.

 

To find the most recent edition of a Handbook, contact the BSA National Supply Group and ask them. The contact info is on the Customer Service page at Scoutstuff.org.

 

As far as I know, there have been no changes made to the Cub Scout program, or to any of the Handbooks, for the upcoming Cub Scout year. Any changes are usually announced at the National Top Hands meeting in August. Changes announced then usually do not go into effect until the following year.

 

You should be fine purchasing the Handbooks that are currently in your Scout Shop for your end of school year graduation.