The Communications Department of The Augustan Society, Inc., is charged with the production of print publications, online publications, reprints, back issues, websites, social media, and email services.
==[[Communications Committee]]Periodicals==
The Communications Committee is lead by a chairman who is styled ===''[[Editor-in-ChiefAugustæum]]. This Committee is responsible for all activities of the Communications Department, unless the [[Board]] or Editor-in-Chief has created another Committee and charged them with responsibility.''===
Members are appointed by the Editor-in-Chief and serve at his pleasure'''Proposal: The Society should work toward publishing [[Augustæum]] on a monthly schedule, but it is expected that the editors assigned to the various publications will comprise the bulk of the membershippresuming sufficient funding and material enough for four pages are available.'''
=='''Proposal: The Society should conduct a survey to test the level of interest in publishing [[Augustæum]]electronically, and a decision made about the value of devoting the time needed to reformat as HTML (versus publishing as a PDF file).'''==
''Augustæum'' is the members newsletter. By definition, it carries news items from staff, committees, [[Study GroupsHeadquarters Staff]], have been authorized by a previous administration to conduct such an email survey. They are presently looking to combine this with a [[Sub-GroupsMember Interest Survey]], and individual members. It is restricted to items that are either not scholarly, or are not under the auspices of enduring value (which should be sent to ''The the [[Augustan OmnibusDean of Studies]]'' instead). It is intended to be published more frequently than the ''Omnibus'', but may be mailed with it.
While most member news is welcomed, notices that mention Orders of Chivalry, etc., that are not presently recognized by the Society will not be published.===''The [[Augustan Omnibus]]''===
Presently, '''Proposal: The Society should reduce the publishing frequency is bi-monthly, and the size is four or six pages, as material submitted demands. Longer issues are possible. It is often accompanied by fliers, notices, and other publications, such as of ''The [[RosarumAugustan Omnibus]]'' or to annual; targeting 36 pages/issue minimum, until such time as the [[Book Sale Flier]]Society's finances and the rate of submissions are able to support an increased frequency of the same minimum size.'''
Regular features presently include:To aid in fundraising, advertising is accepted. Historically, these have primarily been support ads from members, but there is also a history of commercial advertising of relevant products and services. To date, this has largely been a reactive program, with only occasional calls for ads, resulting in a fill rate insufficient to the need for filler copy.
* Announcements of new members, elections, appointments, honors, arms registrations, recognitions, and condolences;* News of conventions, meetings, publications, fundraisers, and other programs;* Help Wanted — '''Proposal: The Society should establish an item advertising one particular post, not to be repeated for [[Advertising Manager]] under the following year plus one issue;* Lists of donors to various campaigns, members auspices of the [[Sub-GroupsFinance Committee]], or senior members;* "Library Top Ten", [[Treasurer]] with a list of ten items from charge to ensure that sufficient ad copy is available for the Library catalog that one member feels are layout needs of interest (when one is submitted); ''The [[Augustan Omnibus]]'', and* If four pages are not filledthat done, an Editorial or Cartoonto maximize income.'''
==='''Proposal: The Society should work toward publishing the members newsletter on a monthly schedule, presuming sufficient funding and material enough for four pages are available.'[[Rosarum]]''===
'''Proposal: The Society should conduct a survey continue to test publish ''[[Rosarum]]'', the level newsletter of interest in publishing the members newsletter electronically, and a decision made about the value [[Noble Company of devoting the time needed to reformat (versus publishing Rose]], at such frequency and size as a PDF file)that group is able to support with copy and funding.'''
Consuls have been authorized by a previous administration to conduct such an email survey, and may do so at their discretion unless authorization is withdrawn.
The "Library Top Ten" is intermittent for lack of submissions, as HQ staff felt it unworthy of their limited time. This could become an assignment for the Library staff (once they and the HQ staff aren't identical).==Books==
==''The [[Augustan Omnibus]]''==Society has the capacity to become a publisher of scholarly items, and doing so cannot help but enhance our reputation in our fields. Print-on-demand technology (assuming a reliable small-batch binder can be identified) and pre-publication sales will limit the investment required to that needed for promotion and advertising.
''The Augustan Omnibus'' is the present title of the Society's scholarly journal. As such, contents are restricted to items of enduring value that have appropriate citations in standard format, and to reviews of relevant books, websites, and software. Occasional exceptions are permitted, and recent ones have been memorial tributes to passed members, essays on philosophy, and topical fiction. Also included are occasional official statements from the President, Editor-in-Chief, or Editor, and letters to the editor, which should pertain to the journal and items published therein. Ephemeral items or those not scholarly in nature should be referred to ''[[Augustæum]]''. '''Proposal: The Society should continue to publish ''The [[Augustan Omnibus]]'' at not less than 36 pages/issue, and to increase the frequency to as often as quarterly as submissions and staff may support.''' To aid in fundraising, advertising is accepted. Historically, these have primarily been support ads from members, but there is also institute a history program of commercial advertising of relevant products and services. '''Proposal: The Society should create book publishing, both leveraging the office of [[Advertising Manager]] under the [[Fundraising Committee]] to promote material already on hand and process both support ads and commercial advertising, the latter perhaps including fly sheetsinviting original work.'''
===''The [[Augustan Society Roll of Arms]]''===
The Society's program of [[Arms Registrationof Arms]] is of limited value if those registrations are not made public in some way. The [[Online Armorial]] is one tool for this, but it is not the only one. It is also suitable to use published rolls as a general fundraiser, as has been done in the past.
'''Proposal: The Society should publish additional volumes of the [[Augustan Society Roll of Arms]] as registrations permit.'''
'''Proposal: The Society should publish special rolls for [[Sub-Groups]] of the Society, such as the [[Noble Company of the Rose]], as those Sub-Groups request.'''
==The Augustan Society Website=''A Continuation of Paget's ''Ancestry of the Prince of Wales===
'''Proposal: The This monumental effort has been published in 24 parts in various publications of both the Augustan Society should monitor and update the [[Main WebsiteOctavian Society]] on an ongoing basis to ensure . The author has stated that it remains complete the next installment will be his last. It will take a substantial effort to scan, OCR, reformat, and publish. The result may run to perhaps 800 pages and correctrequire multiple volumes.'''
=='''Proposal: The Augustan Store Website==Society should work to publish Germond's ''A Continuation of Paget's "Ancestry of the Prince of Wales"''.
==='''ProposalVigil: The Society should monitor and update the [[Online Store]] website on an ongoing basis to ensure that the offerings are complete and correct; that they have full contents data; that the genealogical titles have surname lists; and that pricing reflects current costs.A Knight's Training Program''===
==The Forum; an Online Forum==This would be based on the Van Dusen program of the previous century, after a substantial edit. It would be best if the [[Rose Training Officer]] were on the editorial group, or better, headed it.
'''Proposal: The Society should establish an online forum in some suitable venuework to publish ''Vigil: A Knight's Training Program'', possibly and if possible, to do so in support of the [[Main WebsiteKnights Training Program]], wherein public conversations about of the Society and Augustan topics are encouraged, as soon as a moderator and suitable rules may be established[[Noble Company of the Rose]].'''
==The =''Augustan Society Library CatalogLineages''===
This website is discussed under would be a series, each volume containing a number of descents from some worthy (or perhaps the category [[Society of Descendants of the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem|Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem]]). These would be a combination of lineages published and those submitted to qualify for various [[Library VisionSub-Groups]].
==Back Issue Sales=='''Proposal: The Society should work to publish a series of volumes of collected lineages from those submitted or previously published.'''
==='''Proposal: The Society should convert all former publications Guide to electronic form; first as PDF files, then as text files with improved illustrations where possible.'Orders of Chivalry''===
'''Proposal: The Society should create independent issues of back issues published as part of This valuable guide has been withdrawn due to the ''Augustan Society Ominbus'' so that they may data within having become obsolete over time. It should be a straightforward matter to edit, and if each Order were to get a separate page or pages, keeping it up to date in future should be sold separatelyeasy.'''
==Reprint Sales=='''Proposal: The Society should publish the ''Guide to Orders of Chivalry'' and see that it is updated as necessary.'''
==='''Proposal: The Society should continue to offer [[Reprints]], creating and expanding reprints on a topical basis. Single-article reprints should be phased out as stock is exhausted.'Little Manual of Heraldry''===
==Augustan Books==This work is poorly organized, eccentric in coverage, and printed in black & white. It deserves a thorough revision and color artwork. The existence of a large backlog of the third edition should not discourage this effort.
The Society has A new version, once the capacity to become a publisher of scholarly itemsstructure has been determined, and doing so cannot help but enhance our reputation in our fields. Print-on-demand technology (assuming a reliable small-batch binder can could be identified) and pre-publication sales will limit the investment required to that needed for promotion and advertisingprinted in ''The [[Augustan Omnibus]]'' in chapters as each is completed.
'''Proposal: The Society should institute work to publish a program new edition of book publishing''The Little Manual of Heraldry'' that is better organized, more comprehensive, both leveraging the material already on hand and inviting original workin color throughout.'''
===''A Continuation of Paget's ''Ancestry of the Prince of Wales===
This monumental effort has been published in 24 parts in various publications of both the Augustan Society and the Octavian Society. It will take a substantial effort to scan, OCR, reformat and publish, and may run to perhaps 800 pages (more if the author continues to submit material).==Sales==
===''Vigil: A Knight's Training Program''Back Issue Sales===
This would be based on the Van Dusen program of the previous century'''Proposal: The Society should convert all former publications to electronic form; first as PDF files, after a substantial edit. It would be best if the [[Rose Training Officer]] were on the editorial group, or better, headed itthen as text files with improved illustrations where possible.'''
===''Descents from Antiquity Resource Kit''===The PDF files will permit us to reprint both the whole magazines, and individual articles on demand. This will eliminate the need to keep a backlock of stock.
The original set of charts is now obsoleteConverting these to text files will permit us to bring them up to modern standards, all potential lines having been disproven. A new set of charts (enhance the photographs and accompanying sources) is to be prepared illustrations, and publishedmake large-print editions available. This will also be a requirement if we are to develop full-text searching in support of researchers.
===''Guide to Orders 'Proposal: The Society should create independent issues of Chivalryback issues published as part of the ''Augustan Society Ominbus'' so that they may be sold separately.'''===
This valuable guide has been withdrawn due to the data within having become obsolete over time. It should be a straightforward matter to edit, and if each Order were to get a separate page or pages, keeping it up to date in future should be easy.===Reprint Sales===
'''Proposal: The Society should publish the ''Guide continue to Orders of Chivalry'' offer [[Reprints]], creating and see that it is updated expanding reprints on a topical basis. Single-article reprints should be phased out as necessarystock is exhausted.'''
===''Royalty of China'' by Joseph Uphoff===It may prove prudent to develop a system whereby individual articles may be ordered, but this may take substantial work to develop and deploy.
Under deveolpment.
===''Royalty of India'' by Joseph Uphoff=Internet==
Under development.===The Augustan Society Website===
==='''Proposal: The Little Manual of HeraldrySociety should monitor and update the [[Main Website]] on an ongoing basis to ensure that it remains complete and correct.'''===
This work is poorly organized, eccentric in coverage, and printed in black & white. It deserves a thorough revision and color artwork. ===The existence of a large backlog of the third edition should not discourage this effort.Augustan Store Website===
'''Proposal: The Society should monitor and update the [[Online Store]] website on an ongoing basis to ensure that the offerings are complete and correct; that they have full contents data; that the genealogical titles have surname lists; and that pricing reflects current costs.''' ===The Augustan Forum; an Online Forum=== '''Proposal: The Society should establish an online forum in some suitable venue, possibly the [[Main Website]], wherein public conversations about the Society and Augustan topics are encouraged, as soon as a moderator and suitable rules may be established.''' ==Email SystemSystems==
'''Proposal: The Society should obtain an email server that is tailored to the unique needs of the Society. This may be a commercial product, or a custom application running on a Society server.'''
The email server should support the current email addressing scheme, perform spam filtering, avoid looking like (or being) a source of spam, and encourage the creation of groups (such as Directors or members of various Study Groups).
If possible, it should also permit Headquarters to receive most mail in a common inbox accessible by all HQ staff who could either deal with each, or transfer it to another staffer more suited to respond. It must also allow for the storage of emails sent and received in a structured manner so that any staff member could research conversation threads without regard to who participated in them.
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:*[[Library Vision|forward to Library Vision]]