Re: July AIS Bulletin for Emembers

[Maureen <mmark@rogers.com>]

Wow.  I didn't expect this lengthy heated discussion. 

Both Sandy and I are life members. We love not having to remember to pay our dues. Our section memberships frequently lapse. Sandy also used the e-register. 

To date, I have resisted signing up for electronic bulletins for all my plant memberships for one reason only. I like to sit somewhere comfortable like in bed or lounging on the couch to read. I spend enough hours at work in front of a computer that I don't want to be reading all my journals and bulletins on the computer at home. 

However, I received the wonderful gift of an iPad. I never thought that I would move away from having a paper book in my hands, but I am reading more and more electronic books. So soon, I will be transitioning to electronic memberships. 

I expect that as tablets become the norm, electronic memberships will rise. 

So here is my question. Would it be worthwhile to have a way to switch a life membership into an electronic membership?  You could keep it simple and say that a life membership is 25 years so the balance would be transferred to the e-membership. Something to think about?

Maureen

On 2012-07-31, at 1:18 AM, John Jones <jijones@usjoneses.com> wrote:

> Dorothy, 
> 
> As an aside, you can join as an e-member for multiple years, there is just no discount for multiple year subscriptions. 
> 
> Tom Gormley, AIS Membership Secretary, sends out renewal notices for e-members as well as for print members.
> 
> John Jones
> 
> On Jul 30, 2012, at 2:15 PM, DWiris@aol.com wrote:
> 
>> Hi Bob,
>> 
>> All this discussion is very interesting and a lot to consider. I am a Life  
>> Member who was not paying for access to the Iris Register and am wondering 
>> if it  is worthwhile for me to pay for a e-membership. It would be nice to 
>> have access  to the register and I always want my print copy of the Bulletin 
>> so I have to  decide if it is worth, not the cost so  much, but the bother 
>> of renewing  every year.
>> 
>> Dorothy Willott
>> 
>> 
>> In a message dated 7/30/2012 5:01:17 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
>> robertpries@embarqmail.com writes:
>> 
>> All the  things you mention cost AIS very little. They are essentially part 
>> of either  membership. I believe you have been at every meeting for the 
>> last 5 years. You  should be aware that many of those years AIS ran in the red. 
>> I think it would  be a marvelous idea to offer a discount for 
>> combinedE/print membership, but  where would you make up the extra money to pay the 
>> bills? If scores of old  members would suddenly join with an e-membership, maybe 
>> that would work, but  only about 400 had memberships in the Iris register 
>> when it was $10 and they  were grandfathered in for the life of their 
>> subscription. My hope is that we  could make e-membership better and better so that 
>> it became irresistible. But  it is far from there yet, and the budget still 
>> needs balancing. Its a nice  idea but we still must pay the bills. If I 
>> could be convinced that a third  more existing print members would join with a 
>> discounted $10 e-membership than  I would be all for it.   
>> 
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> 
> _____________________________ 
> John Jones
> Director, American Iris Society
> Chair, Electronic Services Committee
> Co-Registrar/Recorder
> 
> 
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