Re: [AISdiscuss] Putting 'Basic Iris Cu lture' booklet on the AIS web page

[PlankMail@aol.com]

Greetings:
     I, too, am not in favor of "handing out free copies or free access" to 
the BIC.   I have no argument about having the BIC available on-line -- but as 
a benefit of membership -- and that would certainly be the case if we ever go 
to e-memberships.   And, people, one day AIS will (if it survives). It may 
well not be in this decade, but it will be.
     I agree that a culture sheet available from the local Affiliate is a 
very effective tool.   BICs can be lost (misplaced) almost as easily as culture 
sheets. (These are not intrusive booklets.)   Several of the affiliates I have 
belonged to (SCIS and SFVIS to name two in So Cal) both put out very effective 
culture sheets -- AND -- they are highly relevent to the growing area of the 
rhizome public   -- Southern California.
     Some years ago AIS put out a pretty little booklet called "Irises For 
Everyone."    This charmer was about 32 pages long, had many colored pictures 
and offered culture guidelines.   It was decidedly a "promotional" glamour 
booklet, but at the same time instructed the buying public.   It wasn't free, but 
its cost was modest, and it had buying appeal. When the printing run ran out on 
"Irises For Everyone," AIS did not reprint -- they talked about it (so the 
minutes say) but no reason was offered to explain why nothing ever happened. I 
see "Irises For Everyone" as the kind of offering we should be having at our 
shows ans sales.   It gives some help, but it has a lot of "hook."
     Anyway -- I see the BIC as a "helpful gift for joining" -- an offering 
not unlike offerings new-member-gifted by many other well known societies 
devoted to other plants.   I do not believe BIC is, nor was it meant to be, a 
promotional tool, nor do I believe it has "glamour appeal."   It is an instructive 
booklet that outlines iris culture -- kind of an iris culture digest, good for 
new members -- good for the job for which it was designed, and I am not 
belittling it in any way.   
     In my opinion what is needed today is a glamour booklet that will teach 
a little but mostly enthrall and attract members. Perhaps we can insert more 
"glamour" into our website, along with some growing tips but always with a 
referral back to local conditions and the local affiliate as a god source?
     We will not long survive if we do not find a way to make the internet 
work for us, and that isn't "free eats," no matter how many "experts" (real and 
otherwise) are out there on their websites offering "advice."   A familiar old 
adage is particularly true with respect to the internet -- as many internet 
operations have discovered -- "Why buy the cow when the milk is free?"
     See you VERY soon,
     Jeanne

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