LeCastor Posted May 6, 2015 Share Posted May 6, 2015 Does your unit keep a merit badge pamphlet library? If so, how do you keep it updated with the most recent editions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gone Posted May 6, 2015 Share Posted May 6, 2015 Does your unit keep a merit badge pamphlet library? If so, how do you keep it updated with the most recent editions? MS Access database (really). Cataloged by the Librarian. Lending hours are the first and third meeting days 30 mins prior to the meeting start. New books are actively added to the holdings, cataloged and added to the DB. The DB is on flash drive (trying to get it in the cloud) and someone brings a laptop to check in/out holdings. Print outs and reports can be run. Outstanding items are tracked and recovered by the Librarian. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
packsaddle Posted May 6, 2015 Share Posted May 6, 2015 (edited) We do. And we don't. Eventually rats or roaches (usually both) allow room for replacement pamphlets and we fill in the feeding stations, oops I mean empty spaces on the shelf, with more (most likely outdated) pamphlets. Sometimes BSA leaves things alone long enough so that the ones near the end are still current. Edited May 6, 2015 by packsaddle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeCastor Posted May 6, 2015 Author Share Posted May 6, 2015 We do. And we don't. Eventually rats or roaches (usually both) allow room for replacement pamphlets and we fill in the feeding stations, oops I mean empty spaces on the shelf, with more (most likely outdated) pamphlets. Sometimes BSA leaves things alone long enough so that the ones near the end are still current. LOL! Yes, I was just down in our Troop's basement locker area and I thought I'd take a look at the library of MB pamphlets. Most of them are 25-30 years old! I keep expecting to see my name on the inside cover. One of my buddies in another district asked about photocopying the current pamphlets and keeping those on file rather than releasing the official copy to the Scouts. This buddy thought that might be violating copyright laws. Thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torchwood Posted May 6, 2015 Share Posted May 6, 2015 Copying would absoutely be a copyright violation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gone Posted May 6, 2015 Share Posted May 6, 2015 One of my buddies in another district asked about photocopying the current pamphlets and keeping those on file rather than releasing the official copy to the Scouts. This buddy thought that might be violating copyright laws. Thoughts? Copying would absolutely be a copyright violation. Correct. As would using any of the many pdf archives that are on the Internet these days. I know a scouter who surfs the net to find these pdfs and saves them up to a cloud share for his unit. Not exactly scout-like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stosh Posted May 7, 2015 Share Posted May 7, 2015 The troop librarian maintaining a MB book collection is a total waste of time and energy. There are plenty of other things more important for the boys to have access to than out-dated MB books. Like leadership resources, training resources, survival manuals, bird ID books, tree ID books, etc. How many troops out there only have out-dated MB books in their libraries? Raise your hands... Okay, that's pretty much the vast majority.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
packsaddle Posted May 7, 2015 Share Posted May 7, 2015 Yes, copyright violation...in both spirit and letter of law. Not that anyone would likely prosecute unless you converted them to pdf and started selling them online for a $1 each, lol. I've seen some online sites that are doing that for reference books. I recently spotted an expensive book by a friend on one of the sites to download for free. I alerted him to it and he nearly fell out of his chair. Worse, when he contacted the publisher the publisher reported that because of the country where this site is based, there is almost nothing they can do about it. THIS is the real 'Brave New World' that AZMike was talking about in another thread. Technology is moving ahead far more quickly than law or moral codes can adapt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gone Posted May 7, 2015 Share Posted May 7, 2015 The troop librarian maintaining a MB book collection is a total waste of time and energy. Unless the Librarian keeps all sorts of pubs like SPL and pl handbooks, planning guides,etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scoutergipper Posted May 7, 2015 Share Posted May 7, 2015 We keep a Library of various things, including MB booklets. Ours are mostly the newest version, especially the Eagle required. We allocate a certain amount in a budget item each year for the Librarian to use at his discretion. If a Scout requests a booklet that is out-of-date, the Librarian buys a new one. If we don't have one, we encourage the Scout to go get one and donate it to the Troop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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