Merit Badge Pamphlet accessibility - how does your Troop approach these?

[IndyDad]

As the dad of a First Class scout and myself now a Merit Badge Counselor for a couple of badges, I find the topic of Merit Badge Pamphlets a bit confusing from a BSA standpoint. When my son initially crossed-over, I had seen the term 'merit badge pamphlet' and read that you could purchase them but thought they were just printed versions of the Badge Requirements pdf found on Merit Badges | Boy Scouts of America (scouting.org), which had me questioning why an 8 page printed form cost $5 or $6. It wasn't until I was browsing the official BSA store when I found out about the full pamphlets. 

But the cost and overall accessibility of the pamphlets seems a bit off. They now run $6 per printed version OR online(pdf) version. While I don't have an issue with paying for physical things or the time it takes to research and build out the pdf, it seems anti-scouter friendly to charge the same amount for the printed version vs the pdf. And why not include the pdf version if you buy the printed version? I'd like to see our troop have current copies of all eagle-required badges (we used to many years ago), and that's around $100 or so out of our budget. Add more if want other popular badges. Buying every single badge pamphlet would be unrealistic (135 badges or so x $6 = no thank you). Why not make the pdf versions $1 or $2 to let scouts access their badge resources easier? Our local libraries stopped carrying these, so that avenue is no longer available.

How do other troops approach this? Do you try to buy a copy of all and loan out? Do you make scans and let scouts print out their own copies? Do you require troop counselors buy a copy for each badge their cover?

[DuctTape]

It used to be that the troop would have a library of pamphlets which the troop librarian would be in charge. The librarian would keep records of which scout borrowed which pamphlet, ensure the pamphlets were up to date, etc... A troop usually did not have all mBs in the library but would have multiple copies of the popular ones. 

[T2Eagle]

It is, frankly, crass.  There are very few times when I buy into "they're just doing it for the money", but in this instance I can't really think of a different  explanation than that.  The pamphlets are written by volunteers, and the value added from BSA central is just about nil.  There's no good reason they couldn't make these available online for free.

In answer to your question what do troops do, we keep a lending library.  We have all the Eagle required and most of the more popular ones offered at summer camp.  The troop budgets for those, and they get supplemented by scouts who choose to buy their own, either duplicates of what we have or some of the many other badges.

Honestly, they don't get much use these days.  Kids are used to having their information, even school books, electronically, and almost any info in the pamphlet is easily found through Google. 

Edited August 17, 2022 by T2Eagle

[Eagle94-A1]

@IndyDad

 

1. Welcome to the forums.

 

2. In regards to Merit Badge Pamphlets ( MBPs), BSA changes requirements so fast that I no longer recommend them. Seriously one MB had something like 5 requirement changes in a 8 year period. The information that is in the MBP is easily available via other sources: library books, online databases, Youtube videos, etc. I keep current with the requirement changes via www.macscouter.com.

3. good luck as a MBC.

 

[mrjohns2]

They are still good resources. We don't keep them up to date due to the frequent changes. They could cost less if the pages weren't all color. 

[malraux]

I wish the MBP were rolled into scoutbook. Even if it were something like a subscription at the troop level to have them in a reasonable check out/in format, it would be better. The paper ones made sense back in the day, but everything is moving electronic now.

[mrjohns2]

Yes! Like an Apple Music subscription. All you can eat for $200/year. I assume it would have to be substantial like $200+

[malraux]

Just now, mrjohns2 said:

Yes! Like an Apple Music subscription. All you can eat for $200/year. I assume it would have to be substantial like $200+

some price per youth in your troop would make sense. $10 per youth or something. Each youth can check out up to 3 titles at a time, etc. The current electronic options for merit badges suck.

[fred8033]

Troop stopped maintaining MB book library.  Extremely rarely used.  Just not worth the effort.  

I flip-flop.   Price is too much.  I fear inflation pushing price even higher.  It's not thifty.  Also, the MB book practice is anachronistic in an online society.  When scouts are driven and motivated, they won't pick up a physical book.  They go-online fast.  

On the flip side, there is something about a physical book.  Opening and seeing pictures and words with fixed locations on paper and the words will still be in that exact spot the next day.  I remember the eco building with their books where scouts would work.  Scouts did often open those books.   ... BUT ... they opened the books when idle and absorbing the eco center.  .... They never opened the books when pushed to earn a badge.  

As a MBC, I just can't honestly recommend the scouts get the MB book.  Scouts are to learn the topic; not pushed to spend money.

Edited August 19, 2022 by fred8033

[InquisitiveScouter]

 

As an MBC, I have a copy of the book (I learn a good deal from them), and loan it to the Scout if they wish to use it.

[qwazse]

MBP costs started to climb rapidly once BSA began to print full color covers.

Still, the point of a troop librarian is to collect and organize MBPs and other literature for other scouts to use in ensuing years. It’s okay if the scout is reading a slightly older edition of a pamphlet, as long as he or she knows the current requirements. Thus, the web page on scouting.org.

Regarding being a counselor, it’s a good idea to keep up with training and to follow Advancement News.

[MattR]

I hate to say this but few scouts are motivated to read the material. While I think the books are informative the scouts are focused on the few pages with the requirements. I can't blame them because that's how MBs work. Anyway, it seems to be easier for scouts to google or just guess how to explain, describe or discuss something than read the book.

If someone has an idea on how to motivate scouts to read the books I'm interested in hearing it. I think it would require really skilled counselors, which is along the lines of "just find more volunteers" - a simple idea that's very hard in practice.

[fred8033]

37 minutes ago, MattR said:

If someone has an idea on how to motivate scouts to read the books I'm interested in hearing it. ...

Back to the heart of scouting.  Outings and social interactions. 

• Canoeing MB?  Go canoeing.  Hold the paddle.  During the trip, show a j-stroke and how to properly enter and exit the canoe.   Discuss the names and parts of the canoe.
• Bicycling MB?  Go biking and fix a tire and etc, etc.  
• Camping MB?  Go camping.  Work thru the requirement details in a one-on-one basis.  
• Citizen of the nation MB?  Have the conversations.  Go visit historical sites.  Have the discussions. 

MB pamphlets should be the fall back, but not the main path.  Scouting is not school with assigned text books and worksheets. 

MB pamphlets are better for the MBC than for the scout.  More like the teacher's answer guide.  

[OaklandAndy]

2 hours ago, fred8033 said:

MB pamphlets should be the fall back, but not the main path.

Creativity doesn't stop in Cub Scouts. 

[SiouxRanger]

4 hours ago, fred8033 said:

Back to the heart of scouting.  Outings and social interactions. 

• Canoeing MB?  Go canoeing.  Hold the paddle.  During the trip, show a j-stroke and how to properly enter and exit the canoe.   Discuss the names and parts of the canoe.
• Bicycling MB?  Go biking and fix a tire and etc, etc.  
• Camping MB?  Go camping.  Work thru the requirement details in a one-on-one basis.  
• Citizen of the nation MB?  Have the conversations.  Go visit historical sites.  Have the discussions. 

MB pamphlets should be the fall back, but not the main path.  Scouting is not school with assigned text books and worksheets. 

MB pamphlets are better for the MBC than for the scout.  More like the teacher's answer guide.  

Well, to a degree.

Which comes first, the chicken or the egg?

I lean toward education first, experience second.  (Though I can see some advantage in letting Scouts attempt and struggle, THEN get instruction, but that seems inefficient to me.)

Having recently counseled a Scout for Chess merit badge, I worked through the Merit Badge Book to make sure I was covering all the topics and issues included in the MBadge requirements, AND explaining them in the terms as the BSA presented them.  The Merit Badge Book served as a checklist with explanation-and it was helpful.  For me, personally, I generally whup all comers, but being an instructor is another matter.  It is not about me, but presenting a topic comprehensively.  As an instructor, your responsibility is to cover all the major topics-to place concepts before the Scout with explanation and explaining their significance.  Putting them into practice is another matter, and I think it is essential that putting principles into practice is critical.  Which merit badges are high on application or low, I do not know.