At a crossroads

by Ilse Genovese

The ACSM Bulletin is at a crossroads. Because of the negative impact of the economy on revenues, the final three 2010 editions, beginning with this one, will be provided online only. A “digital Bulletin” has been in the works for some time, as the archive of past issues at www.webmazine.org attests. This August issue is a step up; it’s a dynamic digital edition that you can read as you would a printed magazine. In fact, what you love about the ACSM Bulletin in print, will now be delivered to you online—and more.
The ACSM Bulletin came into existence in June 1941, when the newly organized National Congress on Surveying and Mapping issued a small “bulletin” reporting on the first meeting of the organization. This Report and three subsequent issues of the Bulletin appeared as Volume 1 in the Index to Surveying and Mapping for the years 1941-1960.
The Bulletin of Surveying and Mapping continued as a quarterly publication until July 1944 when the name “Bulletin” was omitted from the cover and the issue was published as an issue of Surveying and Mapping. Almost two decades later, in November 1961, the ACSM Board of Direction authorized the publication of a “news Bulletin” between issues of Surveying and Mapping which would go on to evolve into an academic journal.
The Bulletin grew in both content and popularity. So much so that in summer 1971, it was decided that the Bulletin would be produced as a magazine. The editor of the anniversary 37th issue of the newly minted Bulletin magazine was the late Earle J. Fennell, past president of ACSM and former ACSM executive director. His editorial expresses aspirations for ACSM and its publishing efforts which endure to this day.

“Few are the opportunities for the principal officer of a company, an institution, or a professional society to address his associates directly in order to .... set forth the directions to be taken, which he believes important to those he represents. This statement is even more accurate when applied to an organization having broad national and international membership with related yet independently developing disciplines. Therefore, it is indeed an especially happy opportunity to be able to approach all of our membership from the forum of this first issue of the newly expanded Bulletin. .... Our new Bulletin will give the basis for a more comprehensive dialogue, a much fuller voice to those of you who wish to communicate your views and exchange professional information with your associates. It is expected too that the important programs of the technical divisions will be explored for all of us in each issue, for this Congress is designed to function in the areas of greatest potential benefit to you. You not only need to know but should actively want to know what developments are occurring in the primary areas of your interest. With your contribution, we feel confident that the Bulletin will become rapidly a most important extension of membership service and a further medium for dissemination of information on all levels of surveying and mapping.”

The initial issues of the Bulletin magazine were sent to all ACSM members and subscribers, to all members of ACSM affiliates who were not ACSM members, and to department heads of universities and colleges who were active in, or related to, educational programs in surveying and mapping. In addition, it was made available to principal officials in federal, state, and other government agencies having interest in surveying and to principal officers of private organizations with similar interests.
The reach of magazines such as ours has fallen through the decades for all the obvious reasons, but everything is relative. ACSM hopes to continue to engage members and subscribers through the ACSM Bulletin. So now begins a new era for the magazine. We are pressing on with our aspirations for a dynamic digital publication and hope that in 2011, we’ll be able to provide the option of a print edition, as well. We have a mission to fulfill, and work to do.