I've been following the discussion.
I subscribe to the bulletin - well worth three quid of anyone's money!
and get many of the pamphlets (some i even pay for!)
what i would suggest are:
1) putting all KSL pamphlets online after the initial print run has sold out, (ie don't bother reprinting them)
2) have a supporters' subscription that covers cost of pamphlets as well as the bulletin, say £20 a year.
*bump* because I just remembered this with the talk of the new Courier workers union in Chicago.
I was also wondering what happened with this:
We are going to put these particular pamphlets online. We may also experiment with putting up our next pamphlet. It'll be interesting to see what effect this has.
?
Again, we would still like to put up Couriers are revolting in particular, because it's great, because the author gave us permission, because we spent a considerable amount of time OCRing it and tidying it up, and because it's already online as a crappy PDF here with no crediting link to the KSL. We would be keen to try out financial options with KSL, with big donate link (I take it anarchoAl would still be happy to help KSL set up paypal or nochex account or whatever?), and possibly links to buy online via Amazon, or perhaps we could work out a deal with Frontline books? We libcom could even possibly pay KSL directly for the ability to put texts online, which we could make up by launching individualised donation appeals?
It seemed like this discussion was going somewhere before, so hopefully we can get the momentum back...
if the author gave you permission I don't see what else you need.
We don't want KSL to hate us, basically.
I think KSL are incredible, it is just such a shame that there isn't greater distribution of their work.
I really hope they agree to let us archive their pamphlets- just think how many more people would get to see them.
Nor is digitization a magic solution. In the race to obsolescence a computer file will often become unusable before a book will. Also, no matter how you do it, facsimiles and digital editions are only ever versions of the original: you can try and preserve as much information as possible but something is always lost in translation. Some members of the library collective work in one of the world’s leading digital library projects, so thinking that we’re pipe-and-slippers book lovers who are afraid of computers is not accurate.
Computer files never become obsolete - there's always a way to decode a file, however it's stored, and that's always very easy, unless it's been deliberately encrypted. Magnetic storage (hard drives etc.) does decay, but you can always use CDs or DVDs, or other more permanent means of data storage.
Also, for texts, surely the words are the only thing worth preserving? Who cares about the layout and quality of paper - these are the only things that could possibly be "lost in translation".
KSL have just kindly agreed to let us put The Couriers are Revolting online. I'm going to start a thread asking for donations for it.
The thread is now here. If you want to see more texts online donating here would probably help!
On that note revol68 has also allowed you to publish his ramblings bout electro clash girls, football, UFC wrestling and the Friends of Durruti, he will be expecting a similar donation link. ;)
What have you been saying about electroclash girls?
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Thanks very much for your measured and informative post, John. I'll reply to some bits when I have time later.