This issue of Network News will be the final edition in print format. The next and all future issues will be published exclusively online, following the recommendations of the LTER Strategic Communication Plan, which is currently being finalized. We will also offer a portable document format (pdf) for those who wish to print out the complete set of stories.
We believe the new format offers significant advantages that will improve communication of LTER activities and achievements. We will, for example:
- Save on printing paper (which means fewer trees felled), as well as printing and mailing costs
- Be able to carry more stories on a more regular and timely basis
One disadvantage is that we will no longer provide our set of selected and bound stories to distribute to official and casual visitors to our sites, or to provide good, easy reading material to visitors in our waiting rooms. However, if you need such material, you will be able to print the pdf version on demand.
To lessen the trauma of separation, we will email to subscribers a periodic summary with highlights and links to all the stories submitted.
Experienced journalists say that a good story is a timely story; our new electronic format allows you to send in your stories as soon as they are ready to go. We therefore urge you, dear readers, to continue supporting this initiative by sending in your stories.
Moreover, you will also be able to provide direct links to important related online articles to which you want to direct your readers’ attention, or attach a pdf for them to download.
A few things will not change however: we will still ask that you send us jargon-free material, no more than 500 words, written in plain English, and well composed high resolution photographs and graphics. We hope these simple guidelines will help us improve the information flow within the Network and communication with the broader community.