I've said it before and I'll say it again, if AML wants to move "into the
21st century and employ the most current, and popular, technology" and
counter "declining membership," then it needs active content on its home
page (not buried somewhere inside).
The list generates tons of content, some of it even valuable, and it needs
to be right up on the marquee where passing eyes will see it. The easiest
way to do this is with a blog featuring content generated from the list, but
any PHP-driven publishing-type database would work.
I would reserve associationmormonletters.org as well. It's only $7.
Eugene Woodbury
www.eugenewoodbury.com <
http://www.eugenewoodbury.com/>
_____
From: Association for Mormon Letters [mailto:aml@???]
Sent: Friday, October 26, 2007 11:15 PM
To: amllist
Cc: aml-list@???
Subject: [aml-list] Message from AML's President-elect
Dear AMLers:
In moving the AML list to a discussion board, our intention, as a board, was
never to make list members angry nor to cause people to feel disenfranchised
from the Mormon literary community. We simply wanted to move the AML list
into the 21st century and employ the most current, and popular, technology.
As a board, we all viewed the AML list as a "perk" of membership, even
though we have not regulated that perk by requiring membership. In moving
the AML discussion onto a more public forum we wanted to ensure that it
reflects the opinions of AML members rather than those of the general public
or those with less than noble intentions. I think we all know how easily
these Mormon-themed boards can be invaded by people with ulterior motives.
We believed that very few anti-Mormon trollers would care to pay the $25
membership fee in order to disrupt the discussion. This was the reasoning
behind our decision.
We have, it's true, seen declining membership and had hoped that a more
public presence would help encourage a more serious commitment to the
organization, one that moves people to make their affiliation with AML
concrete by paying dues. We anticipated that there would be some ruffled
feathers with our move; however, we did not anticipate being so
overwhelmingly persuaded by the arguments for rethinking the forum rules.
Also, we were as much influenced by the people making the comments as with
the comments themselves. The emails from former board members and list
administrators carry added weight because we know these people not only have
AML's best interest at heart, but they understand the operations of the
organization.
I just got off the phone with AML's president, Eric Samuelsen (whose home
email is not working at present), and we both agreed that arguments for
keeping the discussion board open to both members and non-members are
convincing and have decided to revise the rule. We will now allow all who
care to contribute to the discussion to post on the board. However, to
ensure the public presence of AML members is truly distinguished from those
who are not members, we will be designating each user as either a "member"
or a "visitor." We will also require that your user name be the same as your
real name, so we do not have anonymous posters.
We do urge those of you who have not yet joined the Association of Mormon
Letters to consider joining. And those of you who have let your memberships
lapse, we hope will renew your memberships. If you care about quality
literature, drama, poetry, film, art, or music, AML deserves your support.
It is, I believe, one of the most venerable and relevant institutions within
our Mormon community. It is almost unique in avoiding the polemical winds of
our time, while maintaining its integrity. It has fostered discussion
without creating enemies. It has promoted art while accepting varying
conceptions of art. It has promoted standards of quality without becoming
dogmatic, about either principals of faith or art. And, most important, it
has fostered community.
We hope you find our new AML living room a warm and inviting place to gather
and converse. Please enjoy yourselves, but please also avoid tracking mud
onto the carpets, spilling Postum on the couch, or breaking Aunt Matilda's
vase.
Thanks to all for your comments and ideas,
Boyd Petersen
AML president-elect
Association for Mormon Letters
aml@???
