Each volunteer provides his or her own computer, Internet access, and software programs. In addition, there are fairly substantial expenses every month for which the project as a whole takes responsibility, such as $500 for the database and $600 for graphics. These regular expenses are more than covered by a monthly pledge base that is now $1,728 with contributions of $5 to $30 a month coming from 93 volunteers. In all, more than $32,000 has been contributed to the reprint project.

The long-standing debts the volunteers had for database rental fees and for graphics work are now completely paid off. We are now working to pay off the debt to Pathfinder Press for books that have been distributed to volunteers over the past few years for scanning, proofreading, graphics reproduction, and other use, which comes to $10,000. The current surplus of income over expenses means that $228 a month can now be set aside for this debt repayment. Our goal is to raise our monthly pledge base so the debt can be paid off at a faster rate.

The many changes the project has gone through recently--from the expansion of the graphics and formatting production teams, the institution of additional quality checks, the production of new books, and producing the ads in New International--have also been financed by the volunteers. We spent $900 for two new printers, ink, and photo-quality paper so that volunteers in graphics can produce proof prints of the covers on 11x17 paper. We've also bought several fonts, font reference books, and software for graphics volunteers, who check the final files to make sure they will work perfectly on the press.

The steering committee of the volunteers is also urging those active in the Pathfinder Reprint Project to become qualified Pathfinder sales representatives and to participate in selling the books we produce to libraries and bookstores around the world, starting with the cities we live in. This will complement the work of creating the books: there aren't many who would be better at explaining the value of a book than someone who has proofread, formatted, indexed, or created the cover or photo signature for it.

Contributions to the project's work can be mailed to: The Reprint Project, 3542 Fruitvale Ave., #245, Oakland, CA 94602-2327.

If you would like to participate in the effort to digitize the books, please contact Ruth Cheney at RuthChen@pacbell.net.  
 
 
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