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Dear map librarians:
I am still hopeful to fund the reprint of J.B. Harley's essay
described below, though I am less than two weeks form the
deadline. I was notified off-list by a map librarian that their
policy prohibits pre-purchasing titles without an absolute
assurance of their being published... making Kickstarter projects
like this problematic.
So here is a question for you: Is this pretty much usual practice?
If it is, since map libraries were a major target audience for
this piece, I wonder if something less formal—not an actual bid
(or whatever you call a Kickstarter-like contingent donation) but
a "We'd almost certainly buy it if it were available") would be
feasible. I'm a trusting sort, and if I know we were pretty much
there, I'd pony up the extra myself and then offer it at the same
price after the project became definite.
It raises an interesting question though, with this new
crowd-sourced model: should libraries adjust their policies? Is
speculative commitment a dangerous slippery slope? Curious...
Nat Case
INCase, LLC
http://incasellc.com
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Many of you are familiar with J.B. Harley's 1987 essay from
The
Map Collector, "The Map as Biography." It discusses a 1904
1:10,560 ("six-inch") Ordnance Survey sheet of the town where he
spent many years. The essay has been a touchstone to me, but I've
never actually seen the map, except for the extract printed with
the essay.
So, I'm using Rockethub (similar to Kickstarter) to presell a
short edition of the map and essay, printed on opposite sides of a
22 x 17 sheet. I have the blessing of Harley's estate (Paul
Laxton, executor). 25% of anything I eventually make over
out-of-pocket costs will go to the Harley Fellowships.
The maps will be printed on heavy paper (Mohawk 100lb text vellum,
warm white), and the map image will be printed as black and white,
NOT gray scale, so the details should be crisp and not fuzzy from
the dot screen.
Folded maps are $10, with a $15 option to buy one for your self
and one for your favorite map library. Rolled maps are $20.
Here's the site:
http://www.rockethub.com/projects/34637-j-b-harley-s-the-map-as-biography-the-map-in-question-on-one-sheet