Leaders Handbooks going online

I was at our Council Scout Popcorn Kickoff last night (let's not get into that discussion) when a comment was made by the Council Executive Director that within a year or so, all Leader Handbooks will be online. Hard copies will still be available at Scout Shops but the expectation was that Leaders would use the online version.

Thoughts?

It's being prepared as I write...keep watching...

Having just tried to make a full size pattern for a Wolf totem, I hope they include all the dimensions. That said, anyone got a good plan to make the totem that includes all the dimensions?

Michael Diegel
1st Rosthern Group Commissioner, Chaplain, Beavers
National Lutheran Partner Rep.

In the mean time, my Scouter Wiki site has the 2005 and 1995 versions of the Cub Leaders's Handbooks for your reference purposes:

http://scouter.wikidot.com/The%20Wolf%20Cub%20Leaders%20Handbook%202005
http://scouter.wikidot.com/The%20Pack%20Resource%20Book%2019955

(Not printable quality... just scanned for reference purposes.)

I am also advocating that SOME of the material from youth handbook be available online in an official, at least where they are useful to leaders in preparing programs. (E.g. specific skills, crafts, games, etc.)

I wrote to our Deputy Council Commissioner Training when I heard about this.

My main concerns:

1) We ask (require?) all new Leaders read and bring their Leaders Handbook with them to their Woodbadge Part 1. Both my trainers refer to it when developing their session plans (as required in the Course Training Standards) and often refer to it in the training session. My concern is that new Leaders won't have accessed the online version before training.

2) Scouts Canada is, again, downloading costs to individual Scouters. If someone decides to print this out, chances are it will end up costing more than a hard copy would.

I did ask, if they insist on going this route, to create an ePub version which could be downloaded to Kindles, Sony eReaders, Kobos, etc.

In our councel first time leaders recive the book when they show up for wood badge.

I don't see it as passing the cost on as leaders or groups have to pay for the book anyway. This allows them to save money.

I personaly would prefer to have all of my books electronic as it would make them much more accessable. I've got a large stack of resourse books that sit on the back of a shelf because they are so inconvinent to use. Having all of those books in a format where I can carry them with me and search threw them would be nice.

It is really about what is best for each leader. This is just providing one more format for delivery as hard copies will still be for sale.

Edit: Changed "/" to "or" for clearity.

Richie,

Some Groups pay for Leaders Handbooks instead of making Leaders pay for them. Personally, I've always bought my own because I want to keep them on hand instead of giving them back to the groups.

Robert,
Yes most groups are willing to pick up any costs that a leader may have to pay. My point was that Scouts Canada was not paying for the books as is so they are not passing the cost off. If someone wants a hard copy they are still able to order it as befor. This is simply another format to make uses of all our resources not a replacment.

All Scouts Canada publications and handbooks should be available to Youth and Leaders as free PDF downloads.

Alan,

But should they only be available as free PDF downloads? This seems to be the direction Scouts Canada is moving.

You can always send the PDF to Staples for a few dollars to have it printed and bound.

>> But should they only be available as free PDF downloads?
>> This seems to be the direction Scouts Canada is moving.

No, I agree they should be available as both PDF and printed copies. Particularly for the Youth who need to be able to have their books with tham, and be able to write in them.