[AFDCS press release]
AFDCS Makes Digital Edition of First Days Available To All Members

First Days, the award-winning journal of the American First Day Cover Society, is now available online to all classes of membership. The magazine is one of the principal benefits of membership in the AFDCS.

Each issue will be available in three different versions:

• A page-flip version which simulates an actual magazine on a monitor connected to a Windows or Macintosh computer;
• A mobile version for use on tablets, phones and other mobile devices; and
• A .pdf version, whose file can be downloaded and saved.

The online editions are available to members as soon as the issue is submitted to the printer, allowing earlier access to the journal, and without the problems inherent in postal delivery.

The AFDCS offers several levels of membership: Online, which does not include a printed copy of First Days; Regular, which does; Silver and Gold, which allow members to express their support of the AFDCS and first day cover collecting; and Life, which includes both the online and hard-copy magazines.

Members who want access to these digital editions of First Days, as well as other AFDCS digital publications planned for the near future, and have not previously registered on the site should click on “Member Register”in the top left corner of the AFDCS website, www.afdcs.org.

“Digital publishing of hobby publications is the future, and now, for the AFDCS, it’s the present,” said AFDCS president Lloyd A. de Vries. “I especially want to thank webmaster Todd Ronnei, who spent months seeking and then testing the necessary software.”

Ronnei was also responsible for compiling a digital archive of First Days from the first issue in 1955 through 2011, which is available on a DVD for $79 or a flash drive for $89. An update disk is planned covering subsequent years, although .pdf files of all issues from January 2011 to the present are still available.

The American First Day Cover Society is the world’s largest not-for-profit organization dedicated to the collecting of FDCs. Each issue of First Days is published in full color and includes articles, columns, Society business, a non-commercial Cover Exchange, and the best collection of FDC advertisements anywhere.

For more information on the AFDCS, visit www.afdcs.org or write to the AFDCS, P.O. Box 16277 Tucson, Arizona 85732-6277, or via e-mail at afdcs@afdcs.org.

[press release]

SPM 2014, to be held in scenic St. Pierre, Sept. 24-28, 2014, will take place on the tourism-friendly island of St. Pierre et Miquelon, a French Overseas Department, off the east coast of Canada. It is a national show, recognized by the InterAmerican Federation of Philately (FIAF), with participation of exhibitors from the home country, Canada, the USA, Chile, Colombia,and France. Judging will be by an internationally-accredited panel using the standards of the International Federation of Philately (FIP), and eight levels of medal will be awarded.

This is a chance for exhibitors to hone your skills and get FIP-level feedback before the next U.S.–based international show in New York in 2016.

Categories for SPM 2014 are Traditional, Postal History, Aerophilately, Postal Stationery, Maximaphily, Revenue, Youth, Open (Display), and Single Frame exhibits. Other than the latter, five and eight frame exhibits are being accepted.

More information is available on the SPM 2014 website: www.spm-expo.com. When you access the website, look for the English flag and click on it if you prefer English text.

The application form and show regulations are available there, or can be obtained by writing to John M. Hotchner U.S. Commissioner to SPM 2014 PO Box 1125 Falls Church, VA 22041-0125or by email at jmhstamp@verizon.net.

Because You Belong – News from the ATA
January 31, 2014

TOPICAL TIME

The Jan-Feb issue was sent to the printer yesterday and is scheduled to be mailed on Feb. 7. Allowing for the nine business days in which the USPS expects delivery, US members can expect to receive their copy by Feb. 18. This information is regularly posted on our website.  Please recycle the plastic wrapper in which it’s protected.  Before you do so, you might wish to take note of your ATA membership number and expiration date, found just above your name on the mailing label.  (If your expiration date is May 1, 2014, and you mail your dues dollars in February, it’ll save the ATA Office folks time and money in sending you a dues reminder in March.)

New this issue:  Electronic Topical Time (ETT).  All ATA members can access the electronic version of our journal from the home page of the ATA website, www.americantopicalassn.org, or directly at http://americantopicalassn.org/ETT/ETT-2014/ETT-383/

This issue includes a feature on Montenegro Coat of Arms by Miloje Chastven.  The Study Unit Spotlight article is from the Chess on Stamps Study Unit, by Joram Lubianeker.  A new and interesting column written by Dawn Hamman appears:  the first “My Topic” features our own Spiderwoman, Bea Vogel.  You’ll find the prospectus and exhibit application for National Topical Stamp Show (NTSS) in St. Louis; the jury and awards are announced, also.  Gary Hendren highlights the first information about NTSS tours.  And Dottie Smith has performed her indexing magic once again; this issue includes a helpful index of all the 2013 Topical Time issues.

NEXT YEAR’S NTSS
Next year’s National Topical Stamp Show will be at the Monarch Hotel and Convention Center, Clackamas (near Portland), Oregon, July 31-August 2, the venue of NTSS 2008. www.monarchhotel.cc/  (note the / at end)

STUDY UNIT PUBLICATION COMPETITION AT NTSS THIS YEAR
For information, contact Jeff Hayward, Director of Study Units:
PO Box 60180, Staten Island, NY 10306; stamps@jeffhayward.com

WHAT TO DO WITH A FREE EVENING…
We are all so busy that we often marvel at how quickly the time passes. But, once in a while, we have a free evening, and decide to take time for our favorite hobby–topical collecting.
When your free evening comes, and you want to look for new stamps, check first at
www.topicalsonline.com

It’s the ATA site that offers inexpensive topical stamps.  It’s easy to use, and allows you to search by more than 700 topics.  With your checklist in-hand, you can also search by country and Scott number.

When you make a purchase, the ATA receives 10 percent.  So, while adding to your collection, you are helping the ATA.  A great way to spend an evening!

APPOINTMENTS
Donald J Chenevert, Jr as ATA Legal Counsel and Director of Claims Services – To fill unexpired term ending in summer 2015. He fills the term of the late Joseph Frasch, Jr.

Amanda Morgenstern, new interim webmaster – she is the graphic designer who has served in a variety of roles for ATA including the design of our current website. We thank Sean Lamb for serving as our webmaster the past 2½ years. He brought our website out of infancy and into maturity, receiving Gold awards in the 2012 and 2013 APS Web Competitions.

AMBASSADORS WILL REPRESENT ATA AT THESE UPCOMING SHOWS
If you can assist at the ATA table for an hour or two, please contact the ATA Office.
Members may save postage by contacting the ATA Office to request that certain items (eg handbooks, membership directories, checklists, DVDs) be brought to these shows for them.

Jan. 31-Feb. 2
Southeastern Stamp Expo, Norcross, Georgia

Feb. 7-9
Sarasota National Stamp Exhibition, Sarasota, Florida

Feb. 14-16
APS AmeriStamp Expo, Little Rock, Arkansas

Feb. 22-23
Toledo Stamp Expo, Holland, Ohio

Mar. 21-23
St. Louis Stamp Expo, St. Louis, Missouri

Mar. 27-30
ASDA Spring Postage Stamp Show, New York, New York

ATA MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY
In February you’ll receive, by email, a request to supply information for ATA’s 2014-16 Membership Directory.  We will include in the Directory only the information you authorize.  But we certainly hope you’ll share your updated collecting interests and either an email or mail address, to facilitate communication with other topical collectors.  Please respond to our request immediately, to assist the ATA Office with preparation of the Directory.

WANTED – Please contact Jack Denys if you can serve in any of these ways: jdenys@verizon.net
▪  ATA Webmaster
Keeps the website current and secure, posting updates promptly, designing additions, serving as interface with provider
▪  Checklist Proofreaders – Proof new checklists for typos and consistency. Scott catalogue is NOT needed
▪  Catalogue Research Assistant – Someone to provide Scott catalogue numbers of recent issues for author of a proposed ATA handbook on the general topic of Frogs on Stamps (stamp scans provided)

BOLDLY TO THE FUTURE!