Notebook News - Annual member drive: A progress report

Have you joined yet?

The Notebook is off to a strong start in its quest for 500 members in 2010. Thanks to the 150 individuals and organizations responding so far. Through January, they contributed nearly $16,000 to the Notebook.

We’re encouraging our regular readers who have never before given to the Notebook to join the action and help us achieve our ambitious membership goal.

We ask you to become a member today. Please look over our membership benefits and join the Notebook with as generous a contribution as you can afford. And encourage your friends to join too.

Members make the Notebook stronger through both their financial support and their connection to the Notebook community. You can help us build a groundswell of informed and involved Philadelphians who are committed to improvement of our public schools.

The Notebook launched its membership program a year ago as a key component of a three-year expansion plan. And despite a tough period for the newspaper business, the Notebook has been thriving.

Seed money from foundations has allowed the Notebook to put more reporters on the ground, to start posting news and blogs every day at www.thenotebook.org, and to increase from four to six print editions per year.

We have made changes such as the full-color photos in our print edition; our team of bloggers, including classroom teachers; and the frequent breaking news reports online about the strife at South Philadelphia High School and the teachers’ contract.

We continue to provide all this content free – both in print and online, even though it costs more than $60,000 to produce and distribute each edition.

To sustain this coverage in 2010 and beyond, the Notebook is counting on a substantial increase in financial support from members.

A basic membership – $30 for individuals or $60 for organizations – offers a number of perks, including the opportunity to receive each edition promptly by first-class mail. All members gain access to an online member directory, connecting them with Notebook readers across the city and country.

Other membership levels provide access to additional benefits, including premium gifts and discounts to Notebook events.

Most importantly, your support allows us to continue to provide independent reporting on the schools that you cannot get anywhere else.

Invest in the Notebook’s future. Whether your donation is large or small, it will help us create a better and more engaging Notebook. Thank you!