BSA Handbook Best-Seller

Ed Grune

Revise

Completed

For the 100th Anniversary It would be neat to see the Boy Scout Handbook BACK on the Best Seller lists like it was back in the day...back in the Baden Powell days 'Scouting for Boys' was a best seller, and the book was a major way to recruit new boys, where as now the handbook is something that a boy generally gets AFTER he registers. A sleek copy that would sell at Borders or Barnes & Noble would do alot to recruit, and raise public awareness.

Idea # 432100th Anniversary

Moderator Comments

1/27/09
From: David Harkins, Supply Group

BSA's Licensing Team has been working on this opportunity for several months. While we have licensees interest in producing this product, we do face the challenge of lack-of-interest by trade (Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, etc.) buyers. Unfortunately, these buyers currently believe that this book to have narrow market appeal.

We work these challenges daily and will share information about new products as it becomes available. If you are interested in learning more about licensed products and licensees, please consider subscribing to the BSA Licensing Insider here: http://www.bsalicensing.org/email_subscribe.htm

Comments

charlyn.lambert 10 months ago

I agree.... I have actually bought at Barnes and Nobles the Canadian Military Physical Exercises book and the Army Handbook for Field Operations (ie: how to take care of yourself when lost in the field)

I am sure that if we did an attractive new design cover that the handbook original handbook would sell too... especially to all the former scouters and eagle scouts...

jturman 10 months ago

Actually, anybody can legally do what you're proposing without any kind of permission. The first edition published in 1908 is no longer copyrighted since it was published over 100 years ago. You can download the book at http://www.thedump.scoutscan.com/s4b.html.

sean.holveck 9 months ago

The more public awareness we can create worldwide the better and if we need to make deals as far as shelf space and slots we need to make sure that it gets done.

Also if there is a publisher and someone to correspond with news shows that cover the New York Best Sellers lists, it would be awesome to see that. It would create a lot of buzz if it was released right before our 2010 celebration.

An excellent idea if executed well.

jturman 9 months ago

I misspoke earlier. The copyright status of the book according to Wikipedia is:

Copyright Status

The British Scout Association owns the copyright to Scouting for Boys today. The book will enter the Public Domain in 2011, 70 years after the death of its author on 8 January 1941.[7] Until then, it may only be reproduced after permission is granted from the Scout Association headquarters (other than for copyright exceptions in specific countries, such as fair use). The Boy Scouts of America have been granted a special copyright license by Baden-Powell himself for their Boy Scout Handbook, written during the BSA's formal founding in 1910.[4]

John Oneil 9 months ago

I disagree with the notion that "there just isn't public interest" for the book. I bought my sister Bear Grylls' "Man vs. Wild" book for Christmas (her request). The topics covered in his book and TV show include wilderness survival, plant and wildlife indentification, animal tracking, etc. Does this sound familiar? There is a market, we just need to hit it properly.

Ed Grune 9 months ago

I agree with John Oneil's comment completely. There are lots of very popular books/media out there that are very similar with the content of the handbook. "The Dangerous Book for Boys" and the "The Daring Book for Girls" immediately come to mind...only ours is better :)

Judy Sizemore 5 months ago

Status Changed from Active to Complete.

Judy Sizemore 5 months ago

Status Changed from Complete to In Progress.

Judy Sizemore 1 month ago

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