The Domestic Extension Committee is pleased to report progress in the past year in the two main activities of its responsibility, study group relations and book distribution.

1. As promised in last year's annual report, all known study groups in the United States have been contacted and information compiled to update membership. Waldine Stump completed over 500 telephone calls in this project, and this revised directory information should be available by the time of the General Council. Waldine said that her calls appeared to be deeply appreciated, particularly by the more isolated groups, who were glad to be reminded that the Brotherhood cares about them and is interested in their welfare and progress. A number of groups had had visitors due to their listings in the first edition of the study group directory.

We have more study groups now than we did at the time of the last directory, and although some have as much as doubled in size, by and large most study groups are not growing. The underlying problem appears to be a low level of commitment among our members, both in terms of regular attendance and in recruiting new readers. Our committee will try to develop a program to help improve this situation next year, in part by considering the suggestions made at our recent Orlando Design shop.

2. Library book placement. Due to the generous gift of 1,200 English URANTIA Books by URANTIA Foundation, as well as our allocation of 225 books in the Brotherhood budget, we have been able to place a record number of URANTIA Books in libraries in the past year: 1,375 since the last General Council.

In Tom Allen's "regular" program using reader volunteers to place books in libraries, 190 books have been placed since the last report, for a total of 716 books since the program began. So far, 165 volunteers have worked to make this program a success.

Last year Tom Allen began a new program of direct-mail-free book offers to libraries. Mailing lists were acquired, and in October 1985, 3,118 letters were sent to public libraries, which produced 119 acceptances. In February 1986 an additional 5,781 offer letters were sent to libraries from which there have been to date 166 acceptances. In summary, from 8,899 letters we have received a total of 285 responses, or 3.2 %. Total out-of-pocket placement costs for stationery, envelopes, postage, and mailing list acquisition came to $10.57 per book. Needless to say, this project involved a lot of volunteer work. We thank the many Oklahoma Society members who helped in labeling and stuffing for the mailout, and Marian Rowley and CeCe Forrester in their continuing work of book mailouts and office accounting at 533.

Additionally, Vince Meyers has been placing library books at a furious rate. As of the writing of this report (early May), Vince has placed approximately 750 gift books in libraries. While Vince is not formally a member of the Domestic Extension Committee, we are grateful for his efforts, as well as URANTIA Foundation for supplying the books, and another individual who has paid Vince's expenses so as to make it possible for him to do this work. By the time of the General Council, undoubtedly Vince will have placed the entire 900 books which will have been made available to him.

Our goals for book placement for next year are largely constrained by financial considerations. To the extent that the Brotherhood or Foundation is able to fund gift books, we will try to be equally aggressive next year. We hope to continue the volunteer placement program as usual. Vince and his outside sponsor have stated their willingness to place as many as 2,500 books. Also, we can acquire new mailing lists for public, college, prep school, seminary, church and other libraries to whom we could make offers. This aspect of the report may strike some of you as a "numbers game," because that's what it takes to make the book available in as many libraries as possible. Hopefully, however, we're not forgetting the purpose behind it all.

3. Another project discussed in last year's annual report was the creation of a booklet of excerpted spiritual principles from The URANTIA Book which might be used as a study aid for beginning URANTIA Book study groups. With the help of a number of you on the Council, this project was completed in draft form as a booklet entitled "21 Steps To A Spiritual Awakening - A Study Guide Based Upon The URANTIA Book", which I earlier 'sent each of you. As I said in a cover letter at that time, after having worked with it, it seemed more appropriate for it to be an individual rather than a Brotherhood publication, and it was handled in that way.

4. Pursuant to a General Council resolution of last summer, Domestic Extension Committee was assigned the responsibility to report on Brotherhood business practices regarding the sale of URANTIA Books. On the recommendation of the president of URANTIA Brotherhood, however, this report will be postponed until next year, due to the fact that extensive changes in Brotherhood business methods are currently being implemented, which would cause any report-on what we are now doing to become quickly obsolete. This year has been a active and enjoyable one for me in terms of Urantia activities. I wish to thank each of the members of Domestic Extension Committee who served during the past year: CeCe Forrester, David Kulieke, Tom Allen, Waldine Stump, and Mo Siegel. We all appreciate the opportunity to have served during the past year, and look forward to hearing any comments or suggestions by any of you concerning ways in which we could better perform our duties.

Respectfully submitted,

Harry McMullan, Chairman Domestic Extension Committee*

* P.S. Hope you get around to changing our name some day..