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FROM Martin W. Myers, Chairman
DATE: November 20, 1981

International Fellowship Committee

TO: Executive Committee

cc Members of International Fellowship Committee

 RE: International Fellowship Committee Program for placement of The Urantia Book in libraries other than those in the United States

The purpose of this memorandum is to provide more detail to members of the Executive Committee regarding the International Fellowship Committee's plans and methods for international library book placement so as to enhance a better understanding of how the $1,000.00 currently allocated for this purpose will be spent. Our program is discussed below. As it swings into action and gains momentum, it is our hope that the committee will receive additional funds in the coming years for the continued international library placement of The Urantia Book and translations thereof as they become available. Judging from the shared enthusiasm for our program as it is already generally understood, we will surely not be disappointed. 

First of all, although The Urantia Book is currently available only in English, we can take heart in that English has become and promises increasingly to be the international language of the world. This is, of course, is not to say that this obviates the need for translations of The Urantia Book as many of us have already poignantly experienced the need first hand. But while we hope and work for qualified translations, we should take advantage of those resources we currently have and exploit them to the maximum advantage possible,.setting the stage where possible for the discovery in other countries of the revelation in the original English free from possible mis-translations. 

The committee believes that one effective way to accomplish this is to place The Urantia Book in international bilingual libraries where an English book section already exists. Experience suggests that where possible, a personal contact with the person in charge of acquisitions is most effective. If that is impossible, then a letter will need do. There is some debate whether we should first entice them to buy the book, or make an outright offer of one as a gift with the understanding that it will indeed be made available for circulation. 

Upon reflection, it seems one could assume that with the world economy as it presently is, we would do better in these initial stages to offer to give a book to a particular library. 

But then the next question is where should we begin placing books? Before answering this question, please bear in mind that Urantia Brotherhood and Urantia Foundation have over the years placed books in approximately 140 libraries in other countries including Bangladesh, Chile, Dominican Republic, Finland, Germany, Guyana, Iceland, Indonesia, Japan, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Mexico, Monaco, Philippines, Switzerland, and Union of South Africa, as well as the British Isles, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. 

For the immediate future the committee has tentatively focused on Australia, Brazil, China, French Canada, Greece, Saudi Arabia, Spanish speaking Latin America,. and military bases of the U.S. armed forces. Currently, of the latter those targeted are Korea, Germany, Belgium (this one also serves all of Europe), the Canal Zone and all of Japan. These countries and areas were chosen initially because of the personal contacts already available to us in many of them. Undoubtedly, each of you has a recommendations and our list will grow, probably faster than our ability to exhaust it!

In any event, this process may be somewhat self-selecting as it seems wise to solicit the interest and aid of nationals in their respective countries to help effectively place The Urantia Book there. 

Our approach is rather simple. Attached is a suggested letter to librarians and a suggested letter to individuals on our international mailing list. Also attached are two suggested follow-up letters, one to those libraries which have not responded to our offer, and the other to be used with those who accept the gift. A further suggested letter is attached which could be used to send to those libraries accepting our offer to be sure the book is in circulation. Finally, enclosed is a letter which we propose to send to the 140 or so libraries to whom we have previously sent books, to determine if they are still available. These letters may be modified as the situation demands. These letter samples, attached to this memorandum are, however, an integral part both of this exposition and our program. Hopefully, these letters will all be typed on "Maggie." 

The IFC is currently working on an informational pamphlet along the lines of that originally suggested by Larry Bowman and later by Harry McMullan. Until such time as it becomes available, we can, one would think, confidently rely upon those materials currently available from headquarters. 

Our goal for book placement in 1982 is 50 volumes, which will roughly exhaust the $1,000.00 currently allocated to this effort. 

The committee sees the foregoing as an on-going program to which creative improvements will be made, both as we gain experience and increasingly enlist the cooperation of others. The committee realizes, however, that there are finite limits and our enthusiasm is tempered somewhat by what we hope is a studied realism which will ultimately promise solid and effective results over the long term for that time when the world will indeed be ready to seek after truth and righteousness. 

This program is sponsored by the entire International Fellowship Committee and friends. Once approved, it will initially be executed and coordinated by Julia K. Fenderson and myself with the anticipated assistance of the Resident Director and his staff to the extent their time and other precious resources permit. Participation will be expanded as opportunities arise. The foregoing statement as to library book placement is descriptive of our currently planned efforts and suggestive of those in the future. It by no means is definitive and it purposely does not touch on other aspects of international dissemination. 

Your suggestions, comments and criticisms are welcome. 

It has been fun preparing these materials, and it will be even more fun if we may have your approval to proceed, generally following our program as described above.