CENTRAL STATES SUSPENDS AUTHOR GRANT PROGRAM

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V21 2018 INDEX E-SYLUM ARCHIVE

The E-Sylum: Volume 21, Number 27, July 8, 2018, Article 16

In 2011 the Central States Numismatic Society instituted its Author Grants Program. In the intervening years the program awarded over 34 grants and aided the publication of 22 numismatic books. CSNS President and Acting Education director Mitch Ernst announced the suspension of the program in the Summer 2018 issue of their official publication, The Centinel. With permission, here is the text of his Education Director's Report. -Editor

Bob Dylan once wrote, "The times they are a changing" Like our times, our education programs are changing as well. After analysis and review, the board has voted to suspend some programs that were shown to be less than cost effective and some that were shown to be less popular with our membership. The programs suspended are: The Library Book program, The Author Grant program and the Traveling Seminars.

The programs that we will be continuing have shown to have your support and also effectively share our educational mission. The continuing programs are: The Club Speaker program and The DVD program.

At the convention we will also continue our very popular and well supported speaker programs. The Heritage Educational Forum will continue due to the substantial sponsorship by Heritage Auctions. We will also continue our popular exhibit area at the convention. And, we are excited to announce an addition to our education offerings at the convention. The History in your Hands Foundation, a Chicago based numismatic educational organization, will be leading our programs for beginning and young collectors.

It's been said that "No one likes change". That may very well be true. Change is hard. It upsets the status quo and the things of which we have become familiar. Yes, "the times they are a changing" and even though change is hard to accept, this change is necessary.

This was a tough decision for our board. It was not easy suspending this program knowing the benefit that these grants have afforded numismatic authors over the years. However, knowing the many authors that have benefited from the program, and the many readers who have enjoyed their works, I can only hope we can find sponsors to fund the program in the future so it can be re-instated.

Many thanks to CSNS for its creation and support of the program over the years. Numismatic research and publishing is the lifeblood of our hobby; new books often reignite old collecting areas or open up entirely new ones. I'm hopeful that CSNS (or perhaps some other organization) may one day be able to resume the program, and grateful for the fruit it has borne to date. -Editor

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