University of Virginia Library

'Soundings'

C. Davis Traces
Directory History

By John Casteen

This is Part I of a two part
series.

In an article published in this
column on March 4, we stated that
the current University Directory is
"incomplete, frequently vague,
frequently inaccurate, and not
especially well produced," and we
called on the University Union to
"think seriously about ending its
working agreement with Plains
Publications, producer of the
current University Directory, and
finding some other means to
prepare future directories."

We suggested specifically that
"the Union should investigate use
of University facilities, including
the Computer Center and perhaps
the printing office." After that
column appeared, we received a
letter from Mrs. Carol Davis,
Secretary to University Union
Director John Herring, protesting
certain errors in our description of
the Directory's preparation and
offering to discuss ways to improve
future directories.

We found Mrs. Davis a very
knowledgeable and able authority
on the Directory. She began by
tracing its history. "There has been
a Directory of one kind or another
for several years," she said. "When I
first came to Newcomb Hall in
1960, the Directory was produced
at the University Printing Office.

"It was set in type and pretty
much hand made. Then after 2 or 3
years, we changed to offset production,
with the Printing Office
still doing the printing. The University
Union and the Registrar's
Office cooperated in preparing
printer's copy, with the Union
doing the faculty and staff sections
and the Registrar doing the student
section. At that time the Printing
Office handled all actual production
details except copy preparation
and ad sales.

"We found two things basically
wrong with this system. First,
printing costs - even using offset -
far exceed receipts. We lost money
every year, and the Union had to
find other funds to cover the loss
on the Directory. Second, for some
reason Charlottesville merchants
would not give us ads. We had a
small core of merchants who
subscribed out of loyalty to student
customers, but our advertising income
simply would not grow.
Students canvassed. Mr. Herring
and other officials canvassed. And
we got nowhere.

"So 3 years ago a directory
company offered to take over the
actual printing, and the Union
contracted with that company. The
University continued to provide
printer's copy, but the company
(Plains Publications) did the printing
and took over all advertising.

"Essentially, the ads now pay
for the Directory. The company
sends its agents to Charlottesville
each summer and solicits enough
advertising to cover the printing
and its own profit. Obviously
enough, the company's full-time,
professional advertising personnel
have had better success than our
part-time volunteer workers had."

We asked Mrs. Davis to explain
what the University now does as its
part of preparing the Directory.
"During the summer, we send
letters of information to all departments
and organizations listed in
the previous year's Directory, and
to new ones that we know about.
These letters include cards on
which secretaries list department or
organization members or officers,
as well as other information to go
in the Directory.

"Then individual cards for each
entry are run off by Data Processing,
and copies are sent back to the
departments for corrections in
September. As corrections come in,
during the early fall, the Registrar's
office transfers new information to
the data processing cards. Then
Data Processing products a printout
from which Plains Publications
makes up the photo-offset Directory.
Student entries are taken
directly from cards filled out at
Registration.

"Needless to say, there are
difficulties with the system. No one
in the Union has ever pretended
that it is perfect. For one thing, the
Directory is a step-child. Too many
agencies can influence its preparation
too many points.

"The Union has no separate
funds to support a regular Directory
producer, and the income
from sales - coming to only several
hundred dollars each year - goes
directly to pay for clerical work
and data processing. We feel lucky
just to make ends meet. Before we
adopted this system we couldn't do
even that. The loss got to be
beyond reach."