© 1987 Urantia Foundation
We are pleased to report that more copies of the English version of The URANTIA Book have been distributed in 1987 than in any previous year since its publication. This level of distribution was reached by the end of November and does not include data from December which is not yet available.
Thus far this year, distribution, a term which encompasses sales as well as donations (gift and library placements), of the English version has reached almost 10,900 with less than 5% of that amount representing donated books. When compared with figures for all twelve months of last year, distribution of the English version is up by more than 13% and sales have increased by more than 32%. Orders from all of our distributors that serve the bookstore trade, and with which we have had at least several years of association, have significantly increased this year over last year. It seems certain that when data for December becomes available, distribution (and quite possibly sales) of The URANTIA Book will comfortably exceed 11,000 copies. The highest figure previously reached was about 10,600 copies.
Amadon Corporation, an affiliate of URANTIA Foundation, reports that figures for the distribution of the French translation, Le Livre d’Urantia, are at a level with last year, or about 1,400 copies at the end of November with 1% of that total being donations to libraries. If figures for both the Engtish yersion and the French translation are combined, then the total number of copies distributed reaches more than 12,200 books, well beyond any previous combined count. Should December prove to be an active month, then the combined number of books distributed in 1987 could reach l3,000 copies.
By the end of this year, it is estimated that almost 165,000 copies of the English version of The URANTIA Book will have been distributed since 1955. At the conclusion of 1987, the total distribution count of copies of the French translation, since its publication in 1961, should reach about 20,000 copies. Thus, the combined total of both versions will be around 185,000 copies.
It took 12 years, 1955 to 1967, to distribute the first printing of 10,000 books. Now we are distributing that amount and more every year. The book is available in thousands of bookstores and libraries around the world. These accomplishments have occurred without the usual tools of commerce such as advertising. We believe this is a testament to the book’s quality and ability to find its way into the thought stream of our planet at a steady, evolutionary pace. This approach allows our movement to grow larger and stronger in an atmosphere free from the potentially distorting pressures of notoriety in preparation for the time when larger numbers of people will pursue their spiritual quest and more readily embrace the book. Let us all work together to be as prepared as we can for that time by making the book more available in bookstores and libraries and by establishing thousands of study groups and URANTIA Societies around the world that can offer a helping hand to new readers and give them the support they need.
The Trustees take great pleasure in sharing the news with you that they are entering into negotiations with a professional indexer to complete the index of The URANTIA Book. Work on this index began shortly after the publication of the book in 1955. While various individuals have labored on the index, it was Edith Cook and Anna Rawson who devoted some years to the project and were unable to return to it.
Over the years, staff at the Foundation have had occasion to consult the incomplete index for research purposes and they have found it to be a most useful reference aid. Given that even the unfinished index has proven to be so useful for referencing The URANTIA Book, it was concluded by the Trustees that the index should be completed and offered to students of the book.
The Foundation contacted representatives of the publishing industry to seek recommendations for professional indexers who have the credentials to complete the project. The Foundation was directed to several individuals who were highly recommended. It is with one of these individuals that we are currenty negotiating.
Preliminary work has already begun on completing the index. The indexer has been reading a copy of The URANTIA Book in preparation for the actual work of indexing. Once the work of actually completing the index begins, the results will be reviewed by students of The URANTIA Book. It is the goal of the Foundation to produce an index that will preserve the labors of the dedicated students who thus far worked on it, contain the qualities found in a professionally created index, and, most of all, be a useful tool for readers in their study of The URANTIA Book.
Sometimes it is helpful to review the various programs in place to remind long time readers and to inform newer readers about them.
In addition to our discounts to authorized book distributors and bookstones, we offer a 25% discount to any individual who orders 5 or more books sent to one location. This means for 5 or more books ordered, you are getting one book free plus a discount on the fourth book. URANTIA Societies can get a 40% discount on orders of 10 or more books up to a total of 245 books per year. The Societies can then resell the books at the discounted price to readers for loan or gift copies if they wish.
The Library Placement Program is now totally funded by URANTIA Foundation and administered by URANTIA Brotherhood. The Foundation offers an unlimited number of free books for library placement throughout the world through approved Brotherhood programs. Contact the office for details if you would like to participate in placing books in libraries.
Finally, we announced in our July 1987 newsletter that a new Consignment Program had been established. Under this program, you can go to any bookstore that doesn’t already carry the book and offer them the opportunity to place it in their store on consignment. Our hope is that this program will be especially helpful in countries throughout the world where book distribution problems are more difficult. We are enclosing a consignment form and a return envelope which you can use for this purpose.
All the above methods are reasonable and legitimate means to make the book more available while avoiding cultish or overly commercial approaches. We invite all of you to participate in these prograns and help to achieve our mutual goal of making the book as available as possible. Please call or write us if you need further details about any of these programs.
Recently a student of The URANTIA Book told us of going into his local public library and discovering that the book was incorrectly listed in the card catalogue under its old Dewey Decimal classification number 133 -Parapsychology and Occultism. Similar experiences have been reported to us from time to time by other students. In 1975 URANTIA Foundation was able to get the catalogue designation of The URANTIA Book changed to Dewey Decimal classification number 299 - Other Religions, and the Library of Congress classification to BP6O5 - Other Beliefs and Movements. Since the 6th Printing of The URANTIA Book, the revised library classification information has been printed on the copyright page of each copy.
Research indicates that the libraries which obtained copies of The URANTIA Book before the classification change may well continue to list the book under the old designations, even when they receive copies that display the revised classification information on the copyright page. Interested students may wish to check the catalogue listing for The URANTIA Book in their local public or college libraries. Should you find the book improperly listed, you can bring it to the attention of the librarian responsible for cataloguing books. While there are costs in changing the catalogue designation of a book, most librarians will take a professional pride in having books correcfly classified and will be likely to respond in a cooperative manner. However, if a library proves to be resistant to changing to the correct classification for the book do not contend with the people you contacted about the problem. If you will supply us with the name and address of the library concerned, as well as the name of tlre librarian concerned with cataloguing books, URANTIA Foundation will contact the library and request that The URANTIA Book be correcfly classified.
“Well! I have never read such an inspiring and well written book. No wonder, considering the source. It is the first book I have ever read that was compatible with my broad interest in theuniverse as a whole. From the minute to the infinite…It is the first book or teaching I have observed that ties the origin of the universe, the earth, and other celestial bodies, evolution, original man and the post Adamic peoples into a sensible context. I could go on and on as my reading of the book has opened my eyes to many things reinforcing our universal need for sharing charity and love.”
“I purchased The URANTIA Book nine years ago. Nine years ago I did not comprehend The URANTIA Book at all. I have recently picked the book up and started reading it again, and to my amazement it gets easier and easier to comprehend. I have also discovered that I am continually, as I read further, building a relationship with God and that there is much comfort and healing in prayer. There are also many more wonderful, enlightening things that are happening as I read. I don’t quite understand all of it and I find it hard to explain to other people.”
“The more completely man understands himself and appreciates the personality values of his fellows, the more he will crave to know the Original Personality, and the more earnestly such a God-knowing human will strive to become like the Original Personality. You can argue over opinions about God, but experience with him and in him exists above and beyond all human controversy and mere intellectual logic. The God-knowing man describes his spiritual experiences, not to convince unbelievers, but for the edification and mutual satisfaction of believers.” UB 1:6.6
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URANTIA Foundation
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