Requesting a volunteer

Dear Friends,

For some time now, I have been thinking about sharing the Administrator role on this site with another Devotee. Advancing age and multiplying health issues have made it impossible for me to give the time to the site I originally devoted—and gained a great deal of satisfaction from, and from seeing our group grow, and some of our members expand the scope of the site beyond what I could have ever imagined (thank you wcarter, Steve Johnson, and WildcatJF!).

I have approached wcarter about sharing the administrator role, but he feels one of our younger members might be a better choice. So if any here would like to (if I may paraphrase the Master), "take my yoke upon you, for my yoke is easy, and my burden is light,” please DM me.

(I should add that in addition to the Administrator role, backing up the wonderful Dropbox resource created by wcarter would be essential; this would require having a paid Dropbox account with sufficient storage.)

Before saying anything, I feel that what must first be said is "Thank you" to you, Robert. For you setting up this incredible group, perhaps not fully realizing how it would blossom into one of the premiere gathering points for collectors and appreciators alike; for showing me and countless others a world beyond the books and into the actual bookmaking craftsmanship that George Macy and his successors would lay before us; for serving as one of the great historians and providing seemingly endless factoids and anecdotes to fuel far too numerous posts on my blog. Where would I be without the Devotees? I believe that the blog I run would be far more soulless without our generous and numerous Macy scholars.

Wisdom once written by the poet I know and love, Walt Whitman, seems to apply here: "Failing to fetch me at first, keep encouraged. Missing me one place, search another. I stop somewhere waiting for you.” This is how I've felt about our group, and of you, my friend. I deeply thank you and I cherish the bond we have created in our mutual pleasure in these books.

To the subject at hand. I have just entered a major transitional phase in my life switching offices at my current employment, and find myself in the midst of several personal projects that have, for the time being, yanked me away from the George Macy Imagery. While I would, at other points, have gladly lent my proverbial sword towards this noble cause of continuing on the good work here, I feel that now is not the ideal time for me to add onto my plate. I feel another equally impassioned Devotee would serve well in this capacity alongside you as you begin your own journey towards a lighter role in our community.

I wish you the best in health my friend. I so appreciate you.

Robert! It's been a long time but your literary friendship has always been on my mind when I'm on LT or in your area. As you slow down into this inevitable stage of our lives, we should have tea and talk books again next time I'm up at Grist & Toll for my fresh-milled flour. I think it's very close to your house, if my (also aging) memory serves me.

Thanks for keeping this forum so vibrant and informative. Your care over the years is written all over it. And I appreciate it immensely. Hope the family is well.

Thank you for starting this forum and for sharing your great knowledge about these beautifully crafted books.

>1 Django6924: I would also like to express my gratitude and appreciation for creating and supporting this forum and sharing your knowledge throughout these years - thank you! Wish you much health and hope to still see you around.

Thank you for starting, leading and moderating this group for so many years. I’m a newcomer but in reading comments from the past it’s obvious that you were able to create a group of thoughtful, intelligent and kind people. That is no mean feat when you consider so many social media forums where this kind of a group just doesn’t thrive or even exist.

My personal library continues to benefit from your posts and comments on this forum over the years. Thank you.

>1 Django6924: Many thanks. This forum has made my world brighter and bigger.

>1 Django6924: I would describe myself as a "refugee" from the Folio Society thanks to you. I'm quite new to the community here, which I discovered quite by accident from a conversation in the Folio Society Devotees community, but your comments have been invaluable in helping to educate me about what's what and start my own journey.

I truly hope that you're able to find someone else to help assist with this. It would be a terrible shame for things to fade off here.

>8 Unbroken1:

Indeed, not one but two volunteers stepped forward and are now co-administrators: ChampagneSVP and PBB. Many thanks to them, and to you for your interest!

Yes, thanks to them indeed for keeping this place going! That's excellent to hear.