Help JOE Articles Keep Speaking

Help JOE Articles Keep Speaking

In November, I received a request to republish a JOE article originally published in 1991. The petitioner wrote that "with all the budget constraints and economic challenges today, the . . . article is more pertinent today than when it was first published in JOE." I responded that "the Journal of Extension (JOE) simply has too many accepted-for-publication articles "waiting in the wings" to permit us to republish articles we've already published." Heaven (and the many authors waiting for publication) know that's true.

However, I went on to make this point: "But, then, there's no need to. Your article is already posted and widely accessible at "http://www.joe.org/joe/1991fall/f1.php". "And that's precisely where you'll find "People Listening to People . . . Or Are We Really?" It is, indeed, a pertinent article.

This exchange got me to thinking about a singular advantage of Web-based journals like JOE. JOE articles are all posted and widely accessible, especially those published from 1983 on. (Articles prior to that are only available in PDF format.). The articles all "live," and they all still "speak" to one extent or another.

I offer readers the opportunity to nominate other articles from our rich past "http://www.joe.org/journal-archive.php" that are particularly pertinent today. Email me with the nominated article's title and URL, and an explanation of why it's particularly pertinent. If you convince me, I'll call readers' attention to it in my Editor's Page.

Be judicious and selective, please, and remember the pertinent-to-today requirement and the necessity of convincing me. But this might be a good way to capitalize on one of JOE's singular advantages, its rich—and accessible—past.

December JOE

Two themes that are obviously still pertinent to JOE writers and readers are Extension scholarship and IRBs. See the Commentary, "The Scholarship of Extension: Practical Ways for Extension Professionals to Share Impact," and the first Tools of the Trade article, "What Cooperative Extension Professionals Need to Know About Institutional Review Boards: Working with Youth."

In "City Fresh: A Local Collaboration for Food Equity" and "Program Update: Multi-State Extension Conference Addresses Food Diversity from Farm to Table" food features prominently. Then there's the related "Who Shops at the Market? Using Consumer Surveys to Grow Farmers' Markets: Findings from a Regional Market in Northwestern Vermont."

"An Examination of the Impact of Organizational Restructuring on Identification Within Extension" reports research that's somewhat heartening and quite interesting.

The other five Tools of the Trade articles are a varied and very useful bunch. And, if I were you, I wouldn't skip reading the other 18 articles either!

Best wishes for the holiday season.