Prime Times editor

The Prime Times editor is responsible for publishing three editions of Prime Times each year and maintaining the Trifold. Major tasks are gathering information, composing the issue, and publishing the issue.

Prime Times overview

Tasks include:

  • Maintain the Prime Times calendar and submit it for inclusion with materials for Board meetings.
  • Gather new content.
  • Edit submitted and recurring content.
  • Prepare an issue using the new and updated recurring content.
  • Coordinate printing and mailing with the printer and ASURA Business Manager. 
  • Submit a PDF version of the final issue to the ASURA web editor and the E-News editor. They will add it to the website and publicize its availability in E-News.
  • Ideally, upload a copy of the original (the Microsoft Publisher or Word, etc.) version to the ASURA Wild Apricot files, the PrimeTimes-Trifold folder, so that it is not only on the editor's personal computer. The copy should replace the previous edition -- only the current one needs to be in that folder. The website editor can do this for you if needed.

Trifold handling

The trifold is a document that is maintained using software of the editor's choice -- usually either Microsoft Publisher or Microsoft Word.

At least once a year, or more often if changes indicate:

  • Work with the President and the Membership Committee Chair to determine what changes need to be made to content. Typically, these will be updates of personnel. 
  • Update the trifold, including new photos as seems appropriate and desirable.
  • Work with the office volunteers to print copies for upcoming events or for Human Services to have available as needed.
  • Submit a PDF copy to the ASURA web editor, who will replace the older version on the website(s).
  • Ideally, upload a copy of the original (the Microsoft Publisher or Word, etc.) version to the ASURA Wild Apricot files, the PrimeTimes-Trifold folder, so that it is not only on the editor's personal computer. The copy should replace the previous edition -- only the current one needs to be in that folder. The website editor can do this for you if needed.

Prime Times details

  • Ask Board members and committee chairs to submit content by the deadline. There are normally articles by the President and by the chairs of the events committees and the government and health insurance councils. For the summer issue, the chair of the Scholarship Committee should prepare an article on this year's recipient. For the spring issue, the chair of the Adopt-a-Family committee will sometimes submit an article on gifts that we have given the current families' school needs for the children to start their school year besides Thanksgiving and Christmas items necessary for their holiday celebration.  The chair of the Obituaries Committee should send a list of obituaries published since the last issue of Prime Times. Others may contribute as they see fit.



    (Note: check previous year's issue to see what was in that issue that should also be included in the current issue.)
  • Ask the President and the Office Coordinator(s) if there have been any changes in Board members, committee chairs, office volunteers, or office hours.
  • If someone who has at some time played a significant role in ASURA has passed away or "retired" from ASURA during the last quarter, try to find someone who knew or knows them well enough to contribute a personal appreciation.
  • If anyone has suggested a topic that might be of general interest or if something has been in E-News that might need expansion or re-iteration in Prime Times, see if you can find someone to write an article about it.
  • If extra content is needed to fill space, include photos or content from the ASURA website, or even a cartoon or joke.
  • Photos are available in the ASURA photo gallery. These can be downloaded and used freely. Normally photos taken at events are uploaded to the gallery within a couple of days after the event. The editor may also solicit photos from contributors, of course.

Edit submitted and recurring content to correct grammatical or spelling errors and, if necessary, to reduce size to fit in available space.

Normally, the editor will use the previous issue as a template and guideline for the new issue. The issue design is entirely at the discretion of the editor, but it is always best to consult with the President and the Membership Committee chair if any major changes are contemplated.

The editor has their choice of tools to use to lay out the content. Popular tools are Microsoft Publisher and Microsoft Word. ASURA will pay for the editor to have the necessary license for their computer.

Printing requires that issues have a total number of pages, including the front and back, that is evenly divisible by 4. Most issues are 16 pages, but any multiple of 4 is fine.

Once an issue is laid out, the editor may, at their option, ask others to review both for accuracy and to catch any lingering errors. Whom to ask is also at the editor's discretion.

 

When an issue is ready for publication:

  • Determine the number of copies that should be printed. To do this, log in to Wild Apricot, switch to Admin View, click on Contacts - Saved searches, and scroll down the list of saved searches to "Prime Times".  Click on the Run button. (Criteria for the search: Membership status is Active, "I Want to Receive" is "any of selected" with "Prime Times Newsletter" checked, and Deceased Date empty.) Look at the number of records found. You can ask the Business Manager to do this for you if necessary. You will need this number of copies, probably with 30 extras. The extras are in case of problems in preparing the mailing, and to make available in the ASURA office and at Human Services
  • Send an email to our contact at Alphagraphics, requesting the number of needed copies. For example:
    • 880 Prime Times "Spring 2023" Newsletter -   12 pages plus shell cover = 16 total pages
    • Stock Supplied for outside page - AG to supply inside page
    • NEW stock for inside pages, close match to supplied sheet
    • Digital files supplied
    • Fold, collate, stitch and package
    • Deliver to ASU Mail Services
  • Copy the Financial Operations Manager, who will email their approval for the job. Attach the completed issue, in a black & white, PDF format.. 
  • Alphagraphics has a supply of the Prime Times paper stock, including a supply that is pre-printed with the banner for the first page and the logo, address, and postage notice on the last page. They normally will notify the editor and/or the business manager if the supply is running low, so that there will be time to print a new supply before the new issue is ready. Again, the supply is replenished via an e-mail order specifying the number of pages to print for the cover and the number of sheets to have on hand for the contents. The Financial Operations Manager can approve that order by email also.
  • Alphagraphics will contact the editor when they have a proof copy of the newsletter available for review. The editor can go to their office to look it over and approve printing of the rest of the order and remind them to notify our Financial Operations Manager as to when they plan to have the newsletters delivered to ASU Mail Services.  The Financial Operations Manager will see that ASU Mail Services has an order and the necessary address list beforehand.
  • When the copies are all printed, Alphagraphics will deliver them to ASU Mail Services and notify the Financial Operations Manager that they are doing that. 

 

Updated 11 June 2023 by Barry McNeill (original creation June 2022 by Jeannette Robson)

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