UNIT NEWSLETTERS
Publishing, Printing, & Mailing

Electronic Delivery

Place your electronic newsletter on the TLA Web, then use your unit discussion list to notify your members of the new issue. Send the newsletter -- an html, PDF, or doc file; some units offer their newsletters in more than one format -- as an e-mail attachment to Mary Ann at the TLA office for posting to the TLA Web. Ask your unit webmaster (or the TLA webmaster) to link the newsletter from the appropriate page(s) on your unit's website. Typically, this will be a publication index page or the unit's homepage. Once everything is in place, use your unit discussion list to send a notification with a link to the newsletter or an appropriate portal page. The TLA webmaster can provide the URL if you are unsure. If your unit chooses to mail hardcopy versions to its members without email addresses (the association's databases can generate this information), the TLA office can provide this service for $1.00 per copy. Notify Lynda to express this preference.

Printing and Mailing

TLA will print and mail your unit newsletter. Attach and email an electronic file of your newsletter to Lynda. Be sure to include specifications regarding size, layout, paper color, quantity, etc. Quantities of 200 or more are eligible for bulk mailing; TLA's return address must be used, and the TLA bulk mail indicia must be placed where the stamp would ordinarily go. These items can be added at the TLA office. TLA will have the newsletter printed by a local printer; a mailing service will then address the newsletters, sort the pieces according to postal regulations, and deliver the issue to the bulk mail center in Austin. Your unit will be debited the cost of printing, folding, labeling, and sorting, plus postage.

Your unit prints and mails its own newsletter. The newsletter must be mailed with first class postage; bulk mail using the TLA indicia can only be done through the TLA office. You may purchase an address list of your unit's membership for $.02 per name. Contact Lynda and she'll send you a text file of the addresses as an email attachment; the cost will be deducted from your unit's budgetary funds. Postage costs can be reimbursed through your unit by submitting a reimbursement form to the TLA office, ATTN. Catherine Lee.

Preparing your newsletter for printing:  A print-ready PDF is the safest way to ensure that your newsletter looks exactly as you intended. Other file formats are acceptable, but be sure that images are included (embedded) or sent along with the newsletter file. Also send copies of any unusual fonts you use. Contact Mary Ann with any questions in this regard. While desktop publishing encourages extensive use of color, the printing process charges a premium for full color. Unless your unit has a sizeable budget for such things, it is best to prepare your newsletter to print in one color, especially if the print run (quantity) is relatively small.