Value for money?
One of the suggestions most frequently made to me over the years has been: why don’t you compile an index of the magazine? Great idea, but neither the time nor the resources were available. And as one issue led to another, and one year to the next, the task grew bigger and more problematic.
Now, however, a solution is at hand. After many delays, our new website is up and running, with an on-line version of the magazine, including a searchable archive of all our back catalogue. This means that many of our back issues, long since out of print, will now be available to readers. Moreover, those with a particular interest or query will be able to go directly to the relevant page or article at the touch of their computer mouse. While this new service is primarily aimed at universities, libraries and other research institutions (and for which they will have to pay a premium rate), it will be offered free to subscribers (who have already been issued with the necessary pin number to access the archive). For those of you not on-line, your local library should be able to facilitate access to this new resource. Other possibilities for the new site include space for extra material not published in the hard-copy magazine, a constantly updated ‘what’s on/events’ page, audio material and even short video/film clips.
Of course, such a useful resource does not come without a cost. Consequently we have had to put our retail price up to ?7. On the face of it this is a substantial increase on the 2002 price of ?5 (40%), but over the same period the cost of an annual subscription has only increased by 29% (to ?39), while the number of pages has increased from 56 to 68 (21%), we have gone full-colour, and we have provided subscribers with a free Irish Historic Towns Atlas Series insert. Moreover, less than 10% of History Ireland is devoted to advertising. Compare that with other magazines in your newsagents. So overall History Ireland continues to provide value for money for its readers, and for its subscribers in particular.