American Philatelic Society -- Educational Courses

October Opportunities to Learn with APS/APRL

October — National Stamp Collecting Month — is the perfect time to focus on philately, and this month the APS is offering several ways for you to learn more about the hobby.

Making their debut in October are two exciting revised online courses, available to collectors across America, and as easy to access as your own PC.

First Day Covers Part I
Beginning October 27, APS members can take the Stamp Campus online course Collecting First Day Covers Part I taught by Marjorie Sente. Marj is best known for her extensive writing about FDCs. Her columns appeared regularly in the philatelic press for nearly 30 years, from 1977 through 2006.

Presented over five weeks, the five lessons of Part I include an introduction to FDCs, the history of FDC collecting, history and types of cancellations, types of cachets, and care of your FDC collection. Part II, to be offered in 2009, will include tips on developing a specialized collection and more ways to collect FDCs. There are no prerequisites for the course. The cost for Part I is $65 for APS members, which includes the Collecting FDCs workbook.

Keys to Exhibiting
Beginning October 6, APS members will have the unprecedented online opportunity to take the Stamp Campus Keys to Exhibiting course taught by Janet Klug and Ann Triggle. Janet began exhibiting 25 years ago with an exhibit on Tonga’s Tin Can Mail. Immediate Past President of the American Philatelic Society, Janet has held a variety of offices in many other philatelic organizations, including Chair of the APS Committee on the Accreditation of National Exhibitions and Judges. Ann is the current Chair of the very active APS Committee for the Accreditation of Exhibitions and Judges in the United States. An accredited philatelic judge, exhibitor and seminar speaker at local, regional, and national levels for both the American Topical Association and APS, Ann is also accredited by the International Philatelic Federation (FIP) to judge both postal history and thematic exhibits.

This six-week course will lead you through the critical steps of building a successful exhibit. Five lessons cover everything you’ve always wanted to know about exhibiting — from the nuts and bolts of a successful exhibit, to understanding the intriguing new classes of exhibits. Discover the fun and challenges of exhibiting, with individual guidance in getting started, putting your exhibit together, where to show, and final tips.

Beginners, including those who have never previously exhibited, are welcome in the course, which will nonetheless have content to stimulate and interest advanced exhibitors as well. The cost is $75 for APS members, which includes the Keys to Exhibiting workbook and the APS Manual of Philatelic Judging: How Exhibits are Judged are required. (The 150-page APS Manual of Philatelic Judging is available separately for $9.60 on the APS Market Place.

Philatelic Research and Writing
The Philatelic Research and Writing course will be offered October 24 and 25, 2008 at the American Philatelic Center in conjunction with the 40th anniversary of the American Philatelic Research Library. Gini Horn, Director of Library Services, and Bill Welch, a grand award-winning exhibitor and editor emeritus of The American Philatelist, will teach the course. Gini has a Master’s degree in Library Science from University of Pittsburgh, and has been with the APRL since 1984. Bill is a member of the APS Writers Unit Hall of Fame and has edited major philatelic works including the current edition of Fundamentals of Philately by L.N. and M. Williams.

Course topics will include defining the focus of a work of philatelic research, identifying, evaluating and verifying sources, creating outlines, writing drafts, and finding a publisher. Researchers and writers at any level of experience and proficiency will benefit from the two-day course. To gain the maximum benefit from the course, students should come prepared with a topic to research.

Registration
A registration form is available online. The APS member cost for Philatelic Research and Writing is $149. For non-members, the cost is $249. A discount of $15 is available if you register by October 3, 2008. Contact Gretchen Moody, gretchen@stamps.org if you have any questions about the course.

Course Schedule
Philatelic Research and Writing begins on Friday, October 24 at 8:30 a.m. After a lunch break, the course resumes until 5:00 p.m. on Friday and until 4:00 p.m. on Saturday. Friday evening will include a special celebration for the APRL’s birthday! Lunches and dinner on Friday are included in the course registration fee. An informal dinner Thursday evening a local restaurant will give you opportunity to meet with your instructors, as well as with your fellow students in the course, sharing ideas and philatelic fellowship.

Accommodations
Area hotels are providing a special rate if you mention the APS. The Garman Inn in Bellefonte, within walking distance of the APC, has a rate of $62 per night and their number is 814-935-0068. The rate at the Holiday Inn Express in State College is $81 per night, and you may contact them at 814-867-1800 or 1-877-424-1140. The rate at the Hilton Garden Inn, also in State College, is $85 per night and their phone number is 814-272-1221 or 1-866-204-1221.

Come enjoy the fall foliage — which peaks in mid-October in central Pennsylvania — as you “leaf” through library resources this autumn at the APRL.