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The function of the Committee on Publications is to assist the Association's Elected Editor by identifying, recommending and procuring outstanding papers for publication in AAPG's Special Publications and in the Bulletin.
The Publications Committee continues the traditional activities specified in its mission statement by working closely with Elected Editor Ernie Mancini, Geoscience Director Jim Blankenship, and AAPG Headquarters Staff to bring timely, valuable publications to the membership.
From June 2005 to present, AAPG released 6 new Special Publications: one more Special Publication should be ready for release in time for the 2006 Annual Meeting.
Since June 2005, the Committee reviewed eight Formal Proposals for Special Publications, and approved 6 of them. Three more Formal Proposals are pending.
Currently, the committee has 8 Preliminary Proposals under consideration. Most of these Preliminary Proposals should become Formal Proposals in the next two months.
The Committee tracks the progress of all Approved Publications to ensure that Approved Publications remain on schedule. Ongoing contact with authors and editors reduces the potential for tardiness or for interim releases by other publishers that could impair the value of AAPG publications. We continue to cull moribund projects.
The Committee is currently exploring the concept of bringing in "a closer": a Compilation Editor who is new to the publication. The "closer's" job is to finish writing the book if the original Compilation Editors have fallen behind on their Approved Publication, and AAPG has already committed a large amount of money and time to their publication.
The "Getting Started" series has now been started. This series is an annotated reprint series, on CD, of the best papers to read to "get started" on a particular subject. Reprints are culled from AAPG and other publications. The first in the series, compiled by Michael Sweet, "Getting Started in Deepwater Slope Channels," is now for sale. Five additional "Getting Started" CDs are in production, and three more topics have been committed. Several of the "Getting Started" CDs should be ready for the 2006 Annual Convention. Vice Chair, Terri Olsen has accepted the role as champion of this on-going project.
Terri Olsen has completed a business model and guidelines for systematically raising contributions from individuals and industry for Special Publications.
The Committee is currently working with Jim Blankenship and AAPG's attorney to build a tax-deductible fund for Special Publications within the AAPG Foundation, so that contributors for Special Publications will, in the future, be tax deductible.
Ideas for new or updated volumes include reservoir development, sample examination, well-site geology, gas-hydrates, shale gas, and characterizing hydrocarbon shows while drilling, plus many more.
Develop publications about subjects in which science has advanced significantly since the last AAPG publication. Committee members are asked to examine current offerings and suggest topics for new publications.
As always, we need to make sure we do not promise to accept a publication before it has been reviewed. Everything published with the AAPG logo must be reviewed and approved by the Elected Editor. We are developing plans for the annual committee meeting. Because of the limited time available, reports will once again be sent to committee members for advance review.
As usual, the committee welcomes several new members this year and thanks members leaving the committee for their diligence. I thank Terri Olsen for volunteering to help with several demanding projects as a continuing Vice Chairman. I also thank John Lorenz for his efforts and insight on all Committee Topics. I appreciate the efforts of our new Vice Chairpersons, Andrew Hurst and Carman Fraticelli. Finally, AAPG Headquarters Staff has diligently maintained continuity throughout organizational changes.
William D. DeMis
Chairman
AAPG Publications Committee
February 9,2006