Two new ways to keep you informed

Welcome to the second issue of Woodshop News in our new 9" x 11" format. Your response to the February issue has been very positive, with many readers praising the convenience of the new size and the improved layout. I know we were pretty excited when our copies arrived and, after a thorough examination, we've tweaked a few things to make the magazine look even better. For example, our printer has fine-tuned its process to give the magazine a sharper overall appearance.

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Frankly, I was expecting more criticism from longtime readers used to the previous tabloid format. So far it has been limited to a perception that we've also changed our content. Allow me to address this: we haven't changed the length of our features and profiles, nor have we discontinued any columns or departments that you've grown accustomed to during the last several years. We've actually increased our content by adding more pages to the magazine.

But we're not done making improvements. In January, you received a printed copy of our 2010 Black Book Resource Guide, which contains product and company information for the machines, supplies and materials necessary to run your business. As a follow-up, we've launched an online searchable database for manufacturers, resellers and retailers to promote their products and services to the woodworking community.

"With specific models and prices changing so quickly, we felt there was a primary need to fulfill by providing the woodworking community the ability to find suppliers of products and services by category and then by the geographic regions those suppliers service," says Rory Beglin, national sales manager for Woodshop News.

"Woodshop News invites you to explore the 27 major categories and 270 sub-categories at any time as your needs arise. And, of course, we hope those vendors that are supplying solutions to our industry post their information - free of charge - and continue to update and maintain those listings over the coming months."

You can access the online Resource Guide at www.woodshopnews.com/rgsignup.

We are also very excited to announce an IWF-sponsored digital magazine, WoodTech News 2010, that will be the first of its kind - a venture between Woodshop News, CLB Media's Woodworking Magazine and the IWF. A subscriber base of about 60,000 professional woodworkers - including preregistered show attendees, IWF exhibitors and subscribers of both Woodshop News and Woodworking Magazine - will receive a monthly digital magazine that aims to educate and promote the issues and changes affecting our market. Additionally, it will build awareness and excitement around the industry's largest event and educational conference, while showcasing the importance and relevance of attending.

The first WoodTech News 2010 digital magazine will be sent to subscribers in April and subsequent issues will follow about once per month preceding the Aug. 25-28 IWF at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta.

If you're already a subscriber to the free Woodshop News e-newsletters, you'll automatically receive every issue of WoodTech News 2010. If not, you can sign up at www.woodshopnews.com. WoodTech News will have exclusive stories unavailable in our print magazine, so the only way to read them is to sign up for free.

This article originally appeared in the March 2010 issue.