I was especially interested in this topic as there is so much talk about putting records on CD's or DVD's. The speaker for this was Michael LeClerc. Michael is the Director of Special Projects at the New England Historic Genealogical Society in Boston. His research specialities include New England and eastern Canada as well as being well-versed in general research methodology. To quote Michael..."We are living in an unprecendented era where tools for publishing are more widely available than ever before. It is more important than ever for individuals to familiarize themselves with many different methods of publishing to ensure that all of their hard work and research does not get lost in the future. Both print and electronic are available to the average individual. There are pluses and minuses for each, and a careful analysis of your needs can give you the best product available." Print is of course the traditional method and the benefits are obvious...paper and ink last a long, long time. Costs have to be examined. But do not overlook the options of articles in a periodical. Remember that most societies welcome the chance to publish well documented work. But there are also new methods of print such as that many original documents are now being published in their entirety simply by photocopying...no need to transcribe. Basically, one needs to consider the cost, distribution, and preservation/durability. Electronic methods include the web and portable media.What is frightening about the portable media is how long it will last. Michael told us that in 5 years most new computers will not even have a slot for CD's. Also, the life of a CD will depend on the method and professional ability of who creates it. One made at home or in house will never last as long as one made professionally as the professionals have different software to create CDs giving them longer lives. The real wave of the future is probably that publishing will occur on the internet. But here you need to consider the software you use, programming knowledge, production, availability, security, durability and migration issues. I came away with the feeling that nothing will ever replace a book unless I want to read a book on the computer. Curling up in a chair had its advantages. What one publishes will determine largely its success. Henny Evans