This is a great suggestion. I agree completely. Zack

I think this a a great idea, I don't see facebook as a replacement for forums but in addition to, for example the ease of up loading pics and the lack of size or number caps of photos would make asking for real critique much simpler and with more real results. on the other hand things on face book are quickly lost and forgotten, unlike a forum it is not searchable and most if not all of the information is on it is transient. I would love to see more inspiration pics form members as well.

MP

I also agree.

I currently spend approximately 40 hours a week as a volunteer administrating the ABS Website, ABS Forum, ABS Twitter, ABS Pinterest, the ABS YouTube Channel, our monthly Constant Contact Email Newsletters, Goggle Apps for Non-Profits, our Web Hosting panel, and several other admin panels.

Is there any member who wants to apply and work as a Volunteer to administer an ABS Facebook page on a Daily basis and monitor the posts and photos and enforce our rules as stated on the ABS Forum?

Thank You for all you do Dan !

I would be willing to Volunteer My time to get this underway IF there is interest among us. That said I anticipate a group like this to have 3 or 4 Volunteer Admin to keep an eye on things.

-Josh

I am on all the time anyway and check face book at least a few times a day I wouldn't mind moderating/admin a face book page. I would suggest that is be made a "closed" group and that it be limited to members only, this should keep the trolls out unless someone gets hacked.

MP

Josh

I would recommend that you write up your proposal and submit it to the ABS Board of Directors for their approval. You would need to outline how the Facebook page would look and what components would be included, the name of the principle administrator responsible to the Board, the rules of conduct, and the names of the other administrators.

Remember that the ABS is a 501c3 nonprofit so the listing of prices and the offering for sale of knives would be prohibited by the ABS Board of Directors in order to protect our nonprofit status.

Josh,

I also agree on the ABS having a closed page on Facebook. I can't be online all day but would volunteer to at least check the page a couple of times a day, with a little more time spent in the morning and especially the evening outside of my day jobs hours.

Dan,

We should be able to post an edited version of the Forum guidelines to read as "Facebook Guidelines" in the about section on the Facebook page. This will keep the Facebook page guidelines always in view when a member first opens the page. The admins would need an ABS member list to verify admission to the page just as we have set up for the forum to keep the group closed and accurate.

p.s. Thanks for all you and Sally do for us Dan!!

Mike

Sally and I thank you for your kind comments.

I might point out in this discussion that one of my most time consuming jobs is approving members for the ABS Forum and that the ABS membership list changes daily. In the last 24 hours alone we have had 9 new members join.

Our priority at this time is to find volunteers to take over my current duties so I can retire as webmaster. This may not be the time to add more resources to the already long and demanding ABS internet task list. You are certainly welcome to send a proposal to the ABS Board of Directors.

Sounds like a good idea. I would highly recommend making it a closed group for ABS members only.

Bob

I too had in mind a closed group where new members must be approved and must be members of the ABS.

Dan. I do understand your concern about the ABS's online presence and would defer to your judgment on whether or not we should add another aspect to our already busy web presence. It quite possibly may not be the right timing.

I'll be hoping for someone qualified to take on the duties of webmaster.

-Josh

I for one think its a great idea, and i would also be willing to help admin

Approval for joining the group could be as simple as sending a picture of your ABS membership card to the page. Admins could view the picture and verify membership and accept the request to join the closed group. Would require almost no extra work on the part of the webmaster. Just my two cents and may not be the perfect idea. Only real flaw would be cancellation of membership which could be sent in a list once a month to an admin to remove those from the page.

A few years ago one of our ABS members started an unauthorized ABS Facebook page which had four (4) admins. I cannot tell you what a disaster it turned into. Eventually I was asked to straighten it out and became the only daily active admin on it. In time the unauthorized page was deleted.

I am not going to go into all of the problems and issues that developed on this Forum but if someone wants more details just call me.

As I said earlier, our priority at this time is to find volunteers to take over my current duties on the ABS Website, Forum, Pinterest, Twitter, YouTube Channel, Constant Contact Monthly Email Newsletters, Google Apps, etc, etc so I can retire as webmaster. This may not be the time to add more resources to the already long and demanding ABS internet task list. You are certainly welcome to send a proposal to the ABS Board of Directors.