Sent to:  All Bishops, All Bookshops, All Diocesan Secretaries

 RE: Printing of An Anglican Prayer Book, 1989 – hard cover edition

 In November 2008 the Anglican Church Publishing Committee took a decision to supply all future editions of An Anglican Prayer Book, 1989 as a soft cover edition.  This decision was taken after long consideration for the following reasons

1.       The trend in the publishing world is to move away from hard cover to soft cover editions and more than 95% of books published now are only available in the soft cover edition – check your local bookshop!

2.       Many years ago soft covers fell apart and had a bad reputation.  Improvements in binding technology means that this is no longer the case.  The new purbound covers are as good as hard covers.

3.       The limited availability of suitable 50gm paper in South Africa.

4.       This enabled the Committee could keep the price at R89.95. – the price since July 2007.

The first soft edition prayer book was the Setswana Prayer Book which has been available since April 2009.

Some negative feedback is inevitable in changes such as these and the Committee has listened to the parishioners and bookshop owners who have been in contact with the office since the soft cover became available.  The Committee is always open to reviewing its decisions and to seriously considering the comments and feelings of its members who daily or weekly use the prayer book.  The main complaints were the concern that the prayer book would fall apart, that it did not look as good as the hard cover edition and that it could not lay open without damaging the spine of the book.

The Committee consulted with clergy and congregations using the new soft cover Setswana prayer book and on their recommendation has decided to revert back to the production of the hard cover edition with the next reprint of the prayer book. 

This decision does mean that the price of the Prayer Book will have to increase to R114.95 per copy incl. VAT.  This price will come into effect from the first of September 2009 when the next reprint of prayer books(English, IsiXhosa and Sesotho) will become available.

In the meantime the Setswana soft cover version will stay on sale at R89.95 even after a hard cover version becomes available in the first half of 2010.

The Committee regrets any inconvenience that this decision may cause but assures its customers of its concern to listen to the voice of the people and to ensure that it provides what is needed. 

Thank you

 Yours in Christ

 The Revd Canon Cynthia Botha

Secretary – Publishing Committee