Program Plans / Statement of Needs 2007
Office for Communication Services
LWF Publication Fund & Network of Lutheran
Publishing Houses
Program/ Country New/Ongoing Total Budget Request
Project Number 2007
PGS 104 Global Partially Ongoing / Many 98,000
New Elements
Main Goal
The goal of this program is to
make relevant LWF documents accessible
foster inter-regional cooperation by publishing through a network of Lutheran publishing houses.
Link to LWF Priority Areas
I. Strengthen the Communion of Lutheran Churches in Mission
IV. Enhance Communication, Mutual Accountability and Sharing
Background
1. LWF Publication Fund
The purpose of the LWF publication program is to publish documents in relevant languages in relation to
LWF meetings, studies, consultations and conferences, and distribute them to the wider Lutheran
constituency, member churches, theological seminaries, libraries, and individuals. The Interdepartmental
Committee on Publications (ICP, chaired by the OCS Director/Editor-in-Chief, decides on which documents
are to be published. The committee is engaged in defining a clearer profile for LWF publications.
The Publication Fund serves all LWF departments, offices and units enabling them to publish material
on LWF-related issues. The fund is administered by the ICP. Although OCS maintains a list of paying
subscribers, the income does not cover production costs, as many copies are sent gratuitously to member
churches and institutions unable to afford a subscription.
Recent publications (2006) funded through the Publication Fund are:
Lutheran Perspectives on Human Rights Issues (working title). Documentation No. 51/2006. (OCS and
the Office for International Affairs & Human Rights).
Verantwortung füreinander – Rechenschaft voreinander. Neoliberale Globalisierung als Anfrage an die
lutherische Kirchengemeinschaft. Dokumentation Nr 50/2005. (Department for Theology & Studies).
It is important to note that the LWF publication program is presently undergoing a Communication
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Audit, the results of which will impact this program’s future direction. An updated program description,
therefore, will be presented in 2007.
2. Network of Lutheran Publishing Houses – Roundtable
“Between Church and Market”
OCS has established, and is committed to establishing contacts with Lutheran publishers, publishing houses
and printers worldwide. Through such contacts in 2005 and 2006, the office has become aware of the
increasing need for a global network of Lutheran publishing houses to foster exchange of material and
inter-regional cooperation.
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2004 LWF Council Minutesrs. 214 & 215
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For this reason, OCS is planning a roundtable with the theme “Between Church and Market” bringing
together Lutheran publishers from all the LWF regions. This is a unique initiative of the LWF and has no
precedent. OCS, in close cooperation with the Department for Mission and Development (DMD) is uniquely
equipped to provide this platform of exchange and networking.
Expected Results and Impact
Immediate/direct (short-term) results:
Regular publication of relevant LWF-related documents
Accessibility of relevant LWF-related documents
New and strengthened relations, as well as cooperation with Lutheran publishing houses, publishers and
printers
Long-term impact (initiated processes):
Increased awareness of LWF-related issues within the LWF constituency
New distribution channels
Increased partnership and cooperation between Lutheran publishing houses in the LWF regions
Implementation Plan
1. LWF Publication Fund
The ICP meets regularly—at least four times a year—to discuss LWF-related publication issues. Decision
making about which LWF documents should be published is guided by the following criteria:
Documents to be published in the four LWF official languages
Documents from LWF Assemblies, Council meetings and church leaders' consultations
Other consultation documents, which are timely and that, because of their content, contribute to current
discussions and activities within the LWF and its member churches
Documents with wide potential interest for subscribers
Documents of which publication has been requested by the LWF constituency.
2. Network of Lutheran Publishing Houses – Roundtable
“Between Church and Market”
OCS already established working relations with some Lutheran and church-related publishing houses and
print shops within the LWF constituency in 2005 and 2006. It has also consulted with a number of publishing
houses in the North, and South, to assess the need for a roundtable.
As the aim is to respond to their needs, the agenda for this first roundtable will be developed in consultation
with representatives of the publishing houses from the LWF regions.
Important Assumptions
That there is constant need for printed material from the LWF in different languages
That Lutheran publishing houses are interested in networking
Monitoring and Evaluation
The results of the Communication Audit, to be presented at the March 2007 LWF Council meeting, will
be the basis for new guidelines.
Quantitative ways of measuring will include the number of subscriptions and orders received.
Through a questionnaire after the planned roundtable
To be carried out annually
Partners
All LWF departments, offices and units are represented in the ICP.
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Publishing houses of the LWF member churches, agencies and partners
LWF-related research and teaching institutions, and libraries
Human Resources
OCS staff in cooperation with other LWF staff relative to the publication
Sections of the address management to be outsourced
In some instances, freelance translators or freelance editorial support
Budget in USD
Activity/Item Actual 2005 Budget 2007
1. LWF Publication Fund 6,119.23 (Doc 50)
LWF Documentation 7,500
LWB-Dokumentation 21,227.15 7,500
(Doc 49/50)
Other Publications (as decided by the ICP) - 10,000
Technical & Editorial Assistance 869 5,000
Address Management - 5,000
Distribution 1,300 5,000
Translation & Revision 16,465.39 26,000
INCOME THROUGH SALES (estimated) 20,503 6,000
SUBTOTAL 25,477 68,000
2. Network of Lutheran Publishing Houses –Roundtable - 30,000
―Between Church and Market” Travel (20 x USD 1’500)
Total USD - 10,000 98,000
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