Last Updated on January 30, 2019 by Area 53 Web Team
Area 53 groups are encouraged to review meeting and contact information published in the 2012-2013 Eastern United States AA Directory. If this information is incorrect (wrong meeting day/time or wrong person and phone number), email updated information to:
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registrar[@]area53aa[dot]org
All information should be received by May 9, 2014, to assure it is included. See the detailed message from GSO below.
If you do not have access to a printed copy of the directory, contact your GSR (General Service Representative) or DCM (District Committee Member).
Regards,
Dan H.
Area 53 Registrar
Message from GSO
It has been decided that the three regional directories, Eastern, Western and Canada will be printed in 2014 which will produce the 2014-2015 editions.
Preparation and execution for updating as many group records as possible is critical and driven by a few hard deadlines which are outlined as follows:
1. Friday, May 9th will be the date when the GSO files are pulled for directory proofs. This means that all group updates entered into the FNV database and those hard copy updated received by Friday, May 9, 2014 will be included in the proofing and editing process and will be included in the directories.
2. Because the FNV database is an online real time program, entries and updates made after May 9, 2014 may be included in the directories; however those entries will not be a part of the proofing and editing process. We found out some years ago that if we included all updates in each proof/edit, the directories would never make it to publishing. So what does that mean, well everything entered or updated after May 9, 2014 will not be checked for formatting and will appear in the directory just the way it was entered. It is always imperative that you proof the information you enter into the database and it is more important after May 9th and the end of July 2014.
3. The editing and proofing of each of the 57,200 group listings that make up the three directories is done by the 4 Records Team members, in addition to processing regular work and continuing to provide customer service to callers. The work is very time consuming and tedious.
4. The editing and proofing process is usually not complete until the end of July.
5. Once the final proofs are reviewed to ensure all corrections and updates appear in the final proof they are sent off to the GSO Publishing department where the final step of printing and mailing are managed. It takes approximately 5 weeks from the time the publishing department receives the final files to production of the regional directories.
So why have we told you all of this information? We want you to be informed and understand the backend process that takes place to produce the regional directories.
We hope that you all have read through the FNV User’s manual. There is a section that lays out a process that registrars can use to update the records in their areas in preparation for printing the regional directories. There is also information about formatting your entries into the database.