BAPS Goes Online

Major changes are in store for those members who subscribe to the Bulletin of the APS (BAPS) in order to get a copy of their meeting program in advance. Beginning this summer, with the new dues cycle, a paper copy of BAPS will no longer be mailed to subscribers prior to the meeting. These changes are reflective of the advent of the APS Home Page and the APS system of electronic submission of abstracts. Prior to the meeting, it will be available on the Home Page, or via ftp (a titles only version). The paper version of BAPS, representing the final program, will be available on site, as part of registration.

When you get your new dues invoice, please be aware that subscribers to BAPS may not receive their paper copy in advance of the meeting dates.

According to APS Meetings Manager Michael Scanlan, the success of the system of electronic abstract submission has made this possible. More than 86 percent of the abstracts received for the March and Joint May meetings of the Society were submitted electronically. Electronically submitted abstracts can be viewed in their entirity on the APS Home Page.

One implication of note for those members not using the electronic system is that the text of paper abstracts will no longer appear in either the paper version of BAPS or the electronic version (eBAPS). The title and the author list will be the only published material from abstracts submitted on paper.

There are many advantages to this new system. First of all, the eBAPS meeting program will be available sooner than the paper version ever was or could be. This will make planning travel to meetings easier, since eBAPS will be available as much as two and a half months prior to a meeting. (In the Gutenberg universe, this time period was generally only four to five weeks.) Secondly, program committee will have more flexibility, should they desire it, in altering their program prior to the meeting, since the printing schedule will be postponed until closer to the meeting. Lastly, the electronic system individually notifies submitters who submitted electronically of the receipt of their abstract, and then again when the presentation has been scheduled during the meeting.

The new system should also help to contain the costs associated with the printing of meeting programs, enabling APS to hold the cost of BAPS page charges at their current level. This helps offset the increased price of paper (up 50 percent over last year), and the maintenance of the electronic system.

Please check out the meeting programs already on the Home Page. Said Scanlan, "Input from our membership about this new system is vital."