Since the last newsletter in which Mark Vargas reminded us of America’s Packard Museum’s book loan program available exclusively to SAH members in good standing, your correspondent has participated in the program. Thus follow thoughts from that experience.
It was precipitated by an author working to finish his fifth book** for McFarland to publish (where they were overseen by SAH member/former board member Steve Wilson). He (Bill Huber by name) asked if I could help by providing him additional information on Lance Reventlow. Preston Lerner’s excellent book immediately came to mind.
A credit to author Preston Lerner, his now long out-of-print 1991-published title has increased several-fold in value. It was more than Huber wished to spend. So, I e’d Mark Vargas and, yes, APM**** has a copy in its library. At that moment in time Bill Huber was not an SAH member but once I explained APM’s book lending program to him, he quickly joined and Mark Vargas set in motion the loan of SCARAB; Race Log of the All-American Specials 1957-1965 to Bill.
While that was taking place I happened to check SpeedReaders.info (of which I’m a founding reviewer) and discovered no commentary on it had ever been posted. Although I had read it when new, it had been a borrowed copy. So with Mark’s intercession in APM’s loan procedures—with the basic loan for one month plus a week each side for shipping and one renewal (which we didn’t need)—Bill shipped SCARAB to me once he was done with it. I re-read and wrote a review that will soon post on SpeedReaders.info and returned the book to APM’s head librarian Mary Ellen Armentrout. She subsequently acknowledged its receipt to Bill who, in turn, let me know as well.
From that experience, I offer a couple of tips. USPS media mail has no included insurance coverage. If the book you borrow is more than you’d want to have to spend to replace it, spend the extra dollars to insure. UPS does automatically insure—even ground shipments—for $100. But if that doesn’t cover replacement cost of book, consider purchasing additional. It’s the sender who is responsible for making the claim, not the recipient—so retain those shipping receipts just in case. (hvh)
** Bill Huber’s titles (in order of publication); all reviewed on SpeedReaders.info
Adolph Sutro: King of the Comstock Lode and Mayor of San Francisco
George Westinghouse: Powering the World
Charlie Schwab: President of Carnegie Steel, US Steel and Bethlehem Steel
Robert and John Pitcairn: Titans of Rail, Oil and Glass
**** APM (America’s Packard Museum) is located in Dayton, Ohio in a wonderful period structure that was, at one time, that city’s Packard dealership. The Museum’s library catalog and instructions for SAH borrowing are both on its website. This month on April 20-23, it hosts the National Association of Automobile Museum’s (NAAM) annual conference and, days later on the 24th and 25th its own fund raising Spring Fling activity.