DALTON, Mass. — The Historical Commission announced during its meeting on Wednesday that it will be reissuing the book "Down Memory Lane" in the near future. 

 

The Historical Commission has been discussing how to reissue the book for the last few months, navigating concerns surrounding copyright, cost and printing company selection. 

 

The book is a compiled series of weekly columns by the Rev. Franklin L. "Cap" Couch that appeared in the now defunct Dalton News Record from 1972 to 1977.

 

To advertise this project and gauge community interest, the commission will request the Dalton Library display one of its copies of the book next to the sign-up sheet. 

 

The library has three copies of the book but two have to stay in the library and only one can be borrowed. 

 

The project would improve the accessibility of the book so that interested buyers can purchase it because finding a copy is difficult. 

 

The commissioners said selling items like calendars, bicentennial books, magnets, tiles, plates, and other Dalton-themed merchandise during elections was popular among residents. 

 

They are also exploring tabling at the presidential election in November to gather a list of residents interested in purchasing the book. 

 

They also authorized using the donation account to cover the cost of reprinting 10 copies of the book using Adams Specialty & Printing Co.

 

Adams Specialty has a one-time fee of $60 to cover scanning the pages and laying them out. 

 

The books will be perfect bound (glued) and will cost the commission $19.86 per book, if it submits an order of 10. The estimated total cost of the first order of 10 books is projected to be $259.50. 

 

If the commission receives more than 10 requests and need to order books individually, they reach out to Adams Specialty & Printing Co to determine the cost of the individual books if they order less than 10.

 

The commission will set the price of the book based on the total cost of the project.

 

Cap Couch's son Robert Couch attended the meeting on Wednesday and expressed his interest in seeing this happen and offered to help in whatever way he can. 

 

The commission will be emailing him a letter to sign that gives them permission to reprint his father's columns.

 

The commissioners originally considered going to Studley Press to have the book reprinted but they quoted a price of $429 to print 10 copies. 

 

In 2006 the publisher, Berkshire Family History Association, had originally compiled the columns. But the association told the commission it did not know who held the copyright and so was unable to help, Bonnie Eastwood said. 

 

Commissioners feel comfortable proceeding with the project especially since they will not be making a profit and they have permission from the family. They suspect that since the book does not have a copyright page the only approval they need is from the family. 

 

In other news: 

 

• The commission bought a fireproof cabinet for $1,199, leaving $1,767 in the town budget. This amount includes what the commission is receiving this fiscal year. 

 

• The commission will be moving back into the Town Hall on Sept. 23.