For more than two decades, Voices, the quarterly newsletter of New Jersey TESOL/New Jersey Bilingual Educators (NJTESOL/NJBE), was snail-mailed to membership in all of its black and white glory. At most, it had 20 pages but the norm was 16. Postage became $1.00 per copy, not to mention skyrocketing printing costs. Voices became a liability of almost $10,000 per year. Although each edition was rich in content, NJTESOL/NJBE was becoming poorer in its treasury. The publication was eating up vital funds that could better serve the mission of aiding and advocating for English language learners and bilingual education students.

There was the environmental impact to consider as well: sacrificing trees, the energy to produce ink and paper, and the carbon footprint of printing and moving the paper from printing press to mailbox. The solution was to go green and become an online publication. So green we did go over five issues ago.

What a difference! Voices became an online-only entity. The printing and postage costs have been eliminated, a dramatic savings for the organization. But, even better, there is virtually no limitation on the number of pages per issue. Each year NJTESOL/NJBE holds its annual spring conference. The postconference Voices in theold format was held at 20 pages. Now it approached 60 online, replete with photographs. And in glorious color. Wow!

Each new color cover page pops and invites the reader in. The cover is the table of contents and lists, as links, all articles and special topics; there is also a menu bar for easy navigation through the issue. It is an open invitation to click and explore the articles within. New features were added: a calendar, a full listing of NJTESOL’s chapters, “Language Light” (an occasional feature), and space for submissions from outside the executive board. We have paid color advertisements from several noteworthy vendors; now Voices has become more than just reportage of pertinent current events―it has become a financial asset supporting our mission.

Of course, Voices isn’t a one-person production: each issue is a product of the editor, writers (executive board members and contributors), layout person, technology coordinator, and the membership/business manager. The collaborative group runs a well-oiled machine and is very proud of its product.

NJTESOL/NJBE’s newsletter has moved into the 21st century. The 2011 summer issue is available here and the fall issue is available here.

Roselyn Rauch, EdD, is the editor of NJTESOL/NJBE’s quarterly newsletter Voices.