LETTERS

First Impressions of Readers'
Expressions
(of hope, approval and support)

Preliminary results of the Readership Survey

Dear Readers,

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We expected you to respond to our Readership Survey; we even hoped that you would add comments and personal bits of information. But never did we dream that you would reply so enthusiastically! We received more than 100 responses: a few postmarked outside of Canada, some from the isolated northern stretches of our country, many from the large urban centers.

The arduous task of reading and collating the questionnaires was made less so by the excitement of connecting with you and discerning a clearer picture of who you are. We know you are women committed to supporting other women. You work mainly in the field of education but have diverse interests as reflected in your choice of reading material and organizational involvement. That you value learning highly was clear not only from your backgrounds (most of you are university or college graduates) but also from your comments about Women's Education des femmes (WEdf). Three major trends were apparent. First, there was overwhelming agreement that WEdf is what it claims to be, i.e. "a feminist connection to the world of learning and education." Second, the journal maintains a Canadian perspective on a variety of issues and in general, connects people, ideas and resources in useful, articulate and accessible ways. And third, we are giving careful thought to your suggestions about the Agenda section ("items sometimes published too late"), the Interviews ("Can this format be changed so that the result is more dynamic?") and the Editorial ("Can it be punchier?"). Your comments will help WEdf become a more professional journal in content and format.

Fewer readers felt as supportive toward Minerva, our membership newsletter. The CCLOW Board was recently forced to choose between continued financial support for WEdf or Minerva. We choose WEdf and asked you to lobby on its behalf. We had hoped to continue publishing Minerva as occasional one page "action sheets" but even this may not be possible. The news that previously appeared in Minerva will now appear in WEdf, and we hope that if Minerva returns in the future it will be as a strong, timely and informative newsletter.

Buried within many of the questionnaires, amid the check marks and evaluative comments, were your wonderful ideas for theme issues, offers of editing help, and suggestions for participation. Readers, we welcome your contributions. Budding writers, editors, humorists, poets and graphic artists, please contact Christina Starr, Editor, CCLOW, 47 Main St. Toronto M4E 2V6.

Again, thank you! Your response was gratifying and we anticipate an improved magazine as a result of your participation.

The Editorial Board.



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