Clover Clips Changing and Expanding
Plans are in the works to change Clover Clips into a more useful and readable newsletter. The plans include changing the format of the stories, the way it is sent to members, and maybe most importantly, changing it to a statewide publication.
For the past twenty or so years, the Clover Clips 4-H Newsletter has not changed its format significantly. It has been a four-page newsletter with a calendar insert since many of us have been with 4-H. The target audience has been Carson City, Douglas, Storey and Washoe county, with inclusion of state and national events.
Originally, when copies of the newsletter were printed and mailed to all 4-H families in the Western area, (Imagine three people in a room stuffing envelopes for half a day). The format served the purpose well. But as times have changed, emails became the preferred method of distribution. The four-page format was not ideal, but still functioned as a downloadable file.
We are now entering a time when 4-H activities are increasingly available to a wider audience. Statewide and multi-county events are becoming more common. There are also Zoom webinars and classes available to the state as a whole. State and regional events are being staged throughout the state, not just in Reno and Las Vegas, but also in Elko, Fallon, Alamo, and Gardnerville to name a few.
With the introduction of smart phones, paper versions of any publication are being seen by many as inconvenient and wasteful. Even being restricted to sitting at a desktop computer to read a newsletter seems increasingly antiquated.
With these factors in mind, Clover Clips will be changing over the next few months. One of the first changes will be increasing the scope of the articles to cover the entire state. This is not intended to supplant county newsletters, but to augment them. Clover Clips will also become a better vehicle to spread the word of county events to a wider audience.
Another major change will be to the format of the newsletter. There have been numerous comments about the current format being hard to read on cell phones and tablets. Converting the newsletters into HTML or a similar online format that conforms to the devise being used is an obvious advantage for readers. The format change is aimed at creating a format that is equally as usable on desktop computers, tablets, or phones.
The Nevada State 4-H office is looking at possible methods and services to accomplish this goal. There is no set time when the change will take place, but it is hoped that it will be in the near future.
As this publication begins the transition to a statewide newsletter. All counties will be encouraged to submit articles about current activities in their area. Even if the event is not statewide, it still is a good way to increase the exposure within the target area, even if it is just your own county.
It should be noted that the four-county calendar that has accompanied Clover Clips will be going away. In its place, any county that is not already doing so will be encouraged to send out a county calendar of events to their local audience.
Some things will be staying the same, including the monthly article on State and National 4-H initiatives and programs which has been featured on the front page (like the one you are reading now). For the remainder of the year you will be seeing articles on the Beyond Ready campaign being presented by National 4-H. Those articles will alternate with articles about initiatives coming from the Nevada State 4-H Office.
It is hoped that these changes will better serve the 4-H community in Nevada. So, don’t be surprised when the Clover Clips looks different. It, like the rest of us, is just changing with the times.
For the complete news letter, use the link below to download the PDF version.
