Listing Process Overview

An Overview and purpose:
The Appalachian Mountain Club has developed a new (early 2006) trip & event database for use by everyone, including non-members., allowing trips & event listings available on the AMC website, www.outdoors.org, as well as individual chapter websites. This is expected to simplify and unify the listing of chapter-led activities. This does not replace either of our Chapter newsletters, the mailed or the on-line versions. It does not replace the new Message Board.

This database system will automate the process for all Chapters submitting their trips to AMC Outdoors editors, while at the same time making their trips eligible for publication on the AMC website, www.outdoors.org, a move which is expected will draw increased interest and participation for chapter-led trips, and hopefully will increase membership.

Work Flow Process: The database system follows a work flow that allows trip leaders (contributors) to input their trips into a web-based form. Trips are then sent to an appropriate reviewer within the trip leader’s committee. Once reviewed and approved by the committee reviewer, the trip is passed to a chapter approver, who makes any final edits and approves the trip for publication on the AMC website (www.outdoors.org) and/or magazine (AMC Outdoors.) Note: Each listing is published on the web only if designated as such by the trip leader and/or reviewer. There are privacy assurances for those leaders who do not wish their personal information (eg. email address) to be listed. The listings, once approved by the appropriate editors, will also be made available and easily usable to chapters for inclusion in newsletters and on chapter websites, as appropriate.

How we use the system:
Chapter leaders (the ones organizing an event or trip) can submit their listing into the database using a web form. Once the listing is submitted and approved, that activity is stored in a database that includes activities from all chapters. Access to this database is also available to the public, so if you have friends that you would like to introduce to the AMC, they can see for themselves what the AMC has to offer. Because the database is on-line, events can now be submitted without the three month lead time as required for the mailed Gazette. As soon as an event is approved, it will be in the database, on the web, and available to view. Last minute cancellations, 'trip full' and 'wait lists' can also be indicated. Since the system is a database, you can searches for specific events, such as all hikes in Maine, or all local bike rides in Rhode Island. Alternatively, searching for all hikes on a certain weekend can show all chapter hikes on that weekend, not just Narragansett hikes.

The Present:
The AMC organization is using this database as the preferred method of entering all events that go on the Web and/or the Outdoors Magazine. At this time our Chapter is listing almost all trips and events in this manner.

In order to facilitate the use of this process for the Narragansett Chapter, we have established this section of our website to provide chapter leaders with the assistance they need to use the new application. Sub-chairs can use the documents below to access the system to enter or approve trips and also set up their trip leaders with the ability to enter trips for their approval by contacting webmaster for an appropriate password.

The following documents are available: If any leaders or reviewers have difficulty in using the system or entering their trips or events, assistance in using the system is freely available from the chapter. Personal assistance or group assistance can be offered. We want the process to be as “painless” as possible, and make the transition for the leaders to be no more difficult than learning how to email the first time. These documents will provide trip leaders with step-by-step instructions, on how to submit their activities.

Contributors Guide – This guide is for contributors which are usually the AMC members that lead individual trips and events. There can be as many leaders for an activity group as desired. This guide shows how trip leaders can submit trips to the on-line database used for the AMC Outdoors and/or for web based publication.

Reviewer and Approvers Guide – This guide is for reviewers (generally sub-chairs or their designated representative) that are responsible for approving trips submitted by the trip leaders. There is generally one reviewer per committee (ie one for Local Hikes, one for Biking, etc). This guide contains information on how reviewers get the trip listings, review/approve them and send them on for final review by the Chapter Approver (generally the Chapter Activities Chair or other designated representative). Also included in this guide are the instructions for the Approver to forward each listing on to Joy Street for publishing in the Outdoors and/or on the web, if requested by the trip leader and reviewer.

Quick Guide for Narragansett Leaders – This guide is specific to entering trips for our Chapter based on our specific committees and activities. This quick guide will clarify the most common options available on the submittal form that cover most of our trip listings.