LANSING, Ill. (December 2, 2023) – “I wish I could buy a book that contained all of Marlene Cook’s amazing Lansing history stories and other copies for family and friends!” wrote Frank Fetters in a comment on Cook’s story about the history of Jansma’s Farm Stand. That comment, and the popularity of many of the stories in the Lansing History category, prompted The Lansing Journal to publish those articles in book form.
The result is a 108-page book, printed on premium 80# paper and bound in a glossy hardcover. Lansing History: Stories Told by The Lansing Journal contains 14 articles that were published online during 2022. Most of the articles were written by Marlene Cook, though Carrie Steinweg and Reena Alsakaji are also represented. The book includes articles detailing the fire at First Reformed Church, the 1967 blizzard, the murder of Bohemian Joe, and events of local significance that have not been documented anywhere else. The Lansing Journal hired local designer Jenni Hoekstra to design the book, lay out the pages, and produce the print-ready files.
Lansing History: Stories Told by The Lansing Journal is a print-on-demand book, meaning each copy of the book is printed as it is ordered. The print-on-demand process eliminates the upfront cost of ordering a large inventory and the hassle of storage. Fulfillment of each order can take several weeks, and the cost is slightly higher per book because there is no economy of scale. The Lansing Journal splits the profit on each sale with lulu.com, the print-on-demand service that is managing order fulfillment.
The Lansing Journal is hoping to release additional volumes of Lansing History if interest warrants. A smaller volume focused on Women in Lansing History is being planned for release before March 2024.
Maybe the Lansing Library will buy a couple of books to share with the community. I would love that.
Friends of the Lansing Library may be interested as well.
Thank you! I plan to buy 5 copies and send these out as Christmas presents.
Frank Fetters