New Books Coming - Which To Get

[Guest JDaly]

On September 1, 2020...in about a week, both the "in brief" and full Robert's Rules books will release new editions. I'm not really sure which should be the best one to buy.  I'm an American Legion member and we use Robert's Rules in our meetings. I'm an officer at both the Post and District level and should be in line to take the Commander (chair) of both of those in the next couple of years.  I want to be ready.  My initial instinct was to get the "in brief" first and actually read the whole thing and then get the full version to use a reference book. Is this advisable and/or typical??

I'm also wondering what is cut out of the "in brief" version. I'm hoping to read up on recommendations for electronic, virtual meetings, for example. 

Thanks for your assistance!

[Shmuel Gerber]

46 minutes ago, Guest JDaly said:

My initial instinct was to get the "in brief" first and actually read the whole thing and then get the full version to use a reference book. Is this advisable and/or typical?

It is quite typical to read the In Brief edition and use the full version mostly as a reference. Although it's good to start by reading through the whole In Brief book, you can buy both at the same time -- and you may be ready to dig into the big book a lot sooner than you think.

[Josh Martin]

3 hours ago, Guest JDaly said:

My initial instinct was to get the "in brief" first and actually read the whole thing and then get the full version to use a reference book. Is this advisable and/or typical??

Yes, this is highly advisable and typical, although I concur with Mr. Gerber that you may as well buy both at the same time. In Brief is, as the title suggests, a quick read.

3 hours ago, Guest JDaly said:

I'm also wondering what is cut out of the "in brief" version. I'm hoping to read up on recommendations for electronic, virtual meetings, for example. 

The table of contents for the current, 2nd edition of In Brief (which corresponds to the current, 11th edition of RONR) is available here, which should provide a brief summary of the topics which are covered. I would note that the "In Brief" book is hundreds of pages shorter than the full book, so quite a bit is cut out. It is not intended to be a replacement for the full text.

"It is important to understand, though, that this introductory book is not itself the rule book. Only the complete Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised—RONR—is that. To keep to the framework of a simple guide, this book omits a great many rules, avoids certain subject areas altogether, and doesn't get into many exceptions to the rules it does include. It is the rules in RONR that govern, and nothing in this book may be cited instead of or in conflict with RONR. To help ready reference to the complete rules, each subject covered here is cross-referenced to the pages of its fuller treatment in RONR. By reading this book you will learn how to find the additional rules in RONR if you need them." (RONRIB, 2nd ed., pg. 7)

In regard to electronic meetings specifically, the current edition of RONR In Brief does not include a discussion of those topics. I do not know if this will change with the next edition. The full text includes a discussion of electronic meetings and the new edition will include several sets of sample rules for electronic meetings, a preview of which is available here.

[Rob Elsman]

For members who want to get "up and running" as quickly as possible, RONRIB is the best bet. However, for members who aspire to take the chair, RONR is an absolute necessity. In this case, RONR should be thoroughly read and taken to each meeting to have readily at hand.

[George Mervosh]

I'm reminded once again of some advice our friend GcT gave someone who was about to chair a meeting and hadn't read either book:

"I expect I'm not alone in suggesting emphatically that you first get your RONR - In Brief, without delay, and read it at once.  I keep saying, if you go to a store to buy it, read it standing there.  Maybe move away from in front of the cashier, to allow the other customers to buy their copies.  It should take you an hour or so, unless you're a college graduate -- they can take all day, tomorrow also if they have to tie their shoelaces themselves.  If you're on a lunch break, you'll just have to get back a little late.  If people are depending on you to feed them -- relax, they won't starve.  If you're there by car, give your keys to that cashier, who will be allowed to return them to you when you're finished.  If you have ordered it by mail, don't take the time to get a box-cutter to open the carton:  just have at it with your fangs and claws -- you're going to chair an AGM, so you need the practice anyway."  

[Rob Elsman]

Ah, yes.  A memorable man!