Pages from the History of Artscroll Publishing, the "Artscroll suitcase"

On two recent occasions, I acquired along with libraries purchased, 2 different "Artscroll Suitcases". These suitcases were given out to former and potential mega-donors at the dinner, March 2005, which celebrated the completion of the Artscroll Babylonian Shas. The suitcase included a Commemorative Journal, the evening dinner schedule, an Artscroll Pen, Artscroll Birchon, a history of the Artscroll Talmud, along with presentation copies of the final volume of the Babylonian and the first of the Jerusalem Talmud.

In a sign of the changing times, at the most recent such Artscroll gathering of donors, each prospective donor received an iPad with access to all of Artscroll's e-books. Though the Jewish Publishing world has so far resisting much of the shift towards the electronic books, Artscroll seems to be now focusing more on these projects. It may soon be a common sight to walk in to a Bet Medrash and see 20 Ba'ale Batim learning Daf-Yomi with no books in sight.