Series V. Time-Life Travel Club Records, 1969-1974, inclusive
Extent
Scope and Contents
The Time-Life Travel Club Files document the short-lived attempt by Time-Life Books to run a travel service. Records include the proposal, finances, trip ideas, correspondence and contracts with associated vendors, and the master report summarizing the venture.
Arrangement
Organized into six subseries:
Subseries V.A. Administrative Files
Subseries V.B. Chron File
Subseries V.C. Exhibits
Subseries V.D. Master Report and Supporting Files
Subseries V.E. Promotion
Subseries V.F. Vendors
Biographical / Historical
The Time-Life Travel Club (TLTC) started in March 1971 as a pilot program with 1000 members from the United States east coast. It was headed by Time-Life Books assistant to the publisher Ralph Gallagher as the director and Frank Farrell as the associate director. A January 1971 memorandum from Gallagher describes the TLTC as a service that would "evaluate all existing packaged travel opportunities" and deliver to members a monthly newsletter along with travel recommendations that "match their individual tastes, desires, and pocketbooks." The TLTC cited the cables sent in by Time Inc. news correspondents as prime sources for destination information.
The TLTC registered as a travel agent with several airlines. Members on recommended trips would receive news briefings for their area. The TLTC folded around 1973.
Subseries V.A. Administrative Files, 1969-1972, inclusive
Extent
Scope and Contents
Contains all the files that were not part of another recognizable group of folders. May contain some tour operator files along with vendors of other types of products. Includes records from both director Ralph Gallagher and associate director Frank Farrell.
Arrangement
Organized alphabetically.
Ambassadors Club International, 1970, inclusive
Applicants, 1971-1972, inclusive
Beneficial Management Corporation, 1971, inclusive
Continental Can Company, 1971, inclusive
Daily Data Log Sheets: February-March, 1971, inclusive
Delfold Corporation, 1970?, inclusive
Diners Club, 1970-1971, inclusive
Dun and Bradstreet, 1970-1971, inclusive
Ebersberg, Horst, 1971, inclusive
Employee Trips, 1971, inclusive
Employees, 1970, inclusive
Europe at Cost: Trip Solicitations, 1972, inclusive
Finances: Bills, 1971-1972, inclusive
Finances: Comp List, 1971, inclusive
Finances: Check Requisitions, 1971-1972, inclusive
Finances: Manufacturers Hanover, 1971, inclusive
Finances: Monthly Operating Statements, 1971, inclusive
Financials: Assumptions, 1970?, inclusive
Galapagos Islands Trip Test, 1969-1970, inclusive
Gypsum Drywall Contractors International, 1972, inclusive
Incentive Travel, 1970?, inclusive
International Association for Medical Travelers, 1972, inclusive
Itineraries, 1970?, inclusive
Kornstein, R., 1970?, inclusive
Kuoni Travel Inc., 1972, inclusive
Legal: Galef and Jacobs, 1971-1972, inclusive
Legal: Galef and Jacobs [RESTRICTED]
Mailings, 1971-1972, inclusive
Marine Midland Bank, 1971, inclusive
Member: Derry, Robert, 1971, inclusive
National Liberty Corporation, 1970, inclusive
News Articles, 1971, inclusive
Ontario Department of Tourism, 1970, inclusive
Pelzman, Dick, 1971, inclusive
Personnel, 1970-1972, inclusive
Personnel [RESTRICTED]
Philip L. Lowe and Associates, 1972, inclusive
Printing Requests, 1971-1972, inclusive
Printing Travel Magazine, 1971, inclusive
Prospective Members Correspondence, 1971, inclusive
Refunds, 1971-1972, inclusive
Sedy Palti - EAC, 1972, inclusive
Source of Sale Report, 1971, inclusive
St. John Associates, 1971, inclusive
Tape Programs, 1971, inclusive
Travel Agenda Bills, 1971, inclusive
Travel Agents, 1970, inclusive
Travel Club Law, 1971, inclusive
Travel Ideas, 1968-1970, inclusive
Travel Guides, Brochures, etc., 1972, inclusive
Travel Illustrated, Inc., 1970?, inclusive
Travel Regulations, 1970?, inclusive
Trip Descriptions and Mailings, 1971-1972, inclusive
Trip Itineraries, 1972, inclusive
Subseries V.B. Chron File, 1971-1974, inclusive
Extent
Scope and Contents
These files are called "daily copies" or "daily letters" and look like the chron files for the department and for director Ralph Gallagher. These files include letters to members with trip details.
Arrangement
Organized alphabetically, then chronologically.
General, 1971 October-1972 June, inclusive
Gallagher, Ralph, 1971-1974, inclusive
Subseries V.C. Exhibits, 1969-1973, inclusive
Extent
Scope and Contents
Exhibits were in binders stored together. There was no documentation stating what they are exhibits for. Beatrice Tolleris is referred to as an editor in these records, but also held the role of the Time-Life Books director of promotion according to the Department Head Lists. "Europe at Cost: Trip Solicitations" and the master report were binders stored with these exhibit binders. While Exhibit II is missing, neither were labeled as an exhibit so it was not assumed one of them was the missing exhibit.
Exhibits contains issues of the newsletter Word.
Citation:
Time Inc. Reference Files, MS 3009-RG 3, New-York Historical Society.
Arrangement
Organized by exhibit number.
Exhibit I. General, 1969-1973, inclusive
Exhibit III. General, 1969-1973, inclusive
Exhibit IV. Comments from Members, 1972, inclusive
Exhibit V. and Exhibit VI. Trip Descriptions: Mailings, 1971-1972, inclusive
Exhibit VII. Bea Tolleris Correspondence with Bureaus, 1971, inclusive
Exhibit VIII. Word Newsletter, 1971-1972, inclusive
Subseries V.D. Master Report and Supporting Files, 1969-1974, inclusive
Extent
Scope and Contents
The master report is a final report created after the travel club closed recapping its activities and reasons for ending. The report cites twenty-five supporting files, some of which have a summary at the front.
Arrangement
Organized with the master report first followed by the supporting files in the order listed in the report.
Master Report, 1974 January, inclusive
Supporting Files with Summaries: American Marketing Association Finances, 1973, inclusive
Supporting Files with Summaries: Anchor Savings Bank, 1972, inclusive
Supporting Files with Summaries: Anchor Savings Bank [RESTRICTED]
Supporting Files with Summaries: Consultants, 1970-1972, inclusive
Supporting Files with Summaries: Europe at Cost, 1971, inclusive
Supporting Files with Summaries: Legal, 1971-1973, inclusive
Supporting Files with Summaries: Proposals, 1969-1973, inclusive
Supporting Files with Summaries: Sales Reports, 1971-1972, inclusive
Supporting Files with Summaries: Student Travel, 1972, inclusive
Supporting Files with Summaries: Travel Trade Press, 1973, inclusive
Supporting Files without Summaries: Ads and Tearsheets, 1972, inclusive
Supporting Files without Summaries: American Marketing Association, 1972-1973, inclusive
Supporting Files without Summaries: Continental Royal Services, 1973, inclusive
Supporting Files without Summaries: Continental Royal Services [RESTRICTED]
Supporting Files without Summaries: Effort Key Cards, 1971-1972, inclusive
Supporting Files without Summaries: Incentive Travel, 1969-1974, inclusive
Supporting Files without Summaries: International Air Transport Association (IATA) and ATC (Air traffic control?) Appointments, 1972-1973, inclusive
Supporting Files without Summaries: Mailings, 1971, inclusive
Supporting Files without Summaries: Master List, 1971-1973, inclusive
Supporting Files without Summaries: Other Travel Clubs, 1970-1972, inclusive
Supporting Files without Summaries: Profits and Losses, Planning and Budgets, 1971-1972, inclusive
Supporting Files without Summaries: Sales, 1972, inclusive
Supporting Files without Summaries: Space Advertising, 1972, inclusive
Supporting Files without Summaries: Time-Life Travel Club Questionnaire, 1970-1971, inclusive
Supporting Files without Summaries: Trade Press Coverage, 1972, inclusive
Supporting Files without Summaries: Travel Group Charters, 1973, inclusive
Supporting Files without Summaries: Travel Wholesalers, 1970-1971, inclusive
Subseries V.E. Promotion, 1970-1971, inclusive
Extent
Scope and Contents
Promotion includes the files that followed a tab labeled "Promotion." Records include correspondence, memoranda, print requests, and invoices regarding mailings sent to members, and files on the creation of the Time-Life Travel Club newsletter Word.
Arrangement
Organized alphabetically.
Mailings, 1971, inclusive
Requests, 1970-1971, inclusive
Word (newsletter), 1971, inclusive
Subseries V.F. Vendors, 1970-1972, inclusive
Extent
Scope and Contents
Vendors contains correspondence, contracts, and invoices from vendors the Time-Life Travel Club contracted with or bought supplies from, primarily airlines and tour operators.
Arrangement
Organized alphabetically.