BeanSwitch, UTM’s literary and visual arts magazine, made its electronic debut Nov. 30 as E-BeanSwitch during the magazine’s fall publication party.

Contributors, staff and guests joined magazine adviser Dr. Leslie LaChance, assistant professor of English, in viewing the online edition and hearing some of the pieces read. The latest version contains 11 works of poetry and fiction and 12 works of art, all original creations by UTM students from various majors. The magazine can be viewed at http://beanswitch.utm.edu.

“The publication party is always fun because it gives the contributors a chance to connect with readers, and with each other, in person,” LaChance said. “It’s always enlightening to hear an author read his or her work and then to have the opportunity for conversation afterwards. And it’s interesting to have conversations with the artists about how they made a particular work of art.”

LaChance praised magazine Executive Editor Mattie Davenport and Design Editor Mark Shelton, along with other student staff members and contributors, for their work in developing the online edition.

“We’re excited about having our very first online issue. It actually gives our students a chance to share their work with a worldwide audience; the online issue is an international publication,” LaChance said.

The idea of creating an online issue springs partly from the world of e-zines, where more interactive multimedia and animations can be incorporated into the “publication” process, as well as the desire on LaChance’s part to give her students more publishing opportunities.

“Students who intend to work in the world of professional publishing as writers, editors or designers need experience in both print and electronic publications. So we decided to do one of each type of publication per year,” LaChance said.

“If students do an online BeanSwitch issue in the fall and a print issue in the spring, they will have a broader range of experience than they would get by simply doing just one or the other type of publication. Having the skills to work both in print and online will make our students more professionally competitive when they graduate and look for jobs.”

The spring edition of BeanSwitch will be a print publication and should arrive in late April, LaChance said. The submission deadline and first reading/art show will likely be in mid-Feburary, which will give student writers and artists about a month to work up their best stuff for submission after returning to school for the spring semester, she said.

Students who would like to get involved in production of the magazine can e-mail the staff at beanswitch@utm.edu.