Literature Home Page

os.literature.distribution@gmail.com

Latest version of Literature Order Forms

Please use the link in the sidebar menu to download the latest version of the Literature Order Forms. The sidebar menu might move to the bottom of this page if you are working on a small device such as a mobile phone.

The sidebar menu is present on every literature page. It will instantly download a zip file with 2 versions of the same file. One computer fillable document and one print document. Double click the downloaded file to unzip the content onto your computer. See the image below for the location of the sidebar menu when the website is visited on a desktop or laptop. The description of the item might change according to the date of issue.


Literature Distribution Center hours

Your Literature Distribution Center (LDC) will be closed from Thursday, May 4 at 1:00 pm until Monday, May 15 at 10:00am.


Why purchase your literature from our Ontario South LDC?

Members on the WSO ‘Literature Thought Force’ highly encourage Areas to have their own LDC and that the members purchase from their LDC rather than WSO.

WSO turnover time for literature is 4-6 weeks / LDC is 2-4 business days.

One or two books equalling $50 from WSO can cost members $20 in shipping (at present LDC is $12 in shipping).


About Conference Approved Literature

One of the questions asked here often is ….”Is this book conference approved?” followed by the book name, author etc.

All Al-Anon CAL bears the above seal along with the words:
‘Approved by World Service Conference Al-Anon Family Groups’. This seal and statement give the assurance that the literature is produced by Al-Anon and is consistent with the Twelve Steps, Twelve Traditions, and Twelve Concepts of Al-Anon Family Groups.

Some other ways to know if a book is conference approved is that on the spine there is the Al-Anon logo above the book code. As these works are collaborative there are never author names on the books.

While we may find many of the things we need to grow in literature that isn’t conference approved, our service manual on page 63 and 64 state that “only Al-Anon/Alateen materials be used in our meetings. This ensures that our program message stays consistent with our principles.”

Over the years we have had the privilege to see the traditions in action with this very phenomenon. Members were bringing along their books and in the pile was an AA book, or a publication they bought elsewhere. Kindly and quietly a member asked if they could please take those books and tuck them out of sight. We would then discuss it at the business meeting or even better put on the agenda the topic ‘Why CAL?’ so that those who did not come to the Business Meeting were also included. It was interesting to hear members share why they felt those other publications needed to stay out of sight.

Even more enlightening in one of those meetings was the sharing of a newcomer, who said they looked at the books people brought along and mentally took note. so they could get them. We may at a personal level share with others what helped us, but the use or mention of this non-Al-Anon literature in our meetings does conflict with our service manual and our traditions, particularity 3 and 4.

We want our program to be here and healthy for everyone. The new person who walks in the door (or right now signs into an electronic meeting) and for those who have been here for many 24 hours.

Al-Anon Conference Approved Literature (CAL) presents the Al-Anon and Alateen programs to members of our fellowship and the public at large.

Why Conference Approved Literature?
P-35

About Al-Anon literature, how it is developed from members’ shared experiences, and the importance of using it exclusively at Al-Anon/Alateen meetings. 6 pages.


LDC Highlights

Workbooks

A lot of workbooks have left the office during Covid. The one that sometimes confuses members is the Blueprint for Progress. It comes in two formats. The original P-5 is a small booklet and the newer P-91 is the spiral bound workbook. They do not contain the same questions. Many members prefer one over the other and many others use both for different perspectives. No matter which one you choose: make sure you know which to order.

Here are a couple of other literature suggestions which may be of help, just for today.

The first is a piece of Alateen-literature. Many of our adult members also love this. Once you own it, you may copy it for your own personal use, but please not to share.

S-6 Alateen Daily Checklist of Myself

This daily checklist may be one of the little gems we don’t see or hear about often. It is a weekly chart for taking Step 10:
“Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it”.
This is a concrete continual personal inventory. It contains a list of questions that you can check off, followed by a program-quote or other tidbit related to each question. The flipside is entitled “How am I doing?” – this is a list of many things such as temper, selfishness, etc. This literature has no age-restrictions and may help create a visual impression of how we keep on track.

P-78  When I Got Busy, I got Better

We see people around us serving the fellowship. This can be by setting up a meeting, taking notes in our home group, sponsoring, being a GR, a DR and beyond. Why do they do it? Because when they got busy, they got better. Fear is probably what’s keeping many of us from doing these things. This booklet shares about facing our fears. Nobody is perfect and there is no one way to do the job. Sometimes we need to read about this or hear it to begin to believe it. Why should we do it? Because it is in giving that we receive. There is a big section in this booklet about that. Being active in our program offers us learning opportunities and it can improve our self-esteem; in this way we are instrumental in creating help to be available for the next person who shows up at the doors of Al-Anon and Alateen. By getting busy we begin to learn applying the program in all areas of our lives. If you are hesitant to try service or want more details, this booklet contains a lot of information that may guide you.

The Forum: monthly magazine

Available digitally or on paper, delivered to your home in a discrete envelope. Read more about your options here:

Options for ordering The Forum

Some of our Conference Approved Literature is now available as e-book. Find an overview on this Amazon page.

S-69 Al-Anon Family Groups Welcome Adult Children of Alcoholics

Alcoholism affects many people, not just the alcoholic. For every alcoholic at least 4 others are affected and they can be partners/spouses, friends, siblings, parents and children. This pamphlet shares that if you grew up in an alcoholic home, there is a safe place to go with help and hope, so that you can live a happier life. It is filled with sharings from adult children as to how they were affected and how they felt. After each sharing there is a response as to what is offered in our Al-Anon program that may help. There is a list of CAL material and the 12 Steps that may be of specific interest to the adult child coming through our doors.

S-67 Al-Anon’s Path to Recovery –Al-Anon Family Groups Welcome Native
Americans/Aboriginals

It is important that everyone knows they are welcome in Al-Anon if they have been affected by someone’s drinking. The pamphlet includes a diagram which uses the steps to draw parallels to the native culture in how the program works. When we connect to familiar things in the culture of others it may offer an insight that in fact it is not opposed to their beliefs and customs but can work in a manner that fits into it. The pamphlet shares what Al-Anon is and is not so possible barriers can be cleared

K-10C Professional Kit

This kit includes Fact Sheet for Professionals S-37EF, Information for the Newcomer S-4, Has Your Life Been Affected by Someone Else’s Drinking S-20, Are you Troubled by Someone’s Drinking S-17, Did You Grow up with a Problem Drinker? S-25, Facts about Alateen P-41 and Understanding Ourselves and Alcoholism P-48. This is a great way to get the message to professionals. You may even want to include an Al-Anon Faces Alcoholism magazine


Looking for a Public Outreach Project on a Limited Budget?

The redesigned Public Outreach Bookmark (M‑76) is now available. With updated graphics and text that features the same message as the current PSAs. The bookmark is an ideal outreach tool. Help reach potential newcomers in your community by distributing it in public places. Available for free (plus shipping).

Note: some of our materials are available as free download and in different languages than stated on the Ontario South website. Please go to the Al-Anon store at al-anon.org to find out more.


The Al-Anon Family Groups Headquarters, Inc. publishes literature containing the experience, strength, and hope of its members who apply the principles for their own recovery. Among the Conference-Approved Literature (CAL), there are assorted books, pamphlets and leaflets. You can also subscribe to our monthly magazine, The Forum.

This wealth of information from those who have lived with alcoholism is used for individual daily reading and as a focus for study by members during their meetings. All are printed in English and many have been translated in over 30 languages and used worldwide. Videos and other materials are also available.

Most meetings have a good selection for sale of our literature – pamphlets and flyers are usually free (but a small donation is always appreciated). Some groups have a small lending library. You can also buy direct from our Ontario South Literature Distribution Centre.

Need more information? Please contact our Literature Distribution Coordinator by emailing your questions to: os.literature.distribution@gmail.com