FAQs
Help and Information
Frequently Asked
Questions
Our FAQs cover five topic areas. Jump to the section you need, or scroll down to read through them all.
If you cannot find what you are looking for, please contact us.
Subscriptions and Delivery
Subscribing, renewing, delivery, submissions, and advertising.
The BSI Press and Orders
Buying books, shipping, availability, and indexes.
The BSI Weekend and Dinner
Dates, who may attend, and records of past Weekends.
The Baker Street Irregulars
Membership, officers, local groups, history, and donations.
The Trust and Archive
The archive at the Lilly Library, donations, and the trustees.
The Baker Street Journal
Subscriptions and Delivery
What is the latest issue to be published?
See the cover and table of contents of the current BSJ issue.
Why haven’t I received my issue yet?
It can be 4 to 5 weeks from when the first person gets a BSJ issue until the last person receives their copy. We send a News from the BSI email and update this site when everyone should have their copy, so if you do not have the current BSJ issue, please contact us.
Do I have to be a member of the BSI to subscribe to the BSJ?
No, anyone can subscribe to the BSJ and/or buy our books.
Who do I contact about BSJ delivery problems?
Please send us email as noted on our Contact Us page.
When do new subscribers get their first issue?
The Spring issue usually arrives in May. If you subscribe after it goes to press, expect to get your first issues at about the same time as the next quarterly mailing.
Can I subscribe in the middle of the year?
Yes, you can subscribe at any time. If some issues this year have already been published, we’ll send them to you at about the same time as the next quarterly mailing.
How do I renew a subscription?
We use the same process for ordering a renewal or a new subscription. Just click the appropriate “Add to Cart” button on our BSJ Subscriptions page.
Why did I get a renewal notice with my BSJ?
We include the notice for everyone as a reminder to renew. If you have already renewed for the next year you can ignore it.
What’s in a typical issue?
An issue of the BSJ typically includes articles on a variety of subjects, a Sherlockian cartoon, Sherlockian news, and brief reviews of various publications.
When will my subscription expire?
Your subscription will expire at the end of the year after you receive both the Christmas Annual and the Winter issue (both of which may arrive in the next calendar year).
How can I get a letter or paper published in the Journal?
See our Submit to the Baker Street Journal page.
How can I advertise in the Journal?
See our Advertisements page.
BSI Books
The BSI Press and Orders
Do I have to be a member of the BSI to buy your books?
No, anyone can buy our books and/or subscribe to the BSJ.
How long does it take to ship my purchase?
Most USA orders arrive within 10 days. If you have not received your order within 15 days (in USA) or 30 days (rest of world), please contact us.
How much does shipping cost?
When paying online, the shipping charge is automatically added near the end of the checkout process. Unfortunately, BSI Books must temporarily suspend shipping books internationally, as international shipping has become unreliable.
How can I get notified when new books are published?
Sign up for our free News from the BSI email alerts.
What books have you published or are available?
See The BSI Books for a full bibliography by series, or browse the BSI Books section of the Bookstore for titles currently in stock.
Are your books available at bookstores?
Some dealers, including the Mysterious Bookshop in New York, carry some of our books.
Are any of your publications available as eBooks?
We do not have any Kindle, Nook, or ePub books. The eBSJ, a PDF archive of every BSJ issue from 1946 to 2011, was issued on DVD and is currently sold out.
Do you have indexes online to any of your publications?
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How do I contact you with other questions?
See our Contact Us page.
Events
The BSI Weekend and Dinner
When is the next BSI Weekend?
See our BSI Weekend page.
When is the next BSI special event?
See our Events page.
Are BSI events open to the public?
Yes, most BSI events are open to the public, although some require reservations or tickets. The annual BSI Dinner is limited to members of the BSI and invited guests.
What are the other Sherlockian activities during the BSI Weekend?
See our BSI Weekend page for events arranged by the BSI, and Local Events for gatherings hosted by scion societies.
How can I get invited to attend the BSI Dinner?
You cannot apply to attend the BSI Dinner. Guest invitations are based on BSI member recommendations. See Register to Attend for details if you have been invited.
Are there public records of prior BSI Weekends and BSI Dinners?
Yes. Details and photographs from each Annual Dinner are collected on our Past BSI Dinners pages.
What books has the BSI published about BSI Events?
For detailed coverage, see the BSI Event and Expedition Books series. Some of our History and Biography titles also include BSI event information. Note that some of these books are no longer in print.
The Organization
The Baker Street Irregulars
How do I become a member of the BSI?
You do not need to be a member to subscribe to the BSJ, to buy BSI Books, or to attend most BSI events. Membership itself is by invitation only. For more information, see our Membership in the BSI page.
How can I find a local Sherlockian group?
Start with our Local Events page. You can also try the Sherlockian.net societies list, ask at your local library, or search using your city name and “Sherlock Holmes group.” [LINK NEEDED: Peter Blau’s listing of Holmes groups. The old link points to a 2024 PDF hosted on the Beacon Society site. Confirm the current version with Peter Blau.]
How can I find an online Sherlockian group?
The Sherlockian.net site has useful information on its societies page and fandom page.
What is the BSI Dinner?
See our BSI Dinner page.
Who are the officers of the BSI?
See our Leadership page for current officers. Steven Doyle is “Wiggins” (President of the BSI). Peter E. Blau is “Simpson” (Secretary). Robert Katz is “Cartwright.”
Can I make a donation to the BSI?
The BSI is a non-profit educational and literary organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. We welcome monetary donations to the BSI Trust, and gifts of materials for the BSI Archive.
What is the history of the BSI?
Read our Brief History of the Baker Street Irregulars, browse our History and Biography titles, and visit the BSI Trust.
What is an investiture?
When a person becomes a member of the BSI, they receive an investiture: a name drawn from the sixty Sherlock Holmes stories, which is theirs for life. The full record is on our Investitures page, alongside The Women. [NOTE: the old site linked here to an Explanation of BSI Honours and Terms glossary. No glossary page currently exists on the new site.]
How do I contact the BSI?
See our Contact Us page.
The BSI Trust
The Trust and Archive
What exactly is the Baker Street Irregulars Trust?
The BSI Trust is the part of the BSI focused on preserving the BSI’s history and making this material available for study. The BSI Archive is located in the Lilly Library at Indiana University. For more details, see the BSI Trust and our BSI Archive page.
Who may donate to the BSI Trust and Archive?
Anyone may donate to the BSI Trust and Archive. Please see Gifts of Materials for details on what the Trust collects. Everyone can help the Trust through monetary donations to our 501(c)(3) organization.
Do I get any benefits from making a donation?
Besides helping to preserve the history of the BSI, donations may be tax deductible. Please see our pages about monetary donations and gifts of materials for more details. Contributions to the BSI Trust may be publicized in The Baker Street Journal, the Trust newsletter, and this website.
Does this website show everything in the Archive?
No, this site only shows a sample from the BSI Archive. The Lilly Library’s website shows additional material, and has an online finding aid that lists many of the items in the archive. See the BSI Archive page for more details.
Who are the trustees?
See our Trustees page for the current board and their biographies.