Hi all,

We recently spoke with Karen Beauford, Co-founder of Locallectual, about combining their online database tool for searching and tracking local retailers/producers/artisans with relocalization efforts. The website is relatively new and they are looking to gather feedback on how to make it useful for groups and individuals involved with relocalization. See her message below.

best,
asher and shelby

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Hello Relocalizers!

I’m reaching out to ask for your assistance in fine-tuning a new web-based tool designed to help communities in the relocalization process: www.Locallectual.com.

Locallectual is a Web 2.0 tool and community for consumers concerned with origin of consumer goods. It is a searchable database of producers, retailers and eateries.

Users can search by category of goods, by country, state, or within a mile radius of a city or zip code. Locallectual is a wiki-type site, grown by its users; users can upload companies in their area into the database.

Relocalization groups can use Locallectual as a platform for their efforts. Rather than each group building a web-based tool from the ground up, they can join Locallectual and form a community within it. Groups can enter companies in their area, then direct consumers looking for local products to the site. There are forums in place - by topic and also by state (which can be further broken down into smaller communities as needed).

Locallectual is free to the user, and also free for companies to be listed. It currently covers the US and Canada, but we are in the process of expanding internationally.

Companies listed must produce the whole of their core product line domestically. We exclude companies that offshore production, regardless of how “green” their manufacturing processes are overseas. Our goal is for people to be able to find goods that are actually made or manufactured nearby.

We have encompassed the locavore movement by including categories for farms, CSAs, and other food producers. In our retailers category, we have subcategories for farmers’ markets and greenmarkets. Our eateries category is reserved for only those restaurants and other eateries that feature local foodstuffs.

The main benefit to having a centralized tool for all relocalization networks to use is that the wheel does not need to be constantly re-invented. Building and maintaining a website is cost and time intensive. The efforts of the relocalization teams can then be focused elsewhere for a more productive group.

Another benefit is that people can easily seek out local products while they travel or if they relocate, by using the same site but selecting a different area.

Locallectual is fairly new, and we are looking for beta testers that can begin using the site and providing us with feedback. We are looking for answers to questions such as:

~What Locallectual features are useful to your relocalization group?
~What features could you do without?
~What features that are not currently provided on the site might you be interested in?
~Would an option to export the information on your area from the database be a useful tool for your group?
~What feedback do you have about navigation and user-friendliness of the site?

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions, comments, or general feedback on the site. We look forward to improving the site over time, and streamlining the efforts of those groups looking to relocalize their communities.

Thank you,
Karen Beauford
Locallectual, LLC
W: 434.220.0747
F: 434.220.0744
karen at locallectual dot com
www.locallectual.com