The theory, history, and practice of the Schumacher Society's work with local currencies is detailed in Local Currencies: Catalysts for Sustainable Regional Economies. Additionally, Bob Swann, founder of the E. F. Schumacher society, wrote several clear, compelling essays on local currencies, which can be found here.

BerkShares (www.berkshares.org) BerkShares are a local currency for the Berkshire region. Dubbed a "great economic experiment" by the New York Times, BerkShares are a tool for community empowerment, enabling merchants and consumers to plant the seeds for an alternative economic future for their communities. Launched in the fall of 2006, BerkShares had a robust initiation, with over one million BerkShares having been circulated in the first nine months and over two million to date. View television coverage of BerkShares by clicking here, and other international, national, and regional news coverage by clicking here.

Reference Materials for Creating a Local Currency: Legal Issues Related Articles and Studies Local Currency Directories Directory of Active Programs Directory of Programs In-Planning and Retired Time Banks WIR Other Resources Local Currency Essays by Bob Swann Media Coverage of Local Currencies

In June of 2004 the E.F. Schumacher Society convened the conference: Local Currencies in the 21st Century. The conference report and UTNE Reader online article provide details on this landmark event which Pete Seeger described as "the best conference he had ever attended."

Deli Dollars, designed by Martha Shaw:

Deli Dollars, a single store scrip issued in Great Barrington, Massachusetts in 1989 with help of E. F. Schumacher Society staff, drew national media to the Berkshire region (view videos of news coverage here) and helped renew public interest in local currencies as a tool for community economic revitalization.