Ohio State University isn’t just your average, everyday, mild-mannered midwestern college. It’s also the home of Ohio State’s Cartoon Library and Museum, the largest and most comprehensive academic research facility documenting printed cartoon art in the world. With last year’s merger of Mort Walker’s International Museum of Cartoon Art‘s collection into the Cartoon Library and Museum, it also boasts the world’s largest single collection of original cartoon art with approaching half a million original cartoons as well as thousands of books, serial titles and manuscripts and 2.5 million comic strip clippings and tear sheets. The OSUCLM sponsors programs related to cartoon art by mounting exhibits on campus, lending for exhibits elsewhere, and hosting speakers, seminars, workshops and conferences. The Festival of Cartoon Art, held triennially since 1983, attracts participants from around the world.

Recently the Cartoon Library and Museum has announced plans to renovate Sullivant Hall on campus to become the new home of the Library, featuring a true museum-quality gallery and archival space. This future home of the Cartoon Library and Museum will ensure the protection and accessibility of these precious examples of art and culture.

Of course all this takes money, and donations are gratefully accepted and needed by the OSUCLM. Recently the widow of Peanuts legend Charles Schulz, Jeannie Schulz, generously donated one million dollars to OSUCLM to support the renovation of Sullivant Hall. Moreover, Jeannie issued the following challenge: she will match each dollar donated to the OSUCLM through March 9th, 2014, up to $2.5 Million. That doubles every dollar donated for the next 4 years!

That is an amazing thing and it makes any donations to the Cartoon Library and Museum twice the value. Please consider donating a few bucks to the effort, and many thanks to Jeannie for her tremendous generosity.

Here’s a video with some more info on the Cartoon Library and Museum:

A number of the blogs I visit regularly are supported by advertising, where their content is littered with ads screaming “click me”! There’s nothing wrong with that of course, but it is distracting from their content. Others do not have advertising but do give readers an opportunity to “tip” them by donating some money to support their efforts. Favorite blogs News From Me by Mark Evanier and Cedric Hohnstadt‘s Cedric’s Blog-a-Rama do this as do many others.

The “Tip Jar” concept seems a little crass but combined with the right blog and content I think it’s perfectly reasonable. The blog in question needs to be updated daily and contain posts with useful information, entertainment and relevant news or links. The blogger needs to be spending real time and effort on the blog’s content. That kind of offering has a value.

I’ve been reluctant to do anything like that for some time just because it felt a little awkward. However it has been pointed out to me repeatedly by colleagues that my blog has offered quite a lot of valuable content like the tutorials, advice and information on freelancing, etc. as well as the occasional entertaining anecdote. I don’t know about that, but I do know I spend a lot of time and effort trying to write meaningful posts every day, even though some of them are about gadgets or technology and the Dreaded Deadline Demon sometimes rears his ugly head.

I finally decided to include a link to a “tip jar” for The MAD Blog. What put me over the top was that I had been trying to figure out a way to justify the time and effort to do more tutorials and step by steps. I’d like to start a regular feature on drawing caricatures as well as possibly doing some more videos. Having even the possibility of a little monetary support for these efforts makes that justification easier.

You will find this button:

…at the top of the blogroll. There is also a page called “About Tipping The MAD Blog!” found under the “Pages” section near the top of said blogroll. Either will allow anyone to tip the blog via PayPal/credit card. Under no circumstances should readers feel obligated to contribute. Only do so if you really feel you’ve gotten something worthwhile here. I will say that any money collected will be used for purely selfish use for purchasing toys, games, gadgets, and otherwise totally unjustifiable cool stuff. Tips will never be used to feed my children, pay for art supplies, mortgages or utility bills… some of it may possibly go to buying The Lovely Anna new shoes or handbags, but I have no say in that matter.

Regardless if the tip jar is overflowing with moola or only rattles with a few tarnished coins, The MAD Blog will continue along as it has, hopefully with content readers will find useful, enjoy and maybe even learn something from. Thanks as always for visiting.