You hold in your hand the new incarnation of the Snoqualmie Valley Record newspaper. After 97 years as a broadsheet publication, the Record is now leaner, meaner and even more community oriented. Our tabloid format and modern look allows more space and resources for local stories, letters and photos.

While we’ve made no secret of the changes coming to the paper, no doubt many of our long-term readers are wondering what this change means for them, and how a different newspaper serves them better.

First off, the new format dramatically changes the paper’s size, style and feel. The paper has been given a modern-day overhaul — bold new graphics and fonts will make for a better-looking, reader-friendly Record.

The new format also broadens the Record’s reach. Starting this week, the newspaper is switching to porch delivery in urban neighborhoods, going out to more than 13,000 households in the Snoqualmie Valley — and to thousands more readers than before.

For many, this means that, instead of you making the trek to the post office for your paper, the newspaper is coming to you — in some cases, right to your very doorstep.

The Record will be delivered by people in your communities, your neighbors. This broadens the network of locals with a connection to their newspaper, and in turn, broadens its ability to make an impact. Locals who are more connected to their hometown newspaper help it thrive. The more people who are connected to a newspaper, be they readers or people involved in its production and delivery, the more potential connections there are for story leads, letters and e-mails, inspiring new perspectives and ideas.

The look may be different, but the staff remains the same, as does our commitment to putting out a quality newspaper focused on telling the Valley’s stories, good and bad, large and small. The masthead may be a little different, but the name is the same, as are the faces you’ll see all over the Valley — at school meetings, council sessions and asking questions to the man or woman on the street.

While the look is getting an upgrade, the techniques and technology used to create the weekly newspaper also remain consistent.

The Valley Record has gone through many changes in its first century of existence. Recently, we examined some of the technology changes that led up to today’s paper. Some changes may have radically changed the way the newspaper was put out, with some technologies — film, metal type, hot wax — going the way of the buggy whip. But most evolutions allowed a small weekly staff to save time and spend more energy on what was important — gathering local news and connecting to their neighbors.

This change is being done for the best reasons, and not for any one reason alone. Economically, this move helps the paper be more competitive, while freeing up more space for the local news and features that are a hallmark of this publication.

While some may regret the passing of a broadsheet tradition, we trust you’ll give the new Valley Record a read. Our new format gives the reader more bang for their buck, and gives the paper a broader, deeper connection with its community. These new directions promise good things for both the paper and you, the reader.

• E-mail Editor Seth Truscott at editor@valleyrecord.com.