[OPLINLIST] Increase your program attendance with Publisher

[SWON Info]

    Short and sweet

Writing promotional materials for your library is tough. But whether 
you're advertising an upcoming program or explaining library services, 
/short/ and /sweet/ can get you pretty far.


    Short

What you gain out of being brief is clarity. It's easy to slip into 
wordiness---"Don't miss this great opportunity to..."---that says 
nothing important. Readers who skip filler (and why shouldn't they?) 
might skip over important details that are mixed in. By aiming to only 
include the juicy details, you're giving readers the best chance at 
finding them.

Rambling writing can be caused by /indecision/. Should you use this 
example or a different one? Why not both? Other program descriptions 
have an introduction like this, so I guess mine should too? Trying to be 
brief pushes you to make choices, and that's good for your writing.

Sometimes writers use lots of words because they /don't know the 
details/. You don't want to include the entire description that the 
speaker sent, but would your shorter version promise the wrong thing? 
Find out. Talk to the speaker, get the details straight, and then write.


    Short /is/ sweet

You can be brief without being terse. *Focus on how people will benefit, 
not on what they'll do.* What will people end up being better at, faster 
at, smarter at? Learning about Overdrive might just sound like work. 
Learning how to download free books and audiobooks /probably still 
sounds like work/, but people know what they'll get out of it.

Getting straight to the point shows respect for your reader. After all, 
your short version explains what they'll get out of coming. /If you 
can't find a benefit in what you're promoting, that's a red flag/. On 
the other hand, if your program planning includes how people will 
benefit from attending, writing about it is a lot easier.

*Short writing takes more work than lengthy writing.* But it gets easier 
with practice, and it's worth the effort.

  * Nathan Swartzendruber, SWON Technology Educator

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    Increase your program attendance with Publisher

Having well-written text to work with is its own task. Now place that 
text on the page so that readers can quickly make sense of it. How? By 
applying the basic-basics of print design. Using Publisher can help!

In the Microsoft Publisher Level-Up Lab, you'll learn how to use 
essential Publisher features and design basics to create simple but 
on-target documents. Bring your work in progress, the write-up for an 
upcoming program or last year's newsletter.

Nathan will lead this 2-hour Lab, where you'll get hands-on Publisher 
practice and help with your project. Join us /next week/ at SWON for 
this free session 
<http://swonlibraries.org/events/event_details.asp?id=599052&group=>.

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    Take 5 on April 24th

*"An Ohio Youth Services Dialogue on Challenges, Solutions, and Emerging 
Best Practices"* is a mouthful. The short version is, if you work with 
youth, you'll want to be there.

Bringing together museum and arts educators, and librarians of various 
stripes, Take 5 helps you find new ideas, learn from your peers, and ask 
burning questions. With three speaker sessions on the theme /Make It 
Happen/ and built-in discussion times, there's lots to gain from this 
day in Cincinnati. Register now 
<http://swonlibraries.org/events/event_details.asp?id=515065&group=>!

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    Coming up on the calendar
    <http://swonlibraries.org/events/event_list.asp>

  * *Ohio Library Day: Meet Your Neighbor! <http://www.ohiolibraryday.com>*
    April 14, 2015
  * *Level-Up Lab: Microsoft Publisher
    <http://swonlibraries.org/events/event_details.asp?id=599052&group=>*
    April 15, 2015 - SWON Meeting Room
  * *De-Mystifying Manga: An Introduction for Patrons of All Ages
    <http://swonlibraries.org/events/event_details.asp?id=599148&group=>*
    April 16, 2015 - Online
  * *SWON Executive Board Meeting
    <http://swonlibraries.org/events/event_details.asp?id=622670&group=>*
    April 17, 2015 - SWON Meeting Room
  * *Technical Services (Special Interest Group) Meeting
    <http://swonlibraries.org/events/event_details.asp?id=575099&group=>*
    April 21, 2015, Union Institute & University
  * *What's New in Young Adult Literature, 2015 Update
    <http://swonlibraries.org/events/event_details.asp?id=625328&group=>*
    April 21, 2015 - Online
  * *6 Essential Skills for One-on-One Tech Instruction
    <http://swonlibraries.org/events/event_details.asp?id=599159&group=>*
    April 23, 2015 - Online
  * *Take 5, Take 4!
    <http://swonlibraries.org/events/event_details.asp?id=515065&group=>*
    April 24, 2015 - Public Library of Cincinnati & Hamilton County,
    Main Branch

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