Whether you have one subject or millions

Linda Sappenfield — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 05:18:00 GMT

The King's Speech could be one of the best horror movies ever. King George VI, forced to address audiences of millions despite having a noticeable stutter, surely experienced unimaginable dread before such occasions.

The film conveys the terror of the king's predicament; he could clearly foresee the extent of criticism and disappointment generated by each turn at the microphone.

Another scary plight comes to mind--that of the internet communicator who doesn't realize the potential reach of those words just submitted online. Once a message or text is posted, it passes out of the writer's control. It may be copied, filed, forwarded, or otherwise disseminated far beyond the writer's intended scope.

Digital text may and frequently does take on a life of its own. With that daunting reality in mind, I sought advice from three City of Round Rock professionals upon whose guidance I depend: Will Hampton, Communication Director; Shannon McIntire, Information Specialist; and Brooks Bennett, Technology Specialist. I asked all three to share the resource or inspiration that has proven most useful in shaping their communication styles:

WILL: "As a government professional, my writing style has been influenced the most by Hans and Annemarie Bleiker, citizen participation experts who have taught many of us city employees. Their website is http://www.ipmp.com/. People need to trust the information we provide them - be it on the website, in a newsletter, City Focus, script, etc. Personally, I've always been a fan of Hemingway. Simple and to the point is hard to beat in my book."
SHANNON: "I'd recommend Jakob Nielsen's article on How Users Read on the Web. Nielsen's focus is web usability--not writing--but his research on user behavior often involves determining which writing styles are most effective on websites, email, etc. His website has a lot of articles that involve writing for the web because research shows that improving the text on a website can dramatically increase its usability--probably more than any other single element."
BROOKS: "I really have enjoyed the Yahoo! Style Guide. Modern society has forced us to create and adapt to new words and terminology and the Yahoo! Style Guide makes doing so a little bit easier. It also takes into consideration the differences in writing for print and writing for the web - an issue we strive to do better with everyday."

A while ago, I responded via email to a library patron's local history question. My answer was addressed to that individual, but the letter--complete with my name and work contact information--is now displayed on the patron's website. Upon spotting my correspondence in its new iteration, two thoughts occurred to me: (1) Glad I proofread! and (2) Thank goodness, I, like King George VI, can access excellent advice.

Everything in moderation, especially cats

Linda Sappenfield — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 19:49:00 GMT

You can spot library staffers by their official City of Round Rock badges. Otherwise, we're not easily identifiable for anyone expecting a crew of cardigan and sensible shoe-clad ladies of a certain age. Some library folks are male, many are young, and no one wears a bun (you're more likely to spy the occasional tattoo). We'll admit to some stereotypical behavior: a few in our midst require the classic librarian bifocals; we often try to work in a couple of chapters during lunch breaks; and we discuss and consume considerably more literature than the average work group.

But that's where we draw the line. No one owns a dozen-plus cats or spends much time alphabetizing our home bookshelves. A typical day, evening, or weekend off for us is likely to involve hiking, bicycyling, marathon running, playing soccer, serving on museum boards and committees, planning weddings, writing a dissertation, keeping up with children's or grandchildren's activities, or undertaking ambitious DIY projects--for starters. So, when we carve out time to read, we read fast, and we choose well!

These titles have earned places in our busy lives this week:

Nick Bantock's Griffin & Sabine trilogy
The Gardner Heist: The Story of the World's Largest Unsolved Art Theft by Ulrlich Boser
Magician: Apprentice by Raymond Feist
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
Shakey: Neil Young's Biography by Jimmy McDonough
The Facilitative Leader in City Hall by James Savra
The Sweet Potato Queens' Guide to Raising Children for Fun and Profit
The House at Sugar Beach by Helene Cooper
The Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan
Mexican Everyday by Rick Bayless
The Alchemist by Paul Coelho
I'm Not Hanging Noodles on Your Ears and Other Intriguing Idioms from Around the World by Jag Bhalla
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson
John Dillinger: Public Enemy #1
The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness
Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen by Christopher McDougall
Sam Bass and Gang by Rick Miller
The Fingerprints of God: The Search for the Science of Spirituality by Barbara Bradley

Reader's Exchange : Round Rock Public Library, Readers Exchange, City of Round Rock

Whether you have one subject or millions

Everything in moderation, especially cats