Help and tips

 

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Downloading the holiday materials

  • On a fast Internet connection, the files download in about 15 seconds.  It may be a minute or longer on a slower connection.
  • The download starts automatically regardless of whether you sign up for the e-mail.
  • You'll find the files wherever you find other downloaded files on your computer.  This might be in your Downloads folder or on your desktop.  (Help for users of IE 7 or 8.)
  • The files are compressed of "zipped" so that they download more quickly and arrive in one file.  Unzip the files using whatever program you use to unzip other files.  (Help for users of Windows 7.)  When they are unzipped, you will find one folder with a few folders inside and several files.

Tips for getting the most our of The History List

 

Using The History List to promote your organization and events

Note that you can download and print out this one-pager.

 

Adding a new event and new organization to The History List

Adding a listing to The History List is cut and paste simple. Anyone--staff, interns, volunteers, enthusiastic supporters--can add a listing.     This video shows adding a new event and a new organization to The History List.

To view this video full screen--it will be easier to see details--click on the video and once it starts playing you'll see symbols appear in the black bar at the bottom of the video.  Click on the symbol on the right end of the black bar.  It's the "Full screen" symbol to the right of the YouTube logo.

 

Tips for entering information on different kinds of events and activities, sites and exhibits

  • An annual event, such as an annual festival or parade
    • Omit the year, or a reference to the year, such as "the 111th annual . . ." Instead, include that information in the description of the event.  By leaving it out of the event title, you will have the same event page, with the same web address, on The History List forever.  Aftert this year's event, you can simply edit that page, updating it with, for example, details on the 112th annual . . .   In this way you won't be starting over every year and your page on The History List will be more likely to be ranked higher and higher in search engines because people will be going to the same page year after year.
  • A week-long festival with locations and special events throughout the town
    • Enter the festival as one event, using the main location for the location entered on the festival page.  (See the tip above about entering an annual event.)  In the description, list the schedule for the festival.  You may want to also create individual event pages for the festival's main activities, such as a parade or a display of antique automobiles.  Each of these event pages would list the location of that event. 
  • A living history museum with many activities throughout the day, as well as special themed weeks and weekends
    • Enter the living history museum and it hours.  Include some of the daily activities you wish to highlight, and update this information a few times a year as the events change with the seasons.  Reference the special themed weeks and weekends in the description for the facility, too.  In order for each to stand out on that day's list of events, create individual pages for each of these major events.
  • A conference for professionals
    • Check the box on the event entry form labeled "Is it primarily for professionals, academics, or members of a trade association?"
    • The listing will have the "Pro" logo next to it, which will help differentiate it from the typical historical attraction or history-related event.