April Update

Hi folks,
March was a slow month for travel but a huge month for writing. We are about 1/2 way through the writing for our new "Interpretive Writing" text book. I was also busy finishing writing up interpretive plan drafts for several projects, and preparting for a trip back to Korea in May/June to work on our National Arboretum training program. I was also just asked to write a new interpretation text book for Korea, working with Prof. Ju-hee Lee who will do the translations and insert Korean photos and analogies.

A few days ago I had the pleasure to providing a lecture at the University of Michigan, Flint Campus for their history department on Careers in Heritage Interpretation, which was fun.

Right now we are getting ready to finish up the fabrication for all the interpretive panels and exhibit materials for the COE Bonnet Carrie Spillway, which we hope to have wrapped up by June. I'll post some of the photos when everything is in place.

I have a new newsletter I just started "INTERPnews". If you would like a copy send me your e-mail address.

That's it for now. JV (jvainterp@aol.com)

JV Book News

Hi folks. We're thrilled that my recent MuseumsEtc book "Interpretive Master Planning" has made Museum Education Monitor's Top 10 Museum Education Books of 2011: They've been voted by the hundreds of worldwide readers of Museum Education Monitor as books which will "fuel our work and imaginations in the years to come". Of the top 10, Interpretive Master Planning was ranked #4. Thanks for everyone that voted for my book - this was a nice surprise. You can order the book from: http://museumsetc.com/products/interpretation, or from Acorn Naturalists here in the US.

Just finishing up some projects and waiting to hear back on some proposals. Also working on a new e-interp web based training module. That's it for now - happy valentines day.
jv

January Update

Hi folks, Hope you had a great holiday. Looks like the new year will be a busy one. I have my US Army Corps of Engineers 4-day interpretive course at the end of January, and was just awarded the contract to teach the COE Advanced Interpretation Course for Supervisors and Managers, this May. My newest book "The Interpretive Training Handbook" should be released this month or early February, and I launched my e-interp web based training courses with "Introduction to Interpretation", and "Planning Interpretive Panels" as the first two courses. I am working on the third e-interp course "Planning Interpretive Exhibits" now, and hope to have it on-line by the end of the month. You can check my website for the details on the new books, training courses, and projects - www.heritageinterp.com. jv

Merry Christmas update

Hi folks,

Just a quick update. The e-courses are now up an running - links to them are posted at my web site: www.heritageinterp.com, and the new Interpretive Training Handbook is in final production and should be out early next year. Hope you all have a great holiday. Chat with you next year. jv

December Update - New Book

My newest book "The Interpretive Trainers Handbook" is in final production and should be out shortly. We are also working an a new exciting project for interpretive training - e-interp - a new web-based interpretive training course program in association with cpd4education - a UK based internet training provider. These courses will be offered and available world-wide. Our first two internet courses will be "An Introduction to Interpretive Communication" and "Planning Interpretive Panels". When these two courses are officially "activated" I will post a link to access them. They will be fee-based training and offer a certificate of completion. In all, about 10 new courses are planned between now and 2013. Two courses in the planning and development stages are "Planning Interpretive Exhibits" and "Developing Marketing Brochures for Heritage Sites and Attractions" that should be available early next year. So it looks like 2012 should be a busy year. More new projects on the horizon for 2012 as well. Cheers - jv

New JV Interpretive Books

Hi folks, I am pleased to announce that my new two-volume text-book set on Interpretive Master Plannning has been officially released. You can find out more about the books or order a set at: http://museumsetc.com/products/interpretation

Right now just finishing up some projects. We completed the St. Clair Light Station Interpretive Plan and are finishing up some some others too. My second new book on "Teaching Interpretation to Others" - a train the trainers book, is now in production. More on that later.

Happy November -
John V.

Slovenia Habit-Change Workshop

Back from the Habit-Change workshop in Slovenia. They had representatives from many different EU National Parks and agencies. There is a group photo of the workshop participants. I had a chance for the National Park folks to take me on a quick tour of some of the outstanding sights of Triglav National Park in Slovenia. We did some interpretive sign crituques as well. All-in-all a great trip and I had the chance to meet some wonderful people.