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Book Review
Finding good, relevant reading material on interpretation
can be difficult.We asked reviewers in India and Colombia
to give us their views on two popular books.Here’s what
they thought.
Environmental Interpretation -
A Practical Guide for People with
Big Ideas and Small Budgets.
by Sam H. Ham
American Press/Fulcrum
456 pp
ISBN 1-55591-902-2
All my praise for the author. The chapters have been
written in simple English and are self explanatory. The
case studies cited have made the book more enriching.To
put it in other words, the author takes his readers on a
trail explaining the nuances of environmental
interpretation.
A very well written book and sure to serve as a
lighthouse for every manager, zoo educator and all those
people engaged in the business of operating national
parks, sanctuaries, museums and zoos worldwide and, of
course,people who advocate a non-formal system of
environmental education.
Bipul Chakrabarty, Scientific Officer, Indian
Central Zoo Authority
When you carefully review Ham’s extensive and diverse
compilation, you’re tempted to agree with what it says on
the back of the book - that the ideas presented by the
author really work. However, this natural impulse should
be carefully postponed.
Ham’s publication certainly adds knowledge and expertise
to environmental education and interpretation
programmes.This is especially true in the Latin American
context where environmental initiatives are still in early
development.
Ham’s guide, with its pragmatic focus, invites us to take
action; it encourages us to avoid inadequate routes, and
rejects all excuses linked to low budgets or financial
problems.
However, there is an important issue missing in Ham’s
work which leads us to reflect on the ideas before putting
them into action.
The first big omission is the lack of empirical evidence
supporting the effectiveness of the ideas.This is consistent
with the absence of practical resources for the evaluation
of the programmes and activities suggested.
Ham validates his proposals by reviewing case studies,
successful, of course, from the perspective of their
creators, but an “activist” tendency carries the risk of
action for action’s sake, without clear objectives, or even
more importantly, without clear results.
Probably in the time frame in which Ham’s book was
published, the enthusiasm for action was much more
important than the need for accurate evaluation.
Environmental educators in informal education settings
should be much more concerned about balancing the
priority between innovation and evaluation.
These comments aside, the clarity and profusion of
practical ideas, and the review of interpretation
experiences all over America make this publication a
complete tool box suitable for use in a number of
informal education settings. However, this is a toolbox
which, for the sake of efficiency, we should evaluate
carefully.
Reinaldo Niebles, Head of Education
Department at the Barranquilla Zoo
Exhibit Labels:
An Interpretive Approach
by Beverly Serrell
Altamira Press
261 pp
ISBN 0-7619-9106-9
Surely a masterpiece.The author has done a great job in
explaining to the reader about creating interpretive
signage, where words compensate for sensory
experience. Though of more use in a museum, it certainly
has its role in guiding zoo managers in the preparation of
interpretive signage. This book has filled the void that
existed in the field of exhibit presentation in museums
and zoos world-wide.
Bipul Chakrabarty
Serrell’s work is certainly a good “How to” guide for
designing exhibit labels. It covers all steps in the process,
from developing a concept as a “big idea” to actually
designing and building labels.
From physical aspects such a space, layout, lighting and
materials, to conceptual aspects such as objectives, ideas
and messages to communicate, to finally human aspects
focusing on visitors’ expectations, backgrounds and
learning styles, they are all part of this excellent step by
step guide to designing and building successful exhibit
labels.
In this easy to read book, Serrell thoroughly shares her
vast experience on label design by explaining all aspects
to consider, not only from the designer’s point of view, but
also, and most importantly, from the audience’s
perspective.
In fact, many of the discussions on this book focus on
debating the argument that labels should provide different
levels of information for different kinds of visitors,
somehow discriminating the public into groups. On the
contrary,this book stresses the importance of a holistic
perspective, where simple, well designed labels can meet
the needs and expectations of all kinds of public.
It is also a well-illustrated book, providing graphic images
which complement the text, with both good and bad
examples on label design. Case studies are also a part of
each chapter, relating the reader with additional
references for a clear understanding of the concepts and
ideas expressed by the author.
Perhaps the most valuable lesson in this book is the
urgent need for a systematic evaluation of exhibit labels,
before and after they are built. It looks like we just don’t
do enough of it in our own institutions.
This is well received at a time when professionals involved
in the field of environmental education are really
questioning the effectiveness and impact of exhibit labels
on the visiting public.
Probably most of us have experienced how much effort is
required for label design and building, and also how time
consuming and budget demanding it is. But it all could
really go down the drain if the visiting public don’t use or
read labels, or if even using and reading labels, the
message doesn’t get through.And the only way to find this
out is by implementing a serious evaluation throughout
the whole process.
Serrell’s work illustrates how developing front-end,
formative and summative evaluations offers a thorough
process for adjusting the designer’s ideas with the public
expectations. The book makes it clear that these two
don’t usually go together.
Only one observation could be added from the
perspective of a zoological institution. Most examples and
arguments on Serrell’s publication refer to museum
settings. Though probably most concepts and processes
can be applied to a zoo environment, it makes you
wonder if the fact that people go to zoos to see live
animals will condition some of the concepts of label
design exposed by Serrell, especially referring to the
length and type of information,and also colours, typefaces
and graphics, since probably labels would be competing
for attention from the visiting public.This would probably
be an interesting area of research to develop further.
Rosamira Guillen, Executive Director,
Barranquilla Botanical and Zoological
Foundation
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