University Communications provides the following best practices, guides and standards that the UX Team follows and implements in all communications and website projects:

Brand Guide / Toolbox: https://ucomm.unl.edu/toolbox.shtml

Writing style manual: https://unlcms.unl.edu/ucomm/styleguide/

Web Developer Network: https://wdn.unl.edu

Libraries Branding & Writing Style Guide

 

Social Media Quick Guide:

Consider the following guidelines when writing brief copy for social media platforms such as Instagram or Twitter:

• Write or repost about topics related to the University of Nebraska – Lincoln Libraries.
• Use @UNL_lib or #unllibraries instead of spelling out "University of Nebraska - Lincoln Libraries".
• Spell out “Adele Hall Learning Commons” when referencing the commons in Love Library.
• Include the Libraries when mentioning another Libraries’ department. Some examples include:
  • Archives & Special Collections @UNL_lib
  • @UNLarchives @UNL_lib
  • #UNLarchives #UNLibraries

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Writing & Editorial Styles to Follow & Refer to:

• University Communications Toolbox & Style Guide
• University Style Guide
• Associated Press Stylebook
• Purdue Online Writing Lab - Associated Press Style
• “Libraries Branding and Writing Style Guide” information below

Voice & Writing:

• Use a conversational, friendly tone
• Use second person point of view - “you” “your” “yours”
• Use an active voice
• Avoid library & technical jargon
• Rephrase negatives
• Spell out the acronym first time mentioned. Use the acronym.
• Use correct grammar and punctuation appropriate for the context, i.e. news copy vs. website copy vs. social media copy
• See: University Communications Voice & Writing

Language & Vocabulary:                      

• Full-text with a hyphen (not full text)
• E-book with a hyphen
• E-journal with a hyphen
• ASKus services written as one word with "ASK" in all caps and "us" in lower case letters

 

Terminology

University Libraries - refers to Love Library and all branch libraries that report to the Dean of Libraries.

University of Nebraska - Lincoln Libraries - Refers to all libraries on campus including those that report to the Dean of Libraries and those that report to another University college.  In copywriting, use "University of Nebraska - Lincoln Libraries" in contexts where it needs to be made clear to the audience. This is typically used for audiences outside of the University of Nebraska - Lincoln or for contexts that require distinguishing one Nebraska campus library from another.  from on Nebraska campus librarythe first time you reference the Libraries. After that, use University Libraries or Libraries.

UNL Libraries -  The University decided to de-emphasize the acronym UNL.  The term "UNL Libraries" should be used sparingly.  (Visit https://ucomm.unl.edu/toolbox/voice-writing for more information about how the University wants to be referred to in writing.) Instead, use "University Libraries" or "Libraries" or "University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries".

**Never use Nebraska Libraries (confusion with state libraries)**
 

Departments, Branches and their Acronyms

Below is a list of departments and branch libraries that comprise the University Libraries. In various forms of publicity, the names of these departments, libraries, and units, should be combined with University Libraries, in order to identify relationship. For example, Archives & Special Collections of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries or Archives & Special Collections, University Libraries.

ISLeS -- Information Services and Learning Spaces

CSOS -- Collection Strategy and Open Scholarship

ACME -- Acquisitions, Cataloging, Meta Data, and E-resources

Libraries Dean's Office

Digital Strategies

Libraries IT

Adele Coryell Hall Learning Commons aka Adele Hall Learning Commons

Dinsdale Family Learning Commons

Archives & Special Collections

CDRH - Center for Digital Research in the Humanities

Architecture Library

Engineering Library

Geology Library

Love Library South and Love Library North

Math Library

Music Library

            

Publicity of Databases and Online resources

All publicity of databases, electronic journals or ebooks, in the blog, social media, press releases, and announcements should include the URL or a Go URL in order to provide the link to that resource.

 

Acronyms and Abbreviations

When referencing PDF, use uppercase, as it is an acronym for Portable Document Format.

 

Style for Press Releases

Follow the guidelines set forth by University Communications in the University's style guide.

https://unlcms.unl.edu/ucomm/styleguide/a