Communication and Editing

Through journalism, blogging and social media work, I have multi-platform publishing experience. My volunteer efforts are directed, to a large degree, toward the promotion of libraries.

Blogging: I write about trends and happenings at libraries at this blog, “Cynthia Parkhill: Librarian.”

I have two additional blogs, which I post to less frequently: “Librarian on a Bicycle,” concerning travel via bicycle and bus, and “The Autistic Gourmand,” where I explore social “norms” and challenges related to eating food.

Video production: During the COVID-19 shutdown, I began producing read-alouds, book talks, and the like, to maintain a connection with my school families. These can be viewed on my YouTube channel, where I continued to post videos after the libraries’ reopenings. In an ongoing feature, “First-chapter Friday,” each week I share a reading from a book that can be found in our school library.

Content management: While living in Ashland, Oregon, I worked as Web Content Editor for a local church. I solicited, created, and edited content during an initial population of its new website, and continued to update the site with current information.

Social media: My professional work and volunteer interests include posts on LinkedIn and Facebook.

Email campaigns: I use the “MailChimp” email marketing platform to self-syndicate my blogs, and I produced and distributed marketing campaigns for the church’s “Religious Explorations” program.

Public speaking: I’ve given various presentations in professional and volunteer capacities, including effective communication with the media and the promotion of library services.

For about two years, I was an A&E correspondent on a community radio show. I earned the rank of “Advanced Communicator-Bronze” by completing speakers’ manuals through Toastmasters International.

Signage/displays: I regularly create library signage and a variety of promotional materials including bookmarks, “Top 10” circulation fliers and letter-fold brochures.

Print publications: I worked several years as editor and paginator for daily and weekly newspapers, and volunteered as newsletter publisher for various nonprofit groups. During two terms as Public Relations Officer for a Toastmasters club, I submitted press releases to local print media.

My weekly Arts and Entertainment section was twice honored as a finalist in the California Newspaper Publishers Association’s Better Newspapers Contest. The Association of California School Administrators honored me for Outstanding Media Coverage of Public Education.