Recently I observed a program at a wonderful historic site. The program leader definitely knew her facts and had a nice way of sharing information. Her depth of historical knowledge was immediately evident, as was her passion for the topic - both key elements in an effective presentation and ones that would gain her high marks. But, one strategy she used constantly in the presentation was distracting. It was information about herself. "My family is from _____; My grandparents did this ________;
My grandmother thought ___________; My community would ____________." Don't get me wrong. I strongly believe that personalizing is a great way to get a group or audience excited about a topic. But it was too much personal information and it took away from the rich detail and strong content of the stories she was trying to convey.
So, as you think about the programs you share with the public, be sure your presentations are balanced, your content is strong and your personal anecdotes relevant, yet carefully selected and edited. After all, in most cases our visitors don't come to our sites to learn about us as individuals, they come to learn about our sites and our collections and the rich tapestry of stories that both contain. A sprinkle of personal information is welcome, an overdose of it is not.