InterpPress Books

In accordance with NAI's mission statement, InterpPress publishes books that improve the profession of interpretation over the long term. Potential titles include books on planning, contracting, design, interpretive writing, the history of the field, trends within the field, management, and interpretive techniques. Creative contributions and fresh perspectives are especially welcome.

All InterpPress books are available through Bloomsbury.

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Interpretive Theme Writer's Field Guide     ** NEW **

How to Craft Strong Themes from Big Idea to Presentation

Jon Kohl
Second Edition, 2026

The interpretive theme is the most important sentence an interpreter inks on paper. Despite its centrality to thematic interpretation, no single work has dedicated itself entirely to the art and craft of strong theme writing until now. The Interpretive Theme Writer's Field Guide builds on Sam Ham's 30-year thematic interpretation research legacy. While leaving communication theory to his books, this companion offers writers strong theme examples, updated theme writer´s worksheet, inspirational quotes, technique highlights, and exercises, including the use of AI generators to craft themes. The second edition also includes new chapters on development psychology, presentation structures, a glossary, an essay on ChatGPT and theme writing, and much more. With contributions from Ham, Ted Cable, Shelton Johnson, Thorsten Ludwig, Don Enright, Judy Fort Brenneman, Kylie Christian, Michael Glen, and other voices from around the English-speaking world, this Field Guide serves at the desk, in the museum exhibit hall, on the park trail, or at an archeological site. It recognizes that teams, even communities, create natural-cultural heritage themes, and introduces the Interpretive Framework methodology to facilitate consensus community-based theme writing.

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Applied Interpretation

Putting Research into Practice

Doug Knapp
Second Edition, 2025

This book is the product of over twenty years of research examining the impact interpretation has on its audiences. The results of over thirty research studies are examined to help practitioners, managers, and students successfully convey interpretative messages. The findings, offered through vignettes and case studies, are the product of long-term assessments that range from three months to three years following an interpretive experience. Interpretive theory, techniques, strategies and experiences are discussed in relation to a variety of settings including traditional programs, school field trips, visitor center and campfire programs. Hence, this is the first and only book on interpretation based on interpretation research.

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Interpretive Writing

Alan Leftridge
Second Edition, 2025

Sharpen your skills for connecting with readers!

This second edition of Interpretive Writing will help you focus your writing to enrich your reader’s experiences by crafting compelling, thematic stories that reveal new meanings and foster personal connections. The principles of natural history and cultural heritage interpretation demonstrate the profound impact of effective communication processes on your readers. A particular emphasis is on making intellectual and emotional connections and incorporating powerful words into your writing projects.

The first edition of Interpretive Writing was released in 2006. This new edition is through updating of that book, featuring all new chapters including "Writing for the Web," "Crafting Messages for Children," Challenges to Agency Writing,” and new evaluation techniques.

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Inspiration for Interpreters

Moving Beyond the Treeline and Other Stories

Larry Beck
2024

Moving Beyond Treeline and Other Stories: Inspiration for Interpreters offers stories that focus on how we can sustain ourselves given a professional trend toward engagement with uncomfortable interpretation. The stories were chosen to help guide a shift toward a “real live movement” as National Association for Interpretation Executive Director Paul Caputo noted, “committed to being a force for good, and there’s no looking back.” The stories shed light on the complexities of where we find ourselves in this moment of increasingly challenging circumstances.

Each of the stories in this collection employ Sam Ham’s TORE (Theme, Organized, Relevant and Enjoyable) framework in which interpretation is designed strategically with a theme, is organized, is relevant, and is enjoyable. They also employ the various principles first generated by Enos Mills and Freeman Tilden in their attempts to relate the material to the audience, reveal deeper meanings, and provide provocation to think more deeply about something or do something differently. Finally, the stories showcase universal principles from National Park Service leader David Larsen at the 2000 NAI national conference in Tucson, Arizona. Universal concepts that include opposites such as contemplation and action, solitude and community, work and leisure, victory and defeat, good and evil, life and death. Other universal concepts employed include freedom, patriotism, companionship, suffering, justice, responsibility, kindness, courage, joy, and love.

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Coaching Interpreters

Margaret Styles Repath
2018

Performing the role of a coach for interpreters is more than just knowing about interpretation theory and skills. It is about understanding relationships, supporting the agenda of those being coached, listening for cues, and being an accountability partner. In the field of interpretation, it is not unusual for the role of a coach and a mentor to be confused with one another. An experienced interpreter is prepared to share his or her professional wisdom and experiences with new interpreters. Yet, just like interpretation, the key to effective coaching is to understand the audience, which in this case is the one being coached, known as the client. Based on more than 200 hours of coaching tour guides and interpreters, this is the first book to provide the profession of interpretation with a more precise understanding of what it takes to coach others in a way that will enhance interpretation skills and, ultimately, the audience experience.

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Personal Interpretation

Connecting Your Audience to Heritage Resources

Tim Merriman & Lisa Brochu
Third Edition, 2015

If you only had time to read one book before becoming a front-line guide or interpreter, Personal Interpretation: Connecting Your Audience with Heritage Resources is the ideal resource. Written in clear, concise language with many examples, it employs the most current ideas in the interpretive profession. It also shares some of the rich traditions from interpretation's past masters, drawing on Freeman Tilden's principles and Enos Mills' thoughtful ideas on nature guiding. It will connect you with the more in-depth resources developed by authors such as Sam Ham, Bill Lewis, Douglas Knudson, Ted Cable, Larry beck, and Joseph Cornell. This resource shares the approaches tested and proven by the National Park Service and many other organizations along with the research concepts that back up their approaches.

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Interpretive Planning

The 5-M Model for Successful Planning Projects

Lisa Brochu
Second Edition, 2015

This second edition of Interpretive Planning: The 5-M Model for Successful Planning Projects draws from the author's more than three decades of experience in creating interpretive plans and explains the process she has taught to hundreds of interpreters.

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Establishing a Nature-Based Preschool

Rachel Larimore
2011

Nature-based preschools are powerful programs that fuse early childhood and environmental education to develop a child's lifelong connection with the natural world. With the number of this unique, cutting-edge program growing throughout the country, many nature centers are asking, “Is a nature-based preschool right for us?” Establishing a Nature-Based Preschool helps answer that question, and provides a how-to guide to move from concept to implementation.

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Interpretive Solutions

Michael E. Whatley
2011

Interpretive Solutions will help you harness the power of interpretive communications to improve critical resource protection issues and situations. Matching the right communications approach with the audience most in need of being reached can play a pivotal role in whether a situation stabilizes, improves, or worsens. Appropriate communications can make a positive difference in the role people play in helping to achieve desired resource protection outcomes and results.Interpretive Solutions is a joint effort between the National Park Service, Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Office of Education and Outreach, and National Association for Interpretation.

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Interpretive Perspectives

A Collection of Essays on Interpreting Nature and Culture

Larry Beck & Ted Cable
2010

This collection of essays represents some of the best work of two significant, contemporary voices in the field of interpretation, including original pieces written for this publication and reprints of articles that have appeared in National Association for Interpretation publications spanning three decades. Whether you are new to the field or an experienced interpreter, you will be inspired by Larry Beck and Ted Cable's unique ability to find interpretive lessons in tangential fields, beauty in the everyday, and hope in the future

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Putting Interpretation on the Map

An Interpretive Approach to Geography

Heidi Bailey
2009

Putting Interpretation on the Map: An Interpretive Approach to Geography is an electronic handbook for front-line interpreters, managers, and planners on incorporating maps and other geographic technologies into interpretive media, exhibits, and programs. This electronic book reviews basic geography concepts and map skills, and introduces resources from simple map activities to the most advanced geotechnologies.

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Interpretation by Design

Graphic Design Basics for Heritage Interpreters

Paul Caputo, Shea Lewis, & Lisa Brochu
2008

Interpreters use exhibits, brochures, signs, websites, site publications, and other visual media to tell their stories. Written for interpreters who have little or no training in graphic design but find themselves responsible for creating or overseeing the production of nonpersonal media, Interpretation by Design focuses on using basic principles of both graphic design and interpretation in nonpersonal media. This book addresses how to make decisions about type, color, and composition, as well as why an interpretive approach may be more effective for communicating with your audience.

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Applied Interpretation

Putting Research into Practice

Doug Knapp
2008

Interpretation: Putting Research into Practice offers practitioners, managers, and students of interpretation a source for interpretive theory, techniques, strategies, and experiences that have been shown, through research, to be successful in conveying interpretive messages. This resource is the product of 16 years of research that has evaluated traditional programs, school field trips, and visitor center and campfire programs. The findings, offered through vignettes and case studies, are the product of long-term assessments that range from three months to three years following an interpretive experience.

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Interpretive Writing

Alan Leftridge
2006

Alan Leftridge, the executive editor of The Interpreter magazine, will sharpen your skills for connecting with your audiences. The book introduces you to the strategies promoted by the National Association for Interpretation and the National Park Service for written interpretation, with a focus on developing tangibles, intangibles, universals, and interpretive themes in your writing, while avoiding trite expressions. These strategies and skills apply to your brochures, web sites, exhibits, public service announcements, books, magazine articles and other interpretive projects.

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The History of Heritage Interpretation

in the United States

Tim Merriman & Lisa Brochu
2006

Where did the profession of heritage interpretation begin? The History of Heritage Interpretation explores significant events in the history of the field, from its origins with the elders of tribal villages through the development of professional organizations around the world, with specific emphasis on the National Association for Interpretation in the United States. Essays are included from noted authors and pioneers in the field including Sam Ham, Ted Cable, Cem Basman, Sarah Blodgett, Chris Nelson, Jim Covel and Carolyn Ward.

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Interpretación Personal

Tim Merriman & Lisa Brochu
2006

La interpretación de nuestro patrimonio es una obra de lectura obligada para todasaquellas personas que se dedican profesionalmente a esta maravillosa, aunque poco conocida y menos difundida, disciplina. A pesar de haber transcurrido cincuenta años desde su publicación original, esta pequeña joya -que ve la luz por primera vez en castellano- regresa, más joven que nunca, para inspirar y aconsejar a quienes consideran que la conservación del patrimonio depende, en gran medida, de su comunión íntima con un público que aspira a disfrutar de cada uno de sus valores

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Management of Interpretive Sites

Developing Sustainable Operations Through Effective Leadership

Tim Merriman & Lisa Brochu
2005

New and experienced managers looking for advice and ideas will find InterpPress's Management of Interpretive Sites: Developing Sustainable Operations Through Effective Leadership helpful in developing managerial and leadership skills. Whether you need to write personnel policies, develop a business plan, conduct meetings, or use interpretive efforts to convince visitors to become stewards of your resource, this book contains specific suggestions based upon the authors' combined 60 years of experience in running not-for-profit, governmental, and for-profit organizations.

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The Nature Center Book

How to Create and Nurture a Nature Center in Your Community

Brent Evans & Carolyn Chipman Evans
2004

The authors of this 216-page book from InterpPress have been studying nature centers since 1996 when they surveyed 100 nature centers and interviewed leaders in the field. The University of Texas Press originally published How to Create and Nurture a Nature Center in Your Community in 1998, when it received first place in NAI's Media Award Competition. Since then, almost 3,000 copies have sold and traveled as far as Africa, Japan, and South America. This revised edition provides up-to-date information and expanded discussion of topics key to nature center development. It outlines lessons learned since the first edition and important new developments in the field. The new edition includes updated information regarding organizations and resources, as well as expanded coverage of financial and organizational issues and government-based nature centers. The book, printed in full color, features more than 200 photographs.

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