Last week, YFile marked a major milestone with the launch of its new website, archives and email newsletter that combine a modern design, improved functionality and enhanced user experience.
The project to overhaul the publication was undertaken with a community-first approach, with the goal of prioritizing the needs and requests of the York University community and YFile readers.
As part of this project, the YFile team has introduced several new resources to help community members share their important York stories through YFile.
Online story submission form
The updated YFile website features a new online story submission form to make it easier than ever to share ideas, stories and information with the YFile team. The online story submission form is accessible from the YFile homepage, the About YFile page and directly, using this link.
Designed and adapted from the previous downloadable story form, the new online story submission form allows content creators and community members to upload and send all of the information the YFile team requires for story development. In addition to filling out basic information – such as relevant dates and story description – this new form also encourages community members to consider how the story relates to the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs), which will amplify York’s leadership in SDG-related teaching, partnerships and campus practices.
Further to that, York communications staff and content creators now have the option of requesting up to five different tags for their story, which helps individual units meet their own digital-based goals and benchmarks. (See YFile’s Tagging Conventions and Master Tag List for more.)
Users of the online story submission form will be able to upload one document and up to three images. This new process will help to ensure balanced coverage of stories in YFile, and will save time and make the submission process more transparent.
Please bookmark the online story submission form and start using it today.
YFile User Manual
The YFile team recognizes there are many aspects to consider when requesting coverage in the publication – whether for a story, an ad, an event or a special issue. To help guide the York community through some of the commonly asked questions, YFile has published a brand-new resource called the YFile User Manual. It is accessible from the About YFile page and directly, from this link.
In addition to following the York University Writing Style Guide, YFile has its own unique set of rules and conventions for writing and publication. Outlined in the YFile User Manual are details for items such as deadlines, image requirements, embargoes, publication schedule, event coverage and much more.
The YFile User Manual is now available; please bookmark it and start using it today.