The first page in a manual is always the title page (sometimes called a half-title page). The title page should carry the following information:
Some organizations put this information on the cover and don’t bother with a title page. However, if someone photocopies the manual, this important information will be lost since the cover cannot usually be copied.
Always have the title page offset printed onto cardstock. The offset printing prevents photocopy toner from transferring to the inside of the binder cover, and the cardstock helps ensure that the first few pages don’t tear out.
The copyright notice is not required by law—your organization is assumed to have the copyright when you publish. However, it reminds others not to copy parts of your manual without your permission.
