Library Signage

Library Signage: What message are we sending our patrons?

Gail Santy: Central Kansas Library System

Librarians make profound differences in people’s lives.

She is a librarian’s cheerleader!

Merely adequate signage identifies the resources in your library and tells people what the can and cannot do. Great signage communicates your competence, understanding and care for the people using your library. --- Chris Ripple
What constitutes a good sign? How do you send the right message to your patrons?

www.prezi.com  Library Signage Workshop (free tool) like PowerPoint, but more provides more freedom.

·         Use Microsoft Word or Publisher and a color printer

·         Sharp contrast color difference

·         ADA compliance

·         Paper and foam board

·         Rubber cement

·         Order ceiling hanglers from Amazon – Grid clip – hardest part is to make sure the strings are the same length

·         Or, use binder clips and fish line

·         Use small foam board scraps for signs on shelves

·         Laminate the paper and then rubber cement them to the foam board – also easier to peel off.

·         Wordle.com  – online tool – pop in a word and it will generate words that go in different direction… i.e. in 300s, list words of subjects in that dewey number

·         Use Styrofoam – Krylon spray paint is for plastic and Styrofoam – Letters are cut out of Styrofoam

·         Use corrugated tin on walls of teen room – use chicken wire to hang signs

·         Use photos of people in your community on a sign

·         Use photos or pictures because some folks may be illiterate

NO VISIBLE TAPE ON LIBRARY SIGNS! NO TAPE RESIDUE!

Do not punish everyone for the sins of a few

·         Is this a prison library?

·         No Frisbees

·         No rearranging furniture

·         No using books as weapons

Points:

·         Shabby signs send a message that we don’t care about our library. Signs are our silent conversations with our patrons.

·         Update signs with new signs, not pasted over updates

·         No tape

·         No rainbow colors in letters

·         Use a brand – recognizable as library

·         You can have too many signs saying the same thing

·         Replace label maker signs that are peeling

·         ADA – letter visibility, color, placement: Sharp contrast in colors, white lettering on colored background. In some cultures color has different meanings – Placement is also important. Need to be able to read the sign from a certain distance. Look at the website for the ADA for specifics

·         Wayfinding – use arrows

·         Non-readers need wayfinding clues, too. Dinosaur stuffed animals point out dinosaur books. Not just for children.

·         Use pictures in adult section as well – do not get too cutesey – use same type of pictures (similar illustrations available from Microsoft office clip art

·         Even temporary signs should have continuity. Someone needs to be assigned to keep the signs updated.

·         Be sure to update and remove outdated or expired

·         If you cannot afford acrylic sign holders, print out signs and fold them to table or shelf tents

·         Buy old ratty cookie sheets from yard sales, spray paint them, screw to wall and use magnetic signs and messages

·         Use scrapbook paper as background for YA and other signs – polka dots

·         Have another library critique your signs, and you can do theirs

·         In a small library, you should be consistent with signage and color

·         Do not be afraid to have three foot letters that say “Children’s” or “Teens”

Emotionally intelligent signs

·         Instead of Be Quiet, say “Readers Working”

·         Instead of no cell phones, say text please.

·         Try not to use the NO word. Try to reword for emotional effect

See website for more information. The prezi.com

www.ckls.org Central Kansas Library System