Effective Library Signage: Tips, Tricks, & Best Practices (July 2019)

1. Effective Library Signage:
Tips, Tricks, & Best Practices
An ALA Webinar
Thursday July 25, 2019
Mark Aaron Polger
Assistant Professor | Coordinator of Library Outreach | LIB 102 Instructor
College of Staten Island, CUNY
MarkAaron.Polger@csi.cuny.edu

2. Agenda
● Signage as visual marketing
● Why is signage important?
● Why do an audit?
● Types of signs
● Audit Stages
● Phase 1 of Assessment
● Phase 2 of Assessment
● Replacement
● Before & After Examples
● Do’s and Don’ts
● Maintaining Effectiveness
● Continuous Assessment
● Conclusion

3. The College of Staten Island (CSI) Library
The College of Staten Island is one of the 25 colleges of the City University of New York (CUNY).
We are a comprehensive college and one of the seven 4 year colleges within the system.
● 13,000 students
● 204 acre campus
● New student residences
● 30,000 square foot library
● 14 full time librarians, 10 adjuncts
● 65 staff in total
● We offer a popular, one-credit
Information Literacy course

4. Question?
What are some of your signage problems?

5. Signage as Marketing Communications
Signage is an example of visual marketing and one of the most important
forms of marketing communications:
● promotes Library events, programs, and courses
● outlines Library policies
● provides directions to Library materials and facilities
● identifies services and spaces within the facility

6. Why Perform an Audit?
Performing an audit allows you to quantify and better understand your current
signage, as well as to help identify issues that may be leading to less effective
signage, such as:
● Unclear/mixed messages
● Outdated messages
● Too many signs
● Poorly placed signs
● Punitive or passive aggressive
● Inconsistent design
● Text heavy

7. Types of Signs
Promotional
Directional
Policy

8. Categories of Sign Production (optional)
1. Produced in-house (DIY)
2. Institutional (permanent wayfinding)
3. Temporary (according to ADA,
7 days or less)

9. Question?
Have you ever conducted a signage audit?
If yes, what problems did you encounter?

10. Audit Results = Mass Removal
As a result of our audit, we removed:
● outdated and punitive signage
● signage that was text heavy
● handwritten signs

11. Phase 1 of Assessment
Approximately 60 library
employees participated
Faculty and staff identified
preferred font face, font size,
and language preference
Buy-in was challenging

12. Phase 2 of Assessment
Signage preference questionnaire (N=325)
Students received 6 signs with identical messages
in both old and new designs
Students were asked to select their preferred signs
Solicited open ended comments
Incentive for participation: pens and chocolate

13. Cell Phone Policy Signs

14. Textbook Signs

15. Noise Policy Signs

16. Replacement Strategy
Created design templates
Tracked signage location
Replaced with half the number of signs

17. Design Guidelines
1. Consistency
2. Typeface (a.k.a. font family)
3. Contrast
3. Sign orientation
4. Branding
5. Language/Controlled vocabulary
6. Message (is it punitive?)
7. Images (photos)
8. Mounting/ Placement
9. ADA compliance (no glare, high contrast, sans serif typeface)

18. Avoid…
ALL CAPS
Clutter
Signs with no images
Walls and Furniture
Visible Tape
Handwritten signs
Fancy typefaces (not legible)
Passive Aggressive Tone
Confusing/Contradictory Signs
Glare (ADA compliance)

19. ALL CAPS is yelling

20. Clutter = negative user experience

21. Clipart cannot be taken seriously

22. Use a real image

23. Handwritten signs are not professional
Handwritten signs are:
Unprofessional
Unwelcoming
Often illegible and are not considered
official

24. Mounting on walls, doors, & furniture= damage
(use frames, bulletin boards or easels)

25. Be ADA compliant
avoid glare, sans serif, & high contrast (70% or higher)

26. Contradictory messages are confusing

27. Be welcoming, not mean
Threatening message? Construction zone? All caps = yellingRed stop sign?

28. Create Templates & A Signage Policy

29. Embrace Simplicity

30. Evolution of our “Code of Conduct” Poster
Before Revised Current

31. Use Real Images
Before After

32. Strive for Diversity

33. Be Large Scale

34. Be Friendly
(avoid “no”)

35. Discover Bump Points/Touch Points

36. Create a Signage Locator Map

37. Keep Track of Your Signs
Fake Real

38. Mounting Tips
Avoid glare
48”-60” inches off the ground (ADA compliancy)
On latch side of the door
Avoid Visible Tape
Use double sided tape.
Avoid crooked signs.
Mount signs in a straight and centered manner

39. Mounting Tips Part 2
Mount at eye level
Be mindful of sightlines
Make use of holders, frames and bulletin boards
Avoid mounting on furniture

40. Getting Buy-In
Be patient
Listen
Compromise
Hold in-person meetings
Designate a signage contact/team
Show proposed changes with supporting data
Develop allies like student government

41. Maintaining Effectiveness
Policy signs are ineffective if not enforced
Understand your audience:
>Ask questions of your patrons, use focus groups
and partner with campus groups
Signs are living documents!
>Continuously evaluate signs
>Assess bump points
>Revise and improve signage
>Revisit your signage policy

42. Question?
Do you have trouble getting buy-in?

43. Our Challenges
Enforcing policies
Lack of buy-in / support
Signs often go unread
Vandalism
Culture shift might be slow

44. Continuous Assessment
In 2017, 2018, & 2019 we conducted
new mini questionnaires and
semi structured interviews.
Interviewees were given trail mix and
bottled water

45. Q1: Please rate your level of awareness to the
specific library policy signs

46. Q2: Please rate your level of awareness of our
promotional signs

47. Q3: If you eat in the library, what are some
the reasons? (check all that apply)

48. Q4: If you speak on your cell phone in the
library, what are some the reasons?(check all that apply)

49. Semi Structured Interviews (45 mins)
Asked groups of students (3-5 students)
Asked about feelings about policy signs
Policy signage (food, noise, and cell phones use)
Interviews were anonymized, recorded on digital
recorders, then transcribed using Dragon software

50. Emerging Themes from the Interviews
Food policy needs to be more flexible
Students should use their own judgement.
Cell phone use (speaking) should not be
prohibited but allowed in designated areas
Noise should be directed to specific floors (like zones)
Policy signs are more effective when consistently enforced by library
employees and security
Students also believed that signs should be funny, have bright colors, and
be very large so students won’t miss them.

51. Lessons Learned & Recommendations
Be friendly and consistent
Avoid jargon, all caps and the word “no”
Develop a clear message with few words
Incorporate realistic images (avoid clipart)
Placement is key
Create a signage policy
Create signage templates
Create a library brand
Get buy-in from your department
Don’t forget about ADA compliance
Revisit your signs and bump points regularly
Signs are living documents--be flexible and embrace change

52. Thank you!
Mark Aaron Polger, Assistant Professor
Coordinator of Library Outreach
MarkAaron.Polger@csi.cuny.edu
http://www.markaaronpolger.com

53. More Questions?