Library Signage: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Customer service and library signage go hand in hand. How do patrons see your library’s signage and does it address appropriate customer needs? The session will look critically at many types of library signs and review the positive and negative aspects of library signage. We will also address how to conduct a signage audit and the importance of library branding. This session also addresses customer service issues as they relate to signage. Online resources will be provided and there will be opportunities for Q&A and discussion.

As a result of this program, attendees will:

• Understand the importance of effective library signage.
• Identify common reasons why library signage might be misinterpreted or confusing.
• Explore the key components of conducting a library signage audit.
• Develop skills to rethink and rejuvenate library signs.

Instructor: Dr. Curtis Rogers is a library consultant who has worked in the library and information science field for over 35 years. He has worked at the Union (SC) Carnegie Library, and the Charleston County (SC) Public Library, and retired as the Communications Director of the South Carolina State Library. He has also taught courses at the University of South Carolina School of Library and Information Science. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Geography, a Master of Library and Information Science, and a Doctor of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of South Carolina. He is a recipient of the 2015 F. William Summers Outstanding Alumni Award from the USC School of Library and Information Science.

This project is made possible by grant funds from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) administered by the State of Michigan through the Library of Michigan.