GENERAL SIGNAGE PROGRAM

Beginning Spring 2018, the Libraries’ marketing team began to implement a new signage program that spans the five libraries and is focused on wayfinding/informational signage for the public. The marketing team is working with each Library Director, as well as Administration, to assess the current signage and create solutions moving forward. The goal of the signage program is to remove any unnecessary signs and to refresh the remaining signs as appropriate to make them more effective. The signage program is expected to be iterative, user-focused, based on research and experience, and is appropriately branded and designed.

When a library or unit determines there is a need for informational signage to communicate important information, the library or unit should reach out to marketing to consider having an appropriate permanent sign created. Marketing will be responsible for deciding if a permanent or a temporary sign is an appropriate solution.

Below are guidelines on the use of temporary/emergency signage as well as special event signage. These guidelines have been developed to complement the general signage program by encouraging fewer signs thus making the remaining signs more impactful. Marketing will create a small set of pre-approved temporary signs and templates that will be made available in an online library for download.

GUIDELINES FOR TEMPORARY SIGNAGE IN THE LIBRARIES

There will be emergency situations, unforeseen circumstances, and other situations that will necessitate the creation of a temporary signs to supply important information to patrons in a timely manner. In these circumstances, libraries or units may create their own temporary signs as long as they follow these guidelines:

  • All temporary signage should use an official template created by the marketing team when possible. If a sign is created outside of a template, please ensure an official Libraries’ logo is on the sign indicating the representation of official information from the Libraries.
  • Temporary signage should be simple, straight forward, and not contain any clip art.
  • Only temporary signs may be taped (using blue tape) to walls or posted on any fixture and must be taken down as soon as not needed.
  • All signs should strive to have a positive tone to accentuate our customer forward brand.
  • Templates and pre-approved signs can be found on the Intranet.

SPECIAL EVENT AND PROMOTION SIGNAGE

For special events and promotions within the Libraries, sign holders, provided by marketing, must be used and these signs may only be displayed for a maximum of one week at a time. Sign holders will come in three sizes, 8.5”x11” signs that sit on desktops, 11”x17” signs which have the ability to be printed on many in-house printers, and 22”x28” sign holders accommodating more professional signs and must be printed by professional vendors. Marketing will be responsible for creating and printing signs that are used in the sign holders with the exceptions of the holders being used to announce emergencies and other unforeseen circumstances.

DIGITAL SIGNAGE

Marketing is responsible for maintaining the integrity of all promotional digital signage in all Libraries. Marketing will help owners of other digital signage that convey room or event information to help maintain a branded and consistent look across all locations. As the number of digital monitors in the Libraries increases, documented workflows will be created and shared to digital signage owners to help maintain the functionality of their signs. Digital Initiatives (DI) will remain responsible for the back-end functionality of digital signage across the libraries.

The main digital sign in the lobby of Evans may be utilized by campus groups outside of the libraries. Outside units/groups may gain access to the Evans monitor by contacting marketing. Requestors must adhere to the following procedures and associated guidelines:

  • Each request to add a slide(s) to the monitor in Evans will be considered on a case-bycase basis and the Libraries reserve the right to decline any submission at any time.
  • Slides will only be accepted to run on the main screen in the lobby of Evans.
  • Slides from outside groups/units are allowed to run for two weeks at a time and should have a clear start and end date. They cannot run again until a break in service has been experienced, usually one – two weeks.
  • Outside groups/units may have a limit of 2 total slides, at any given time, placed on the digital sign.
  • The outside group/unit is responsible for creating slides in a pre-approved format and at the correct dimensions and resolution. Slides that do not follow format may be declined. § Content that infringes on another’s intellectual property, copyrighted, or trademarked materials will be declined.
  • Content that is not in accordance with the values of the University Libraries or Texas A&M University will not be accepted

PHYSICAL SIGNS POSTED INSIDE/ON/AROUND THE LIBRARIES BY OUTSIDE GROUPS

The University Libraries does not permit posting of signs or posters directly to the inside or outside walls of any library facility by any person or group outside of the Libraries. When any physical sign(s) is placed on any wall inside or outside of a University Library by any person or group from outside of the libraries, library staff may remove the signs at their discretion. The University Libraries has three primary locations in which signs or posters from outside groups may be displayed. The first is on the bulletin boards located by the back stairs in Evans Library, the bulletin board located in the lobby of the West Campus Library, and bulletin boards in the lobby of the Medical Science Libraries. The bulletin boards are not curated by the Libraries, with the exception of signage that does not represent Texas A&M values, and we offer the space to anyone.