Creating the User Friendly Library with Signs

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Creating the User Friendly Library with Signs

• Ellen Bosman, M.L.S.

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Library Fear

• I was lost in the library for a very long time.
  It was like a big maze to me and was easy to get
  lost in.
• I felt like a lost child.
• I was lost in there and actually scared to
  death.
• When I first entered the library, I was
  terrified. I didnt know where anything was
  located or even who to ask to get some help.

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Concerns

• Librarys vast size
• Uncertainty about the location of resources
• Lack of knowledge and/or experience about
  conducting research

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USER-FRIENDLY The ease or lack of ease which is
encountered when running a computer.
USER-FRIENDLY
USER-FRIENDLY LIBRARY A library which
anticipates and reacts to users needs for easy
and convenient access to the librarys
collections, resources, and services.
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Attributes of a User-Friendly Library

• Accessible, well lit building
• Simple floor plan and stack arrangement
• Easily identifiable service points
• Clear, understandable, directional,
  informational, and instructional signs
• Friendly, knowledgeable staff
• Comfortable, ergonomically designed work/study
  areas
• Adaptive technologies for users with special needs

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Seven Stages in a Signage Project

• Identification
• Planning
• Evaluation
• Research
• Examination
• Determination
• Testing
• Installation
• Documentation

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Sign Specifications

1. Purpose
2. Location
3. Message
4. Format
5. Color
6. Size
7. Typeface
8. Installation Method

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Web Address
http//www.iun.edu/libemb/signage/libsign1.htm