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Creating a User Friendly Library With Signage:
Sign Inventory
The Library Sign Inventory, completed in October 1992, was undertaken
to analyze the quantity, quality and format of existing signs in the IUN
Library. Toward that end, instructional, directional, and informational
signs were examined to determine message, location, size, type size, color,
format, method of mounting, and general condition. Excluded from the inventory
were restrooms, shelf range indicators, posters, and back-lit exit signs.
Outside the Library
| Sign |
Purpose |
Description |
Comments |
| Library Hours |
List library hours and location of the law library |
Free-standing sign
5' 11" high
1" white plastic letters on black background |
Sign partially obscures book drop |
| The Library is open ... pull doors |
Avoid appearance of library not being open when doors are closed |
Permanently fixed on doors
Engraved 1/2" white letters on black background |
Sign is confusing to patrons during hours the library is closed |
Circulation Area
| Sign |
Purpose |
Description |
Comments |
| Campus Phone |
Labels free campus phone |
Taped to top of circ desk
2" x 8"
Engraved white 1'' and 3/4'' letters on black |
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| Circulation Desk |
Identify Circulation Desk |
Free-standing
4" x 18"
Engraved white 1 1/2'' uppercase letters on black on wooden base |
REMOVED 1995 |
| Overdue fines |
List amounts of overdue fines |
Two free-standing 9" x 12" white cardboard signs
white 1/2'' letters on black tape
on wooden base |
Cardboard bending back on itself
REMOVED 1995 |
| Users must present i.d. |
Circulation procedures information |
Free-standing 9" x 12" white cardboard sign
white 1/2'' letters on black tape
on wooden base |
Cardboard bending back on itself
REMOVED 1995 |
| OCE copy machine |
Directional |
2 1/2" x 11"
Paper
Raised black letters on white
Black plastic arrow taped to sign pointing left
inserted in wooden base of "must present i.d." sign |
REMOVED 1995 |
| Periodicals & Microforms |
Identify Periodicals & Microforms Desk |
Free-standing
5" x 14"
Engraved white 1 1/2'' uppercase letters on black on wooden base |
REMOVED 1995 |
Reserve Area
| Sign |
Purpose |
Description |
Comments |
| Reserve |
Identifies Reserves desk |
Sitting on top of reserve card catalog
4" x 10"
engraved white 1 1/2'' uppercase letters on black
on wooden base |
REMOVED 1996 |
| Reserve fines |
Lists Reserves overdue fees |
Taped to back of reserve card catalog
1 1/4" x 7 1/2'' white paper
typed |
REMOVED 1996 |
| Checkout instructions / fines |
Lists fines & procedures |
On top of reserve card catalog
2 1/4" x 8''
typed
in name plate holder |
REMOVED 1996 |
| I.D. Required |
Procedures Information |
Taped to top of reserve card catalog
6 1/2" x 8"
white paper, handwritten black letters |
REMOVED 1996 |
| Fines |
Lists Fines |
Taped to top of reserve card catalog
2" x 5"
white paper
typed |
REMOVED 1996 |
Change Machine Area
| Sign |
Purpose |
Description |
Comments |
| Current periodicals |
Directional |
6 1/2" x 21 1/2''
Engraved white 1 1/2'' uppercase letters on black
7 1/2'' left arrow beneath words
affixed to wall near periodicals desk and overhangs wall by 1 3/4''
on each side |
REMOVED 1995 |
| Copy machine |
Directional |
8 1/2" x 11"
white paper with 1/2'' black letters
taped beneath the Current Periodicals sign
probably provided by machine's vendor |
REMOVED 1993 |
| Vendacoder instructions |
Informational |
three 8 1/2" x 11" white paper hand-lettered signs
taped behind and above the machine |
Although the machine's front panel contains instructions, there
are three hand-lettered signs of varying sizes taped on the front
panel
HAND LETTERED SIGNS REMOVED 1993 |
Photocopier Area
| Sign |
Purpose |
Description |
Comments |
| Copies |
Informational |
4 3/4" x 10''
black 4 1/2'' letters on white immediately above copier
self-adhesive |
probably provided by copier vendor
REMOVED 1996 |
| How to make copies |
Informational |
8 1/2" x 11''
black letters on white
computer generated
taped to wall |
Removed 1996 |
| Copyright warning |
Informational |
3" x 7 1/2''
black letters on white
self-adhesive
left of copier on wall divider |
probably provided by copier vendor
REMOVED 1996 |
| Lid must be closed |
Informational |
8 1/2" x 11"
Handwritten
Black letters on white |
REMOVED 1993 |
This is a portion of the survey that was done for the first floor of
the IUN Library. The entire survey for the library ran to a length of
13 pages. The summary and totals are listed below:
First Floor Total Sign Count: 111
- Paper: 46
- Engraved: 31
- Free-standing: 3
- Tape: 5
- Other: 7
Summation
Total Signs: 194
- Paper: 75
- Engraved: 75
- Free-standing: 5
- Tape: 24
- Other: 15
- The percentage of paper and engraved signs (39%) is equal.
- Tape signs account for 12%.
- Free standing signs are 3%.
- "Other" signs, which account for 7%, are defined as those signs, regardless
of format, which were probably purchased or produced outside IUN.
- The following areas contain no identifying signs:
- book drop at circulation
- first floor computer lab
- video viewing rooms
- change machine (as opposed to the area surronding the machine)
- quiet area on third floor
- The library contains one bilingual sign.
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