Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Library Book Logo - pros and cons

Our library is exploring a new logo. Not that we really have a logo right now, so I guess we're exploring the possibility of A logo.

And there's one large question that keeps coming up: Do we or don't we use the image of a book in the logo?

Pros: Books are still the single image that people associate most with libraries. (http://www.oclc.org/reports/2005perceptions.htm) A logo with a book is immediately recognizable - a book is an easy thing to visualize, and when people look at it, they see "library."

There's also an affection factor. People who already love books are probably the most inclined to love libraries, and we can tie ourselves into that. I love books, and my favorite library logos all have books in them.

Cons: Books can be seen as old-fashioned and boring, which we definitely want to leave behind. A book image doesn't help us expand ourselves. We don't necessarily want to play into the libraries=books stereotype. If we want to start moving into a new niche, we need to start creating a new brand, and associating ourselves with a new image. We are trying to remove our association with "things" like books, discs and computers, and associate ourselves with intangibles like service, community, and intelligence.

 :) Now if I can only find a way to create a visualization for community and service...

2 comments:

  1. When it comes to Logos, Paul Rand is my fav

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yOjts0tpco

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    1. "Don't try to be original, just try to be good!" Or, in other words: Good artists borrow. Great artists steal.

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