Documentary Film Explores History of Graphic Design Production

 If you are a graphic designer feeling a little nostalgic or a younger designer interested to see the way graphic design production was done prior to the advent of desktop publishing via computers (you have no idea how LUCKY you are!), have a look at the trailer for documentary film Graphic Means: A History of Graphic Design Production. I'm looking forward to seeing this video about the history of graphic design production. View the trailer here:

www.graphicmeans.com

The film explores the huge changes that took place in graphic design from the 1950s through the 1990s – from linecaster to photo composition and paste-up to PDF.

You can also preview the trailer here, along with a short review of it:
http://www.creativereview.co.uk/cr-blog/2016/march/watch-the-trailer-for-new-film-graphic-means/

2012 Gale Library Journal Library of the Year Winner

Congratulations to the San Diego Public Library for receiving the 2012 Gale/Library Journal Library of the Year Award. This announcement recognized the many outstanding applications from libraries across the United States and Canada that presented an impressive array of creativity and innovation. I'm sure we can all take a page from their book to learn from. You can read more about their winning efforts here.

http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2012/06/library-services/2012-galelj-library-of-the-year-san-diego-county-library-empowering-the-public/

On the link you can even see a slide show of images from their library system. I especially enjoyed seeing the Fallbrook branch's award-winning architecture design.

Additionally, three other libraries had notable mentions, including the Alachua County Library District. You can see the ACLD's mention of that here:
http://www.aclib.us/your-library/blog/library-journal-recognizes-acld-library-year-2012-special-mention

Design Talk: I Sure Could Use a TUMS

Recently, I was reading an old copy of Package Design magazine. The feature article covered how GlaxoSmithKline—one of the world's leading pharmaceutical healthcare companies—worked with outsourced design houses and component suppliers to redesign new packaging for its classic Tums brand product.

I learned that GlaxoSmithKline's US Consumer Healthcare package development group based in the company's Pittsburgh headquarters consisted of a team of 12 package engineers and documentation specialists (the latter are "information managers who provide product specifications, administer paperwork, and coordinate workflow throughout the corporate approval chain").

Design development of GSK's products didn't actually take place at GSK, however. "We do not do any design work in this department," Ed Dunn, associate director of the package development group said. "We work with design houses and component suppliers to achieve the goals that GlaxoSmithKline brands want to achieve." Together, the GSK group, along with its extended association of vendors handled between "500 to 800 packaging projects a year, ranging from simple label changes to big jobs on the order of the Tums redesign."

Wow, I thought. That's a lot of projects per year. Then I caught myself. Hey, that's 500 to 800 projects divided by at least 12 in-house staff and who knows how many out-of-house people. If you divide 12 into 500 and 800, you get roughly 41 to 66 projects a year per person. Suddenly the work load looked relatively luxurious.

Forty-one to 66 projects is within the margin what I create as a single person design department for the Alachua County Library District each month. In fact, during the recent 36 working days between November 1 to December 31, I created 113 projects alone. And during my first annual year at the Library I created 460 projects, resulting in over 45,000 unique printed page and online views. Maybe that means I'm doing the work of 12+ people—well, 12 of GlaxoSmithKline's at least. I wonder how much they make an hour? I could certainly use 12 times the salary! Or a TUMS. How do you spell R-E-L-I-E-F?

Library Newsletter: THINK... Winter 2012 Issue

The cover of the issue highlights the library's
accomplishment as one of the nation's top
public institutions for 2011.

The latest issue of the Alachua County Library District's newsletter and program guide, THINK..., has made its way to the 12 library branches just in time for the first of the year. This issue focuses on the vast diversity of programs, services and public demographics it serves.

Production of a single 12 page issue takes six weeks, beginning with a planning meeting to suss out a common theme for the entire issue, then working through the stages of writing feature briefs, compiling and disseminating program event lists from all the branches, sourcing and styling photography and illustration, creating custom art, squeezing and massaging everything into place through thoughtful editing, and finally allowing the printer to work its magic to turn out 2,500 copies in a five day turn-around. Once the shipment arrives, it takes another day to separate and deliver a pre-determined quantity to each branch. It never ceases to amaze me how much work goes into "twelve little pages." The end result, hopefully, is a product that serves the community well and represents the library in an effective, positive manner.

I feel fortunate to have such a high quality communications vehicle such as our THINK... newsletter to produce. It is a prominent item that goes on display at every branch and has the potential to reach every visitor. Recently, the publication has also begun a pilot program to be delivered to non-library sites such as the chamber of commerce, the regional airport, and a variety of retirement/assisted living communities. If the additional audience appears to appreciate it and feedback is positive or additional library usage is generated from it, then we'll continue the effort and look at additional locations to offer it for public consumption.

Out of curiosity, I look to see what other libraries do for newsletters so that I can get a sense of their content, style and quality. Sadly, it appears few libraries have much more than office copier printouts or a website calendar. The few that do have what I would consider to be higher quality newsletters are extremely rare. A couple of libraries that do produce nicer newsletters include the Columbus, Ohio and Orlando public libraries. Kudos to those organizations, and if you are one of the people who happen to know of other libraries with newsletters to crow about, please let me know. I'd love to see them!


If you're not able to get a print version of this issue of THINK..., you can download a free .pdf from the library website here: http://www.aclib.us/your-library/blog/thinkdetails-national-medal-honor

The Library website news blog and publication download available for download at:
http://www.aclib.us/your-library/blog/thinkdetails-national-medal-honor .

ACLD Recognized with 2011 National Medal for Museum and Library Service

Some great news has been announced today regarding my library. The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) has selected Alachua County Library District as one of only ten libraries and museums to receive the 2011 National Medal for Museum and Library Service.

Diverse programs and events plus a strong customer focus helped the Library District to achieve this national recognition.

The Library was nominated for its successful community partnerships, customer focus, expanded services, and diverse programs and events.

The National Medal is the nation’s highest honor for museums and libraries for extraordinary civic, educational, economic, environmental and social contributions. Recipients must demonstrate innovative approaches to public service and community outreach.

“Congratulations to the Alachua County Library District on receiving the National Medal for Museum and Library Service. The work you have done is an inspiration to libraries and museums throughout the nation,” said Susan Hildreth, IMLS Director. “With innovation, creativity and a great deal of heart you have achieved an outstanding level of public service.”

The other institutions that will received the IMLS medal this year are:

• Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn, NY
• Columbus Metropolitan Library, Columbus, OH
• EdVenture Children’s Museum, Columbia, SC
• Erie Art Museum, Erie, PA
• Hill Museum & Manuscript Library, Collegeville, MN
• Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, Richmond, VA
• Madison Children’s Museum, Madison, WI
• San José Public Library, San José, CA
• Weippe Public Library & Discovery Center, Weippe, ID

This announcement is provided online at the Alachua County Library website: http://www.aclib.us/blog/library-district-receives-national-honor-outstanding-service

and can also be seen on the Institute of Museum and Library Services website:

http://www.imls.gov/imls_announces_the_2011_national_medal_for_museum__library_service_recipients.aspx


The IMLS website location above also offers a link to download a .pdf brochure that covers all the details and highlights about each award recipient.

About the National Medal for Museum and Library Service

The National Medals honor outstanding institutions that make significant and exceptional contributions to their communities. Selected institutions demonstrate extraordinary and innovative approaches to public service, exceeding the expected levels of community outreach. Recipient institutions receive $10,000 and are honored at an awards ceremony that is held in Washington, DC.


About the Institute of Museum and Library Services

The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation's 123,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. The Institute's mission is to create strong libraries and museums that connect people to information and ideas. The Institute works at the national level and in coordination with state and local organizations to sustain heritage, culture, and knowledge; enhance learning and innovation; and support professional development. To learn more about the Institute, please visit www.imls.gov.

Not to Confuse Our Movies...

Today I received a staff-wide email from one of our ACLD librarians that indicated our library was mentioned in USA Today for offering programs that welcome the homeless to "community living rooms."

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2010-12-13-libraries13_ST_N.htm

The trend of seeing what may be an increasing percentage of the homeless population in our library is, I suppose, not uncommon among libraries these days. In our particular downtown library branch, the indigent wait for our doors to open early in the morning and stay until other facilities open later in the day--facilities like "soup kitchens" and overnight shelters. 

I have come to easily recognize the faces of some patrons I see on a regular basis, and think of them just as much a part of our interior environment as the furniture. These "regulars" are woven right into the fabric of our daily environment, and to some extent become, more or less, part of our extended workplace family--same as a guy who might come into a diner in the morning to order his "usual" meal or coffee.

On 10 Dec. 2010 I reported on one of our branch library offerings: "Saturday Matinee." This movie watching event is offered to students who bring in a report card with grades of "C" or higher--an event not to be confused with our headquarters branch Monday Movie event which is offered the general public (even for those same students if they chose to come) for which the USA Today article referred to.

The Matinee Mondays design work shown above displays what we refer to as a "webslide." These are up to eight individual web ads displayed in a looping slide show format on the library district home page website. The image used was found while sourcing public domain photography websites.