Introduction
When Betsy offered me this opportunity to speak to you, she told me I had three qualifications she was looking for:
I am retrofitting older buildings; I am knowledgeable about the new signage regulations under the Americans with Disabilities Act; and I am doing my work with a very low budget.

I'm thankful for this opportunity to share with you what I've learned during the last two years as "signmeister" of the ASU Libraries.  But I wondered what I could tell you that you wouldn't learn just by reading the handouts I prepared for you.  why gather all of yo together in San Francisco for a monologue on library signage?

My answer to that question is that you are all too busy to read through the 80 pounds of handouts I've brought here today.  They will very likely be redistributed to filing cabinets around the country unless you are motivated to read them—motivated either by my enthusiasm for this subject, or by the threat of federal penalties for noncompliance with ADA regulations.  So, whichever reason you find more compelling, I hope to cover it in the next 40 minutes or so.

Why a signage system ?
[Slide 1.  Why a Signage System?]
Why a signage system?

Vision is about 1/10 physical and 9/10 mental.  When people look around your library for the first time, they form an immediate visual impression which contributes to a positive or negative attitude about the library.  Signage is usually the element most focused on in an unfamiliar environment.  If your current signs are poorly positioned, haphazard, incorrect or confusing, you are not only creating a frustrating and stressful environment for your library users and staff, you are wasting money because your signs are being ignored and library personnel are engaged in too many unnecessary directional questions.  Also, visual clutter does not reflect the high degree of organization required to maintain the resources and services of a library.

A good signage system can project the image of your library as a well organized, helpful, responsible organization.  It will direct people to all the major and minor destinations in the library by offering general directions at the entrance, followed by more specific directions at decision points along the way.  a good signage system will link destinations to one another so your visitors wont have to go back to the main directory in the front lobby to find their way from the Reference to the Periodicals collection.  such a system will also include instructional and regulatory signs as needed.  A good signage system is a well thought out and implemented continuing program.

How does a library establish a good signage system?  In answer to that question, I will first describe five important elements of a signage system.
Then I will discuss the Americans with Disabilities Act regulations affecting signage, and the challenges that arise from the ADA regulations.  I will conclude my presentation with a review of the key points, and some examples of signage solutions.

Five Elements of a Signage System
[Slide 2.  Five Elements of a Signage System]
There are five important elements in a sign system: Graphic Design, Message Style, Implementation, Fabrication, and Personnel.

1.  Graphic Design
[Slide 3.  Graphic Design]
Unity in the graphic design of your sign system refers to the total visual effect of signs that look alike:  from the general directions at the entry to the more specific information at decision points in different parts of the library; from one library department to another, and including instructional signs.  Library users will come to recognize the signs throughout the library and look for them when they need information.

Consistency of graphic design means the signs all have the same...style of typeface (font), size of letters, selection of upper or lower case letters, modular sizes, layout of message (that's the amount of "white space" surrounding the lettering, and whether the lettering is centered or left justified), and of course the colors of the lettering and background.  Some sources in my bibliography explain how to select graphic design elements.  ADA has requirements about these also.

Contrast between the signs and their surroundings will assure that your signs stand out enough to be noticed.

2.  Message Style
[Slide 4.  Message Style]
[Slide 5.  Cartoon.  Art Museum]
The second important element of a signage system is the actual wording you use on your signs, or message style.  There are a few rules to follow here:

Use the same terminology on all your signs and instructions.  Whether you use the term circulation or checkout, Level 1 or First floor, online catalog or catalog terminal, journals or periodicals—be consistent.  Library jargon is hard enough to interpret.  You can make it a little easier by using the same term over and over to refer to a destination.  One exception occurs if you have a reading room or collection that bears the donor's name.  Try to identify this destination by its contents or function in addition to its proper name.

[Slide 6.  Handicapped symbol]
Symbols are useful to help explain destinations and regulations.  Be sure to use familiar symbols.  There are some books of internationally recognized symbols in my bibliography.  ADA has a lot to say about symbols, too.

[Slide 7.  Cartoon.  Eat, wash, pawn, die]
Use as few words as possible to get the message across.  Research has shown that people will usually spend no more than 8 seconds reading a message, and that most people prefer to absorb a message and act on it while they are still moving rather than pause in front of a sign.

[Slide 8.  Reynolds quote]
Here is a good suggestion from one of the authors in my bibliography.  I've considered making a sign out of this.

[Slide 9.  Cartoon.  Cab from hell]
Avoid negatives.  It's easy to turn most messages into positive ones, which helps create a more pleasant atmosphere.  Save the negatives for emergencies.
 

3.  Implementation
[Slide 10.  Cartoon.  Men working things out]
[Slide 11. Implementation]

The third of the five elements of a signage system is implementation.
Listing the signs needed is fairly straight forward.  You can walk through the library and make a list of everything you want to identify, then start at the front door and decide what directional signs you need to get to these destinations.  Signs will be ignored unless they occur at decision points along the way.

You'll find out soon enough that at some decision points there are no walls, or the ceilings are too high or too low, the lighting is poor, and so on.  You will learn to be creative.  If you haven't already done so by now, you will begin to look for ideas by walking around in grocery stores, shopping malls, airports and hospitals staring at the signs to see what they are made of, how they are made, how they are hung, what the lighting is like... You have the urge to climb up on furniture and fixtures to get a better look.  You may even be tempted to take some signs apart and risk being accused of vandalism.  Take a good look.  Take a picture.  make notes.   Borrow some ideas.  Take advantage of good design expertise.

Part of implementation is the creation of a signage policy.  As you develop your graphic designs and message style, write everything down and organize the information into sign elements and types of signs.  Have your signage policy approved by your library staff and the library director or board.  This is very important.  When you start to remove signs or add new ones you'll find that in a lot of cases you are playing political games.  this is because in a sense you are labeling all the library personnel, telling everyone their status and what they do. These are very sensitive issues.  It will take all of you "people" skills to work through some differences of opinion.  It really helps to have something in writing that's been endorsed by the library staff as well as the director when it comes to implementing the signage system.. I will dwell on this a moment longer because I think this is probably the most critical element of the sign system.  You can re-do the mistakes on graphics, message style, and fabrication, but you have to be very careful with how you work with everyone on the library staff.  you need their full cooperation for your work, and if you don't handle a situation well, you may not get a second chance to go back and try again.

[Slide 12.  Cartoon.  Ben and Mary]
A final note about implementation is to prioritize the work.  You will find you have more to do than time or budget will allow.

            Will you start at the front door and work your way into the library?
            Will you concentrate on one floor at a time, or a new wing of your building?
            Will you begin with ADA mandated signs?
            Or signs you can fabricate in-house?

Make a plan for implementation before you start so you won't be overwhelmed by the work.  Let everyone in the library know about this plan so they won't think they are being left out.

4.  Fabrication
[Slide 13  Fabrication]
Now let's look at fabrication.
In-house fabrication, if only for temporary or prototype signs, has a lot of advantages:

            It is inexpensive because you are not paying professional designers' fees, manufacturing and shipping costs.
            It gives you instant gratification because it is quick to do.  The library gets a facelift which is psychologically pleasing.
            It is functional. You can try out signs for color, graphics, wording and placement before yo order permanent ones.

If you have the budget you can hire a consultant/vendor to "do" your library.  I don't know of anyone who has been satisfied with this approach.  Your signs are inappropriate or out-of-date before they are installed, and with each expensive revision thereafter.  If you don't make our own signboards, I strongly suggest you find a sign system that lets you update your lettering in-house with computer-cut vinyl letters.

5. Personnel
[Slide 14.  Personnel]
I've already stressed the importance of group adoption of your library's signage policy.  when it comes to implementing the policy and overseeing the production of signs you'll need only one person whose part-time duty is signage.  The person responsible for implementing the signage program doesn't have to be artistic or creative.  Just follow the graphic design and message style guidelines you've created, and delegate the fabrication to someone who is artistic.  Art students and graphic artists looking for part-time work are available in every city.

Americans with Disabilities Act
[Slide 15.  Cartoon.  Centipede parking]

I could have ended my talk here two years ago, but the Americans with Disabilities Ace, or ADA, was signed into law in July 1990.  It is one of the broadest civil rights laws ever enacted.  It is designed to bring over 43 million physically and mentally disabled people into the economic and social mainstream of life by making public accommodations more accessible.  The law outlines stringent requirements for new and existing construction, renovation and alterations.  All existing public facilities must take "readily achievable" steps toward removing any barriers that do not comply with the law.  Barrier removal includes correcting signage sins.  If the removal of a barrier is not "readily achievable." the places of public accommodation must be made available through alternative methods.  Facilities not able to achieve full compliance by January 1992 may be able to avoid liability by showing a good faith effort with a written action plan and initial steps toward compliance.  there are two summaries in your handouts on how ADA regulations affect signage.  One is a reprint of a special issue on ADA in a trade magazine called Identity.  More information on ADA has be prepared by Kroy, Inc., a national manufacturer os signs and sign lettering equipment.  These summaries are very thorough, yet readable, and I encourage you to ream them both for more details.

[Slide 16.  ADA list]
The ADA rules that concern you and your libraries are as follows:

Placement of signs.  Overhead signs must have lettering at least 3" high, and must be hung a minimum of 80" from the floor.  In other words, you need a ceiling height of at least 8 1/2 feet to hand a sign with 3 lines of type on it.

What we call "identification" signs at doors must be mounted on the same side as the door handle, with the center of the sign 60" from the floor.  People should be able to stand 3" away from the sign to read it without getting hit by the opening door.  Don't you just wonder sometimes who thinks this up?  And how they arrived at 3"?

Letter size and font style.  All other lettering must be at least 5/8" high and sized according to distance.  there are specific ratios for proportions of letters.  fortunately there ae several common font styles, such as Helvetica, that satisfy these requirements.

Sign finish and contrast.  The color of the letters and symbols on a sign should contrast with the sign color, either light on dark or dark on light.  The characters and backgrounds of the signs must be eggshell, matte or some other non-glare finish.

[Slide 17.  Kroy]
Tactile and Braille lettering.  Tactile lettering that is raised a minimum of 1/32", in upper case, 5/8" to 2" high is required for all permanent signage.  This includes room numbering, rest room facilities, stairs, elevators, regulatory signs like "no smoking", and warning signs like "in case of fire use stairs."  Grade 2 Braille must accompany tactile lettering.  Grade 2 Braille is a "shorthand" form of Braille that uses symbols for words instead of spelling them out letter by letter.

[Slide 18.  Kroy]
Pictograms, the international symbols we are all familiar with, must also include a verbal description.  Permanent signs such as those referring to rest rooms, elevators, telephones, etc., need to have tactile lettering and Grade 2 Braille.

The international symbol of accessibility, the familiar "wheelchair" sign, must be displayed at the building's entrance if the building is accessible.  Accessible rest rooms must be identified in the same way.

[Slide 17.  Uncle Sam]
ADA presents us with some challenges.  The ADA regulations are so encompassing and so vague that lawsuits may be the only certain way to determine compliance.  The ADA Accessibility Guidelines are the new architectural standards for building and site elements.  Compliance with these Guidelines may not automatically mean compliance with the ADA.  Regulations and accessibility guidelines are limited primarily to the needs of the mobility- and sight-impaired.  Other disabilities aren't well addressed, yet federal agencies expect compliance with the undetermined needs of all types of disabled people.  Enforcement could be arbitrary.  Penalties are expensive.  The best defense for building owners, according to David K. Jones, the attorney for the Arizona Sign Association, is to assess your building now.  Hire a consultant to make recommendations through your attorney for protection in case you do not implement all the recommendations at once.

No wonder the ADA has been dubbed "The Lawyers' Full Employment Act."

Well, look at it this way.  You've all heard of "career opportunities" and "photo opportunities."  You can think of ADA as "signage opportunities."

I would now like to give a brief review and show some samples of signage solutions.

At the conclusion of today's session I will have a "show and tell" table with sample of the materials we use for our in-house signage production at ASU.

[Slide Show]