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WAYFINDING

Wayfinding is a term used to describe signage, building layout and placement of materials to allow customers to find exactly what they need without the help of a library professional. â€‹â€‹

 

  • EPL uses a standard set of colors to signify specific collections or interest areas across all branches to help patrons find their way.  For example, Children's Services are signified by yellow, magazines and newspapers are red, and fiction is green which can been seen in the photos below (Thomas, 2016).​​

  • As can be seen from the photo of the Meadows branch to the right (Group2, n.d.), shelves are, in general, kept low so that patrons have clear lines of sight from one location to another.

  • Directional signs as shown to the right (Thomas, 2016) keep text to a minimum. The text is rendered in an appropriate size so the information on the signs can be read at a glance.  The signs are placed at natural stopping points throughout the buildings to guide patrons to the location of any item or department.​

  • Display signs with EPL branding colors as shown below (Thomas, 2016) indicate areas of common interest at all branches.  Many books and other items are displayed face out, not the typical spine-only view of the book. This creates a more colorful and vibrant environment and makes it easier for patrons to see exactly what materials the library has available.

​More building characteristics leading to a positive patron experience at EPL

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  • Edmonton Public Library's Facebook Album “Humans of EPL” provides a glimpse into the visitors of the library as well as the interior. From the picture below on the left (Taylor, 2015), we can see giant windows that let in loads of light as well as offer relaxing views of the surrounding landscape.

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  • The colors used by EPL to label their sections help guide their visitors. Children, who are not yet able to read or are barely grasping the concept, are able to find their section of interest just by the bright yellow color shown in the photo below right ("Beyond Our Walls," 2015) of the children's library.

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  • Instead of using standard tan, beige or grey, the bright and colorful palette used by EPL makes it a desirable and exciting place to visit. The area would be more difficult for visitors to navigate if EPL used dull colors. Associating certain bright colors with sections definitely brings out the excitement as well as making things easier to locate.

Next, learn how EPL uses SIGNAGE AND SELF-SERVICE to help identify their brand and free staff from repetitive tasks.

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