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Signage Committee

Davis Centre Library Wayfinding Project Overview

Prepared by Phat Ha, Scott Nisbet, and Greg Stefan

Objectives

To allow users to access the library facilities and resources independently. Patron input will be used to target the most prevalent problems and tools from the literature will be used to develop the solutions.

To standardise library signage using standard human factors principles while maintaining an aesthetically pleasing presence.

General Plan

  1. Using a floor plan we will document all the signs in the library.

    This will be used in the final report to highlight the changes that have been made or are proposed. It will also be helpful for future spin-off studies/projects.

  2. Perform literature searches for methods/tools that can or have been used in the past to solve navigation problems in libraries.

     We will use the publications you have provided to us as a starting point. There is a significant mass of basic and applied research in this area and we are hoping to find tools that can be applied in the present project.

  3. Determine where the problem areas are.

    We will use the data already provided to us on the Signage webpage as a starting point. From the data collected it seems that the majority of the problems are related to finding a particular book/journal/etc using the "call number system". We may have to validate these trends using further surveys. For example, we could extract the top ten problems, list them on a survey, and ask respondents how many times they have experienced the problem over the past "time period".

  4. Develop a strategy to target the most significant problem areas.

    Having identified the most prevalent problem(s) we will use tools gathered from the literature search to develop a remedy. This may involve modifying the existing text characteristics, locations, message, etc. The previously completed floor plan will be used to strategise and present the proposed changes. User testing may be involved to validate certain aspects of the proposed solution.

  5. Develop standards for present and future library signage.

    These will incorporate standard human factors principles.
Signage Committee

December 6, 2005