Basic Graphic Design for Library Staff

• Are you disappointed with the publications you’ve been creating?
• Still finding errors and omissions even though you’ve checked it again and again?
• Are you targeting the right audience with the type styles and graphics you’re using?
• Wondering if you’ve lost your creative touch?

From simple bookmarks to signs to handouts of all kinds, the care and attention you pay to creating attractive and informative publications reflects the respect your library has for its customers. In this course, with a few simple steps, you will learn quick and easy ways to get positive results for your basic desktop publishing needs.

Course Description: This four-week course will provide you with a set of basic ground rules and techniques to improve your desktop publishing skills. We will analyze the placement of basic shapes, the text and graphics that occupy those shapes, as well as how they interact with each other. We will also discuss ways to make your text more legible and how to improve your proofreading skills. You’ll also learn how to set up a system to organize your workflow like a pro.

During the course, you will be creating and using templates to design flyers, handouts and signs; edit text for errors and readability; and find, use, alter and ascertain copyright status of images. You will also participate in discussion forums and online meetings as part of the online learning process.

Course Outline: When you log in to the Infopeople online learning site, you will see weekly modules with these topics:

• Week 1: Layout: How Shapes Work (and Don’t Work) with Each Other
  • Place and arrange shapes in publications
  • Incorporate white space in publications
  • Find and select standard templates as well as create new ones
• Week 2: Working with Text for Maximum Effect
  • Edit legible text into readable text
  • Learn the difference between proofreading and copy editing
  • Create error-free publications
  • Use complimentary type fonts
  • Find, download and use various type styles
• Week 3: Finding, Using and Manipulating Images
  • Find images online and do reverse image searching
  • Alter images using PowerPoint
  • Check for copyright compliance
• Week 4: Customer Service and Desktop Published Signs; Setting Up Shop
  • Analyze library signs from your customer’s viewpoints
  • Describe the criteria for customer-friendly signs
  • Edit signs to reflect the library’s customer service philosophy
  • Use customer-friendly language in designing publications
  • Design a system for organizing, storing, retrieving and updating publications

Pre-course Assignment: Before the course begins you should gather several current examples of flyers, signs or other small publications you want to redesign and have them available for use during some of the assignments.

Time Required: To complete this course, you can expect to spend 2½ hours per week, for a total of ten course hours. Each week’s module contains readings and various options for assignments and discussions. You can choose the options most relevant to your work and interests. Although you can work on each module at your own pace, at any hour of the day or night, it is recommended that you complete each week’s work within that week to stay in sync with other learners.

Who Should Take This Course: Library staff at all levels responsible for creating promotional materials, designing and producing flyers, brochures, signs and publicity items.

Online Learning Details and System Requirements may be found at: infopeople.org/training/online_learning_details.

Learner Requirements: The only tools used in this course are the latest version of Microsoft Word and PowerPoint for either Mac or PC. To be successful in this course, you should also be comfortable using both.

After the official end date for the course, the instructor will be available for limited consultation and support for two more weeks, and the course material will stay up for an additional two weeks after that. These extra weeks give those who have fallen behind time to work independently to complete the course.

Keywords: Marketing and publicity