Two goals in the Multnomah County Library (MCL) strategic plan speak directly to physical library spaces: “MCL will foster respectful and welcoming space for diverse communities” (goal 4) and “Community members will have a positive experience with library staff, spaces, materials, and services” (goal 6). The Library has established standards for maintaining the appearance and function of library locations. Questions about these standards should be directed to the Public Services Directors. 

RATIONALE

An attractive, well-maintained library is not only beautiful, it shows our respect for our patrons, taxpayers and staff. It says that "you matter" and "you deserve something you can be proud of." A building that is clean and uncluttered is an inviting and welcoming place to use and to work in. It improves customer service with good lighting and clear aisles, and meets Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and fire code requirements. Such a place also merchandises books and program materials by providing designated locations for their display along with appropriate wayfinding signage. It must hold an appealing collection of up-to-date books, technology stations, and other resources in good condition.

APPLICATION

All staff members are responsible for keeping our locations attractive and in good repair. As part of their routine duties, staff should watch for clutter, litter, and repair needs, and take appropriate action when these become apparent. The following standards provide a consistent, professional look in each location.

SERVICE DESKS

• Keep the service desks clear of clutter, including unnecessary office supplies and miscellaneous handouts and/or forms. For patrons with sensory needs, a desk covered with library handouts may be too much to focus on and make it more difficult for them to understand where to look or focus on what their question was. 
• Because of limited space, staff must restrict what is at the service desk, focusing on materials necessary for transactions that occur at that specific service point.
• Display library brochures and reading lists using approved Plexiglass brochure holders only. 
• Make sure any brochures, reading lists, etc. are clearly contextual to the surrounding materials. 
• Keep temporary closure signs on hand at all service desks. 
• Keep public areas looking professional. Do not personalize any public areas including book trucks, desks, tables, with small toys, cartoons, etc. These items may be displayed in the workroom or staff room. 
• Cartoons, humorous signs, etc. may be displayed on tack boards in the staff areas with supervisor's permission

BUILDING & GROUNDS

The County provides contracted janitorial service at each location. Repairs are done by either County Facilities or contracted workers. See Facilities and Building Management for more information.

 The following standards must be followed:

• Keep the building and property in good repair, and free of safety hazards. All staff members need to watch for and report problems in these areas. 
• Monitor branch artwork. All branch artwork is provided through the Regional Arts and Culture Council. Some locations have permanent works of art and others are part of a rotating collection. Limited duration exhibitions of community partner art work are acceptable. Report damaged or dirty artwork to the Library Facilities Manager.

COLLECTIONS & MERCHANDISING

A loosely packed shelf is both more attractive and more functional than one that is tightly packed. Materials are easier to shelve and retrieve when there is empty space on the shelf. Tightly packed shelves can warp book spines and increase possible damage from someone pulling on the top (headband) of the spine.

The following standards must be followed:

• Monitor the collection so that in general shelves are no more than 4/5ths (25% headroom) full of materials. 
• Books and other attractive library materials may be displayed on the ends of eye-level shelves (in the one-third empty space) using white or black rubber-coated wire book easels.  The safety committee has determined the 'shelf end displays' should be 5 feet high or less for the 'eye level'. 
• For safety, materials cannot be displayed on top of the shelves in order to allow for clear sightlines. If a location does not have a slat wall or free standing display space, a spot can be designated in each zone that does not impede sight lines. 
• Make sure if brochures, reading lists and so on are put out in the stacks, they are in the Plexiglass holders and that there is a revision process in place to remove them as they become outdated.
• All programming displays and/or cultural celebration decorations can be put up two weeks before the event, and must be removed from public spaces within two weeks of the date or event. 

Use caution with posters and bulletin boards. Bulletin boards with lots of elements may be overwhelming. 

The following standards must be followed:

• Posters may be applied only to approved areas of tackable surfaces; never use adhesive or masking tape on wooden or painted surfaces, including stack ends and walls. 
• They must be checked regularly and outdated or torn posters must be discarded.
• In public areas, commercial advertisements (including book publisher's posters) cannot be posted.
• Remove posters advertising events as soon as the event is over. Post community posters and giveaways only in approved areas (usually the vestibule). See Bulletin Board Regulations for more information.

Guidelines for creating displays will be available soon. 

FURNISHINGS & COMPUTER EQUIPMENT 

Public and staff area furnishings need to be kept in good repair to prevent injury and to maintain a neat appearance. Book trucks used in public areas may not be decorated with signs or pictures. Computer equipment and the area around and under it must be kept neat, including the cabling under tables. 

The following standards must be followed:

• Only approved signs or temporary "OUT OF ORDER" signs may be used. Affix approved signs neatly to the equipment and replace them if they get torn or dirty. 
• Damaged or malfunctioning equipment should be reported immediately.
• Clean computer equipment in the public areas regularly and keep their tables free of clutter.
• Specialty furniture designed for specific spaces may not be moved without supervisor approval.  

COLLECTIONS, WAYFINDING & SERVICE SIGNAGE

All signage must come from Marketing and Communications (Marcom). Signs that look the same and use the same wording help staff and patrons who work in or use more than one library location. Too many signs can be confusing. 

We provide a mix of directional and collection identification signage to assist patrons and staff. This signage does not replace good customer service. Our signage consultants selected fonts and sizes for readability. Some directional signage includes international symbols and Braille characters or raised letters as required by ADA code. Using the same style of signage for all branches helps staff and patrons who work in and use more than one location.

Stack end collection signage is designed so that someone standing at either end of the stack will know which side of the stack they need. Wording on these signs was carefully selected to eliminate "library jargon."

Perimeter collection signage allows staff and patrons to quickly locate general collections.

Two Plexiglass sign holders are near each public entrance, usually on the door. One holder is for holiday notices or hours changes. The other is for upcoming library program flyers. When there is no information about holidays or hours, both should be used for library programming announcements. Displaying the "smoke free campus" signs is not required.

Handwritten signs are never allowed. Signs may not be taped to any windows, tables, public desks, stackends, or other surfaces. 

PROMOTIONAL SIGNAGE

Flyers for promotion of events and programs can be placed in plexiglass holders or on bulletin boards. They can be posted up to two weeks in advance of the event and should be taken down by the day following the event. 

When creating a flyer to promote an event or program, Marcom flyer guidelines must be followed. Flyers and templates are available from Library Commons. These formats provide ample opportunity to quickly produce consistent, quality promotional materials for library programming and services. If a flyer is needed for an event, class or other programmatic offering, or additional signage is needed to assist with wayfinding, staff should complete the Marcom consultation form or fill out a marketing work request. No additional signage is permitted without approval.

Flyers are distributed for systemwide events, priority cultural events, and The Library Foundation (TLF)-sponsored events. The materials distributed from Marcom must be displayed to promote those programs and events and are not to be replaced with any other materials. Refer to this document for further information about print materials.  

A non-exhaustive list of the events and programs Marcom supports are listed below in chronological order by calendar year. These events have branding, design, and materials distributed consistently.

• Lunar New Year
• Slavic New Year
• Everybody Reads
• Black History Month
• Library Writers Project
• Día de los Niños/Dia de los libros
• National Asian American, Pacific Islander, and Native Hawaiian Heritage Month
• Juneteenth
• Summer Reading
• Mid-Autumn Festival also referred as Moon Festival
• Indigenous People's Day
• Latinx Heritage Month
• Native American Heritage Month
• Kwanzaa

Cultural displays and book displays are not typically designed by Marcom. The location leader is responsible for identifying the appropriate location for these displays. The displays are not to block sightlines, visual or physical access to collections, collection signage, code signage, RACC art, art on display from other partner organizations, digital signs, entry or exit points, security camera views, lighting, or any other installed signage or technology that is installed in a location for operational or promotional purposes. Displays should not be hung from the ceiling without express permission from Marcom and Facilities. 

Signage is prohibited from any glass windows, this is a security concern. Signage adhered to glass windows blocks sightlines for first responders in case of emergency.  

SPACES DESIGNED FOR YOUTH

Everyone deserves an attractive and safe area free from clutter. The preceding information applies as well to areas designed for children and teens. Tackboards are available in each area for posters, programming flyers, and Summer Reading displays. The amount of space varies by building design. Areas should be regularly monitored and tidied of loose items such as sensory tools, games, and art supplies.