Alhambra Library System
State-funded reconstruction led to many libraries rethinking their role in serving the community. This is a mini-tour behind our thinking that led to several successful logo marks and eventually a new identity and philosophy for the City of Alhambra’s Library System.
The first is a theme representing empowerment. An androgynous runner/messenger carries a torch of knowledge through a portal framed by the A. The gentle arch suggests the world we learn about, with a slight reference to global information available through the internet. Our sketch of this concept (on its fourth iteration) is followed by our final presentation.
Libraries are a gateway to a much larger world of knowledge. A library empowers and enriches the community it serves, and creates a safe place where family and community can gather. This mark shows the heritage of the city giving passage to a vision for the future. Information and learning is implied with a subtle reference to growth represented by the vine. The book shown in this early sketch was dropped, because sometimes the concept can get too complicated or cluttered. The logo was built in two-color to save on printing costs.
The inspiration for this concept was the Granada Rose. A rose is a metaphor for life and an open or young mind. It also suggests an unfolding to new things as we grow and learn and experience life. Libraries facilitate this growth in us by providing necessary resources and a supporting environment. Our theme with this mark is to connect people to information in a supportive, nurturing environment.
This final page compares the final logo mark with the logo that existed before we started. The logo before, showing the building, was non-inspiring and dated, and focused more on being a building rather than an environment. The logo they chose is shown primarily in black and white to focus on the concept: the books are building blocks for learning; the vine-like letterforms suggests the relationship between learning and growth; and the books act as a portal into a larger world of knowledge.
If you would like to see more logomarks click here.
