Aurora Public Library unveils new look for a new reality

February 10, 2016 · 0 Comments

By Brock Weir

A library can mean many different things to many different people.

For Aurora-Oak Ridges-Richmond Hill MP Leona Alleslev, it is a hub of “inspiration.” For Mayor Geoff Dawe, it is a “passport” to places around the world and places through time.

But, nowadays, a library is about more than just books – and the Aurora Public Library (APL) unveiled its new look on Saturday afternoon to reflect this new reality.

The open book logo is now a thing of the past, making way for a fresh image created by Cindy Shaver, APL’s Marketing and Communications Coordinator.
Comprised of vertical blocks in primary colours, the finished product too is open to interpretation.

“Logos mean different things to different people and branding isn’t so much about what we tell you it is; it is what you feel it is,” said Ms. Shaver. “What I see may not be what you see, and that is okay, because that is the point – it is supposed to be something special you can kind of internalize and make work for you.

“The Library has been evolving. We have always been about books, which has been our mainstay for many, many years and that is what our prior logo reflected. It meant the opportunity to learn, to grow, and to inspire. Books are still very much a part of what we do, but they are not the only part. This logo is all about playing catch-up.”

The old logo, she added, served APL well, but it didn’t show the current reality. In devising the new brand, the first question Ms. Shaver said she had to ask was “What are we?”, and took this question to APL staff and members of the public alike. They eventually agreed the Library is now a “community hub” where everyone can “come, gather, learn, grow and be inspired together.”

“The blocks that you see are to show different buildings in the community with the Library at the helm of all that,” said Ms. Shaver. “Other people say they see computer stacks and, if you see a book, that is okay as well. We just wanted something fresh and modern, and something which really showed the energy I think we embody here in the Library with our staff and services.”