A number of important messages had to be incorporated into a new logo. The Lexington Public Library still emphasizes that its locations are special places, but there also is strong emphasis on online resources and accessibility anywhere. People come to the library to read,usepublic computers, attend events, and take advantage of meeting spaces and online resources. The library wanted a logo design that communicated all these elements, one that was attractive and colorful, one that had a sense of movement, and one that was useful and practical. We wanted our new logo to be a primary vehicle for communicating how the library has changed and how it continues to move forward.

The Lexington Public Library underwent a thorough strategic planning process to determine what our community needs from its library. This plan provided the context for a new logo, in terms of what it should communicate. The library's graphics coordinator created approximately 50 potential designs, which were discussed within the Marketing Department. The best were presented to the library board and to the staff. One design emerged as a clear favorite. The library's Marketing Department identified all places where the old logo would need to be replaced as well as places where a logo should be added (e.g., the exterior of library buildings). The new logo was used as the focal point of a one-year marketing plan. The plan called for an increase in library cardholders through the use of advertising on television, city buses, and billboards and through community library card sign up events. The library's graphics coordinator created billboard and bus ads, and the library's cable channel staff created television spots. The entire library staff is participating in library card sign-up events at schools, grocery stores and shopping malls.

The goal of the library's marketing plan is to achieve a high level of community recognition for the library's new logo and to sign up 8,000 new cardholders by the end of fiscal year 2012-2013. Through the first four months, more than 4,400 people have applied for a new library card. In addition to those, many existing customers have found the new library card, which features the new logo prominently, so striking that they have opted to replace their old library cards with new ones.