[Publib] Digital/electronic outdoor signs

[Robert L. Balliot]

Howdy John,

One of the hats I wear is managing e-commerce marketing signs, sign
holders, brochure holders, magazine racks, trade show supplies
and just about any sort of physical device for public displays that you
can imagine.  The current product count is about 6200 with about
1.2 million units in-stock and ready to ship.

Digital signs and outdoor sign systems are part of the mix.
You can see the main product catalog here:

http://displays2go.com/main.asp

Because of volume and an exceptional distribution network,
the prices are essentially wholesale.  You can stretch your
budget and get some really good marketing ideas by visiting
the site.  

HTH :)
*************************************************
Robert L. Balliot
Skype: RBalliot
Bristol, Rhode Island
http://oceanstatelibrarian.com/contact.htm
*************************************************

-----Original Message-----
From: publib-bounces at webjunction.org [mailto:publib-bounces at webjunction.org]
On Behalf Of John Richmond
Sent: Thursday, August 21, 2008 4:20 PM
To: publib at webjunction.org
Subject: [Publib] Digital/electronic outdoor signs

We have a large outdoor sign on the street where we live which lights
up at night, and has letters and numbers which must be changed,
outdoors, in all sorts of weather.  At least there's a plexiglass
cover which raises up (for changing messages) and locks when lowered,
so no one can mess with the messages.   When we bought the sign, it
was the biggest thing we could get for the money that we had.  Three
or four board meetings ago, after much discussion about how we were
NOT keeping up with changing messages, program announcements, et al.,
and how last winter there had been snow piled up so that getting to
the sign was problematic, the board and I talked about a sign that
could be changed/controlled from inside the library, a la CVS
drugstores, or other emporia, using a computer, wireless, and with all
sorts of spiffy video capabilites...and so on.  The office manager
researched costs of retrofitting the sign, found that it could be
done, got the dollar numbers, we worked it into the current fiscal
year's budget, which was passed at a board meeting at which the
president was not present.

President gets home from a trip, begins to worry that the public will
object to our spending so much money on "just a sign," even though the
board passed the working budget.  Then others get worried, while some
are positive.  Office manager and I are asked to do all sorts of other
things, look into alternatives, etc., including asking at a staff
meeting for the positives and negatives of a
digital/electronic/whatever sign.  Staff comes up with about twelve
positives, two negatives.  Meanwhile, now even the positive board
members are negative.  Bottom line(s): Board is concerned about money,
board is concerned about the public's concerns about money, board is
concerned about actual appearance of the sign, and--this is really the
bottom line, I think--they've never seen a really zippy, electronic,
digital, controlled-from-inside-by-computer sign at...a...library.
FEAR!  SOMETHING NEW!!  It's Sign 2.0!!!

So.  Does anyone out there have the kind of sign I'm talking about?
If you do, do you love it?  Or is it ugly and tacky and too much like
CVS's or another commercial establishment's sign, and therefore
unbecoming of a library, a library's dignity, et al?  Or have you seen
such a sign at someone else's library and wished you had one at your
own library?

NOTE: I am not asking for advice on how we might be more efficient in
changing the sign, as it is, and why are we afraid of a little snow,
and can't the director be a better manager and organizer and put the
fear of God into the hearts of slackers who don't want to go out and
change the sign, etc.  No lectures, please.  I just want to know about
signs, specifically of the sort I mentioned.  If any library,
anywhere, has such a one.  Thank you.

John Richmond, Director and Ad Man
Alpha Park PLD
Bartonville, IL
jdr1952 at gmail.com
jrichmond at alphapark.org


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