Dubuque County Library District
Logo and Website Development
BACKGROUND
With a vibrant group of young leaders at the helm, the Dubuque County Library District has evolved into a community gathering space that offers a wide range of events and resources to residents. However, most people have an antiquated view of libraries—seeing them as stuffy, quiet buildings that offer books and little else. The DCLD needed to battle that perception and shed light on its new reality.
SERVICES:
- Brand strategy
- Brand messaging
- Brand development
- Website design and development
- Collateral materials
CHALLENGE
DCLD needed a revamped brand that brought its new sense of energy to the forefront and attracted the next generation of patrons, while remaining appealing to its loyal supporters and easily recognizable as a library.
SOLUTION
Looking through a contemporary lens, we walked the fine line of infusing modern styling to tried-and-true library iconography, resulting in a logomark and supporting elements that helped revitalize DCLD’s brand.
LOGO DESIGN
With a mix of both sharp and rounded corners, this logomark is simultaneously bold and welcoming. The mark includes a subtle nod to a book, introducing imagery that aligns with a more traditional view of libraries. Its defining feature—an off-color square rotated 45 degrees and displayed prominently in the negative space—defies visual expectation and builds intrigue.
BRANDING MATERIALS
With an exciting new brand identity in tow, it was time to share it with the community. We developed a wide range of collateral to make sure the new face of DCLD would be widely visible. From vehicle wraps and tote bags, to business cards and stickers, there were an abundance of ways to meet this new branding out in the wild.
"Our experience with McCullough Creative to develop a new brand identity and to redesign our website was seamless, straightforward, and so worth it. Their proposals were all compelling and reflected the image and values we wanted for our brand. The McCullough team was responsive to our questions, suggestions, and feedback, and we're so pleased to have made this investment in our organization."
Amanda Sand
Library Director
Dubuque County Library District
WEBSITE REFRESH
Revamping the library district’s web presence was an essential part of the process, as well. We created a new website that was modern, approachable, and lively. The website offers built-in flexibility that allows the client to feature new events and highlight current, relevant statistics. And by incorporating more people-based photography, we helped show the human element of the DCLD and showcase how the organization promotes connection.
RESULTS
A big win. Dubuque County residents took notice of the new brand—and in turn, realized their local library system had evolved into something more vibrant than they may have realized. The project certainly turned heads in the advertising world as well. Our work with DCLD garnered multiple honors at the American Advertising Federation® Awards, including a Silver Addy for the overall branding campaign and the "Best of Show" award for the logo design.
