OTTAWA COUNTY

Harris-Elmore Library adopts new insignia; ‘Tree of knowledge’ tops contest

1/1/2013

ELMORE — Visitors at the Harris-Elmore Public Library will soon be seeing a new insignia, designed by one of the library’s users.

The new insignia, by Toni Sturniolo of Elmore, depicts a “tree of knowledge” with colorful books as leaves.

The design was the winner of a popular vote by library users in a contest sponsored by the library.

The previous insignia was the library’s name written in script.

“We wanted to perk up our letterhead and Web site a bit” as well as get the public involved through picking a winner in the design contest, said Amy Laity, library director.

Ms. Sturniolo described herself as a lifelong library user who since the birth of her 16-month-old son has increased the frequency of her visits. They attend story time and other library activities regularly, she said.

“It means the world to me to be able to take my son there,” she said.

The Harris-Elmore Public Library has two locations — the main library in Elmore and a branch in Genoa. The library serves Clay, Allen, and Harris Townships in Ottawa County. The library has more than 5,000 registered borrowers, and last year circulation was about 72,000 materials.

Ms. Sturniolo said she strove to design an insignia that would look good in color for display online or in black and white to keep printing costs down when the insignia is used on materials such as letters or envelopes.

“I think it was a clean, simple, easy-to-look-at design,” she said.

Her prize is a $100 gift card to Books-A-Million.