Saint Paul Public Library (SPPL) today unveiled a fresh new brand identity and corresponding awareness campaign, updating its previous decades-old design to better represent the continued evolution of SPPL and the many materials, programs, and services it offers Saint Paul residents. The new brand – which includes an updated logo, colors, fonts, patterns, images, and more – leads with bright, colorful, and joyful elements and is paired with an upbeat campaign to tell the story of the modern library that serves as a space of inclusive belonging for everyone. Explore the refreshed SPPL brand identity.
“More than anything, libraries today are places of connection – to information and resources, to new ideas and ways of thinking, and to each other,” said Saint Paul Public Library Director Maureen Hartman. “Our new brand and campaign materials beautifully reflect how SPPL adapts to the different ways people use, experience, and connect with the library. They capture the community's vision for libraries as spaces bringing people together in hope and unlocking new possibilities.”
Created by Twin Cities-based UNO Branding, a strategic multicultural creative branding and design agency, the refreshed SPPL brand identity draws from the Library’s mission to welcome all people to connect, learn, participate, and grow. It recognizes that SPPL means something different to everyone and reflects this through a vibrant color palette and pattern of geometric shapes to depict the many ways that people use the library.
To invite Saint Paul residents to discover their library and kick off the use of its new brand, SPPL is launching a corresponding “Ours” campaign. The campaign, which was created by Ambio Branding along with Slow Down Creative, features real library users, seeks to challenge assumptions about libraries, and highlights the many services and spaces SPPL has to offer. It emphasizes how SPPL creates library spaces where Saint Paul residents can be introduced to new and bold ideas, connect with neighbors across similarities and difference, and advance together as a community.
Funding for the creation of both the new branding and awareness campaign was provided by The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library (The Friends).
“For 80 years, The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library has enthusiastically supported SPPL, acting as a catalyst for libraries to inspire their communities,” said Beth Burns, president of The Friends. “We’re excited to see how this vibrant brand identity and campaign highlight each person’s unique, individual library experience. No matter how you use the library, it is both a place to make your own and one that is ours to share.”
The new brand identity was designed with accessibility, flexibility, and a sense of belonging in mind. The brand direction and awareness campaign are informed by community feedback from engagement, including community engagement over the past few years on other relevant SPPL concepts.
To stay tuned for campaign updates, subscribe to SPPL’s newsletter at sppl.org to stay informed about library events and programs.
