The Cambria County Library recently completed a rebranding project that includes a family of library logos and the launch of a new system-wide website.
The website — still located at cclsys.org — acts as a digital library branch, with a mobile-friendly design that provides easier access to library information and online resources. New features include a searchable county-wide library events calendar, one-click access to a customer’s account from the local library’s homepage, dynamic news and book recommendation features, and additional ways to receive staff assistance.
“Our website development and rebranding project represents a concerted effort to offer modern features and services to our community,” said Ashley Flynn, Cambria County Library director and system administrator. “We are so proud of our completed site, which will be an ever-growing and developing resource designed to help connect our users with the exact resources they need. It reflects modern library services and showcases our commitment to meeting the current needs of our patrons.
“Our staff and member libraries have worked diligently to make this project a reality, and we cannot wait for you to see what we’ve accomplished!”
The redesign project began in March of 2019 with the goal of improving accessibility to the library’s vast amount of available information and resources. The library partnered with the creative team at +Public, a communications, research and design firm in Pittsburgh that specializes in rebranding.
As a certified Benefit Corporation, +Public focuses on projects with positive community benefit and impact. A grant from the Community Foundation for the Alleghenies also made the comprehensive rebranding and website design project possible.
All 14 members of the Cambria County Library System participated in the project. A website committee of interested library directors from across the county helped to create a wish list of website features and a general plan for approaching the navigation and design.
In addition, each local library within the system developed a unique website using a system-wide template to help illustrate their own offerings and services. The new site design also allows each library director to instantly update content at their local website. This comprehensive approach also improves the library’s community service efforts with features such as a county-wide digital resources page and events calendar.
Each member library was also invited to receive a new logo and brand design based on feedback from their direct community. This new branding reflects the traits and characteristics that community members already associate with each particular library, demonstrating another way in which each library is representative of the community it serves. The new brand identity and awareness should help each library provide consistent marketing to expand their reach and impact within their service areas.
The rebranding project was to be completed in the spring, but then the entire library system had to close because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The resulting increase in traffic to the library’s website for digital library cards, virtual programming and numerous online resources proved the community’s reliance on these services and the library’s need to overcome its website navigation and design hurdles.
Some areas and functions of the site are still a work in progress, but the website team is ironing out final details and functionality.