Library

Synonyms / Other Terms Used

Rental Library, Lending Library

Category

Public Facilities, Services, General Services

Message / Function

Indicates the location of a facility where the public can borrow books

	Source	Description
	Québec	Five books in a row inside building with gable roof in outline
	CNIS	Open book inside building similar to greek temple
	Emotion Group	Three blocks of vertical lines, side view of seated human figure with open publication
	Schiphol	Side view of seated human figure with open publication, bookshelf above
	Picto'grafics	Side view of seated human figure holding publication
	Ota	Side view of seated human figure holding open publication
	U.S. Highway Signs	Side view of seated human figure holding open publication
	ÖBB H	Top of human figure behind open publication
	CHBA	Face partially covered by open publication
	BK 1013	Filled circle above polygon (open publication)
	U.S. National Park Service	Top of front view of human figure holding open publication, horizontal line below
	ISO 7001	Outline of three books together. Seated human figure with the outline of an open publication
	SVI	Six books plus open book in front
	TC	Five books plus open book in front
1)	ÖNORM A 3011	Three books together plus open book in front
2)	ON Testdesign	Standing book plus open book in front
	Aicher & Krampen	Sixteen books in two rows
	Catalunya	Five books standing together closely
	ON Testdesign	Four books together
3)	ON Testdesign	Three books together
	BS 8501:2002	Outline of three books together
	Kapitzki	Outline of three books together
	ULB	Stack of three books
	Dreyfuss	Book
	SIS	Book with cover slightly opened
	Avanti PUM	Open book, asymmetric rendering of pages
	La Clusaz	Open book, pages in outline
	DER	Open book
	Dreyfuss	Open book
	Castilla y León	Open book, pages in outline
	Bolivia	Open book with text indicated as horizontal lines

Discussion

In the selection above also symbols for Reading Room as well as Book Store or Book Stall were included, as in all cases there is no clear distinction between lending and selling. A pictogram almost identical to the variant labeled SIS showing a book with its cover slightly opened is also used for the referent Literary Landmark and can be found in the collection of the British Tourist Authority from 1989.

In our research we discovered that test results available for this referent cover only five of the variants presented above:

One set from an Appropriateness Ranking Tests conducted in Austria (Brugger, 1982) where just four variants were tested, non with a human figure reading a publication. In this study variants combining books standing with an open publication in front were judged as more appropriate than just books together in a row.

The three designs in the table above marked with 1) to 3) were then examined in a Comprehension Test. All reached more than 70 % correct responses. Whithout judging Reading Room as correct, the variant marked 2) with just a single standing book and an open book in front performed less well as it elicited 58 % correct responses only.

When Fiori (2008) examined a map symbol similar to the version labled DER, only 51.0 % of the responses were classified as correct. 40.2 % of the participants just named what they saw and therefore gave answers like Book, Magazine, or Journal.

Recommendations

Library

Based on test results available we recommend the use of a pictogram similar to No 86 of ÖNORM A 3011 part 4 to signify Library.

Further studies based on a wider range of pictogram variants are recommended to clarify this subject and support or correct this recommendation. These should include a Comprehension Test with several pictograms for Library. Detailed information about the most frequent responses given in each of the response categories should be provided to correctly judge comprehensibility and improve designs.

Tests of pictograms of referent Library

Brugger, Ch. (1982): Reihungstest für die Begriffe Bibliothek, Buffet, Kindergarten, Kinderskischule. Report to the Austrian Standards Institute (ON) dated 12/82, Vienna.

Brugger, Ch. (1983): Abschlußbericht über den Verständnistest. Report to the Austrian Standards Institute (ON) dated May 1983, Vienna.

Fiori, S. R. (2008): Mapas para o turismo e a interatividade - proposta teórica e prática. Tese de Doutorado - Depto. de Geografia, FFLCH-USP.