READ posters

What are they?

READ posters are an ALA product that are posted in libraries across the county. A visit to the American Library Association store website may jog your memory. Aurora Public Library in Colorado has been doing posters with local leaders for some time. Some basic guidelines for photos can be found at the Nebraska Library Commission website. See the bottom of this page for information about copyright restrictions that all libraries need to understand.

ALA also has produced software that allows local libraries to create their own posters with local celebrities and leaders. Many South Carolina public libraries have this software, including Florence, Greenville, Union, Fairfield, and Calhoun. The SC State Library also has this software.

You can take a look at sample SC READ posters to get creative juices flowing! Other tips, instructions, and lessons learned will be posted as they are received.

The logistics of getting posters made is the most challenging aspect of PLAD this year. We need a coordinated, serious effort on the part of every library to:

1. Coordinate among counties to contact local legislators. Explain campaign and ask them to identify a book they would like to hold in the photograph.

2. Get all photos that you can ASAP (with book, according to pose, format, and resolution instructions). Send photos to Ray McBride by January 2nd.

3. To help us manage the logisitics and help where appropriate, please note when photos are taken and sent, if a legislator requests to sit for an onsite photo at the State House, or if a legislator declines to have a photo taken, on this READ Posters - Progress Report page.

4. Inform Kristen of legislators that you have not been able to contact or meet to get a picture by December 31. Amy and Kristen will attempt to get photos taken at the State House in early January.

Copyright Issues

Use of the ALA READ software is subject to their license agreement, which limits the use of a disc to one person on one computer at any given time. Here are some Legal FAQs to look at based on questions that the ALA has received. I asked for clarification from the ALA about whether it is acceptable to provide legislators with a finished image in digital format and was assured that this is not a violation of the copyright agreement.