Here’s a quick tutorial on checking out and downloading an audio book. Reading this will save you several hours!

Step 1

Download the Overdrive media Console app on your phone
This application is free on the app store and connects to your library account. It’s used to download, manage and play any media you choose to check-out. Once you download the app, add the Calgary Public Library to your list of libraries. It should be noted that you cannot use media from the library in any other way – just through Overdrive.

During use of this application you will find that it often displays chapter information erroneously, for example, you’ll often encounter books with multiple chapters 2s or 3s. It can also not be counted on to properly display the length of a chapter you are listening to. You may never learn to truly love Overdrive. I’m sorry in advance.

Step 2

Login to the Library website on your phone and open the website on your computer
Despite the fact that you will be checking out the media on your mobile device, finding the book you want to listen to is best done on a larger screen with a keyboard and mouse. But, before you do anything, make sure you are logged in on your phone. This will save time later in this process.

Step 3

Search Wisely
The Library website has some misleading navigation options. Don’t click on “e-library” this takes you to a list of some online resources that do not include downloadable items. Also, don’t use the regular catalogue to search for audio books – it returns results that are too varied. Instead, click here. This takes you to the advanced search tool for the good stuff. This section of the website is more difficult to find and doesn’t share the same navigational menu as the other parts of the website. Bookmark it.

I often find that the books I am interested in are not available because they are checked out. With this being the case, you have to decide whether you want to listen to a book now or later. If you want a book now, check the box “Only show titles with copies available”. If you want a book later or are just browsing for something to put on hold, leave this box un-checked.

Step 4

Find the Right Type of Audio
Overdrive Media Console for the iphone will only allow you to play MP3 audio books for sure. WMV files – maybe, maybe not*. These are the two types of audio books the library offers. As of February 2012, the library has a selection of 3,072 MP3 audio books. You can browse all compatible books by selecting “Overdrive MP3 audiobook” from the format dropdown menu and press “search”. Alternatively, you can add the title or author of the book you are looking for into the corresponding search fields and search for MP3 books this way too. You will know you have found a compatible book by the icons that are displayed in the search results. If the MP3 icon is bright, you can use it on your iphone.

* Confusion surrounds the topic of compatible audio files. It seems like if you have a windows formatted iphone you may be able to play MWV files. If you have a mac formatted iphone you cannot. You may want to experiment with this.

Step 5

Send the Link to Yourself
When you have finished your book research, copy the URL of the book you want to listen to and send it to an e-mail account you have access to on your iphone. Open the message on your phone, click the link and this will take you to the item in Safari. Because you are already logged in just click on “add to cart” and complete the check-out procedure. Done!

Enjoy your audio book! Any other tips or tricks about using the Library website or Overdrive, add ‘em in the comments.

By using the powerful knowledge of an experienced graphic designer we’ll analyze several leading candidate’s campaigns to reveal the true intentions of each potential mayor. By analyzing their advertising for subtle nuances and repressed themes, the discoveries made in this post will not only give you clear picture of each candidate’s personal motivation but save you hours of mind-numbing research.

It should be noted that this post does not reflect any views or opinions of the blog owner nor has this technique been approved for actual voting purposes – although it may be one day. This post is also not a commentary on a candidate’s prior behaviour or personal character. With that cleared up, let’s jump right in.

Ric McIver:

Campaign breakdown: This is a campaign for the ages – all the ages. The conservative and traditional nature of the red, white and blue signage would feel equally at home in any era. The Arial Black choice for the main typeface makes no attempt to be anything other than a solid and trustworthy partner of the boring check mark – an exhausted excuse for election imagery. The photography used in the campaign is unremarkable, utilitarian and lacks any hint of creative flair. A strong design correlation between this campaign and a typical North American vehicle dealer is expressed strongly in his signs, website and posters. Ironically, his campaign headquarters is a vacant Chevrolet dealership on the corner of Glenmore and Mcleod.

Future Predictions: By analyzing the the design of this campaign it is clear that Mr. Mciver has clear intentions of moving Calgary along a linear path of low risk, low return trajectory that may not differ much from the ideals that guided mayors since the invention of civic government. In four years, Calgary will be very similar administratively, satisfying to most residents, and a tad less stylish.

Barb Higgins:

Campaign Breakdown: For semi long term residents, it gets difficult to remember whether Barb Higgin’s advertising is for a mayoral election or a nightly newscast. The crisp, clear imagery is classic Higgins, it’s well designed, bright and convincing. Myriad is a modern font choice with deep roots and is used effectively in all situations. The light blue is calming and reassuring, the dark blue is strong and solid. Overall, the aesthetics are pleasing to the eye but her signage does not offer much in terms of useful information.

Future Predictions: It’s clear from the campaign design that Barb Higgins will improve the way Calgary is perceived by residents and visitors alike. The glossy, professional nature of the campaign reveals that perhaps Ms. Higgins may look the part and be able to the talk the talk, but when it comes to getting involved in the day to day, she may be hesitant to roll her sleeves up. If Higgins is elected, we may see a future Calgary that presents well but may have deeper issues that do not see resolution.

Wayne Stewart:

Campaign Breakdown: This campaign may just be the most intriguing of them all. The design is an awkward hodge-podge of unrelated elements that somehow serve to give the campaign a memorable look. How is this possible? Let’s break it down. Using stacked text is a common format for film posters. Add the word “Wayne” from Wayne’s World, the Wal-Mart corporate colours and font (Helvetica Black) and you’ve got yourself something familiar. Despite the familiarity, the campaign sends mixed messages about focus and speaks to a poorly hashed out platform without a sense of priority. From the layout of his signs, it’s also quite apparent that Mr. Stewart may be distanced from social media and is not comfortable with technology.

Future Predictions: If Calgary becomes Wayne’s World, there may be some question of the priorities the new mayor has. He may gather information from multiple sources and remix it for a new perspective on the way Calgary politics usually looks. His campaign speaks to a certain level of versatility but a scattered and priority-less style of leadership. At the end of his four year term he may have started a number of projects that have not been completed.

Naheed Nenshi:

Campaign Breakdown: Nenshi’s campaign is new. Scary and new. Not that scary really, maybe just for the older folks. The use of purple is brave, daring and used without regard for tradition. Most signs advertise texting as a method of communication which is unheard of in most local voting circles. It promotes texting-while-driving – which is generally regarded as a dangerous practice. The use of the purple to black gradient and the arms-crossed posture is a strong sign of hidden things lurking beneath the surface. Whether these mysteries are good or bad discoveries is obviously yet to be determined. Remember to be aware of this as you cast your ballot.

Future Predictions: If Mr. Nenshi becomes the favourable choice of Calgarians, this Mayor will be in the media with greater frequency than the current mayor. We may be surprised by and interested in decisions that are made. The way council conducts business is not something that will not continue in its current form. There will be a general uproar among older citizens. And don’t forget the mysteries that lie beneath – they will make themselves apparent during his term.

Considering voting for Joe Connelly, Bob Hawksworth, Jon Lord, Craig Burrows? Find out what their campaigns say about them in part 2 of this exciting series. Coming soon!

Update: It seems as a part two to this series, although half written, is not necessary after the majority of the other candidates have decided to throw in the towel.

The new brand is cursive wordmark that aspires to embody a concept described by the tagline, “freedom to create, spirit to achieve.” According to the brand’s official website, AlbertaBrand.com, the identity development process was a 5 month long procedure with a budget of $4 million dollars. This budget was allocated towards the establishment of an advisory panel and focus groups consisting of normal citizens like you and me, oh and graphic design was in there somewhere too.

Let’s take a quick tour of the options that became runner’s up:

The Albertan may have proved unpopular due to it’s mixed messages. It’s certainly not clear what it’s trying to say. It’s very formal and corporate in it’s approach as well.

This version of the logo is very current in the way it uses gradients, just add a little shine and it would pass as a fancy new web 2.0 start-up.

The lowercase square treatment could make this version of the logo the corporate image of any North American technology company. The use of the period in the “t” is such an uninspiring concept and copied from an abundance of non inspirational sources. This could possibly be the weakest of choice in the set.

Meet the rainbow option. Symbolic of Alberta’s Leprechaun pioneers. That may or may not be true, but it would be very difficult to stand by a decision to appoint this logo for the cost of printing alone. It’s difficult to know what the designers were getting at here.

The Conclusion

Overall, the new brand for Alberta seems adequate. It doesn’t amaze and it certainly does not show off in any way. It’s disappointing that more inspiration wasn’t not shown in very many of the choices, there is no attempt at double meaning or any specific geographic mirroring. Ironically, the creation process of this identity, judging from the results, seemed linear and static, with very little motivation to come up with something new. Even orange was recycled and repackaged from the license plates. Perhaps at best, we’ve put a new suit on our old logo, which had much of the same reserved and bland personality the new one has. The lack of inspiration seems ironic considering we are looking to represent “freedom to create, spirit to achieve” to the world.

The Justification?

Sometimes, being a graphic designer and a normal citizen, I can’t help wondering what an invoice for this project would look like and how it would be itemized. If one graphic designer was hired for this project, the government would be paying him or her $50,000 per hour based on a 40 hour work week. If a team of 10 people worked on this project, for forty hours per week, for 5 months straight, tax-payers would be looking at an hourly rate of $5,000 per hour.

If you ask me, this final product does not deserve that kind of financing. The value of graphic design is not based on who the customer is, or what the final outcome is being used for. It’s based primarily on the time it takes to produce a result and the demand for this service. The concept of getting what you pay for in the design industry has very low ceiling and yet the cost of branding and identity development seems to be driven by the insecurity of clients to feel as though their logo must be very expensive to be good. Fueled by the greed of marketing professionals who are happy to propagate these sentiments through excessive fees, makes affording a graphic designer very difficult and trusting one even less plausible.

Do you have any thoughts on the industry or the logo? We’d like to hear them.

I’ve been to Marble Slab a handful of times, and each time, the lines were long and the menu boards incoherent. Perhaps the Houston based franchise has a more educated following in the United States, but as an average ice cream cone eater in Calgary, I remain baffled each time I go. To appreciate the issues here it’s important to understand the basic premise of the store which is to select basic flavours of ice cream and choose “mixins” such as popular chocolate bars, gummy bears, cookie dough, or chocolate chips, etc. Once you’ve selected your customized concoction, it’s mixed together for you on some kind of small marble slab by a competent staff member.

From a design perspective, there are several flaws that serve to slow down product delivery time, create long lines, confuse customers, frustrate graphic designers and provide the opportunity for Marble Slab to lose potential revenue when people fail to understand the premise or are discouraged by the wait.

Confusing Store Presentation
Firstly, the store is presented in such fashion that leads you to believe that this is a standard ice cream store where you line up to look at the flavours and select based on what they have that day. I find myself waiting in line, frustrated that the people in front of me are preventing me from making an informed flavour decision. Instead of presenting basic, common and consistent ice cream in glass cabinets, why not use this space along the glass to help customers understand the ordering process? For example, Step one, choose a flavour, step two, choose your mixins, step three choose a cone. It might also help to have a sign outside the store, clearly stating that making your own ice cream flavour is the reason you are lining up. This concept needs to be spelled out in order to speed up the decision making process and reduce line up times. At the location I was at in Market Mall, there were signs all over the place advertising cakes, quarts, and bonus offers. This certainly doesn’t help with basic customer comprehension or streamlining the purchasing process.

Mysterious Menu Board
The menu board at Marble Slab is a modern wonder of confusion. Chock full of text, devoid of photos and blocked by ice cream cones, cameras and shelving. Every time I’ve ordered, I’ve paid without question because I had no idea what I had ordered or how much it cost. There are so many types of waffle cones to choose from, some chocolate dipped, others vanilla or cinnamon. Even now, having a photo for reference, I cannot calculate the price of a typical ice cream cone. To remedy this problem, step one: remove obstructions from the customer’s view of the menu board. Step two: simplify. Depicting choices with photography is the easiest way to convey a concept. Make sample concoctions easily available closer to the front of the store, and define the ordering process here as well. Perhaps it might be a wise idea to have a separate menu board to outline other products like cake, pie, and milkshakes. Ice cream cones, because of the complexity of the ordering process should be front and centre. Step three: list the mixins! Incredibly, there is no mention of these on the menu board.

Purposeful Advertising
I’ve received coupons for Marble Slab at various events which was the reason I went for ice cream the first time. Strangely enough, the main message in any advertising I’ve seen is “the freshest ice cream earth”. It’s baffling to me why Marble Slab does not make it more clear their mission of providing customized ice cream solutions. Fresh ice cream seems gimmicky and absurd. We are talking about frozen food here after all. The opportunity to separate ones self from the competition by advertising what makes Marble Slab different has so many appealing benefits, it’s simply strange they haven’t chosen this marketing route in such a customizable world.

Ice cream is fun and easy to eat and perhaps mixed with some practical design sense, it won’t have to be so hard to order.

When I hear the word catalogue, I think of two things: Sears and libraries. Both are notably old-school institutions, and don’t bring to mind spunk, hipness and vigour. Calgary-raised stock photography & typography supplier Veer has pretty much changed all that.

Since 2002, Veer has been hawking their wares via a mail-out booklet. It showcases Veer’s products and ideas: photos, illustrations and fonts you can buy from their website. Beyond that, it delivers montages, layouts and concepts that are so blisteringly unique that it can’t help but inspire.

This summer’s catalogue is a handbook full of games, called “The Amazing Summer Activity Book for Creatives and their Pals.” It’s stuffed with over 100 pages of games, puzzles and riddles you can play in your spare time. Each game incorporates Veer’s photos and fonts, and details are provided in the margins or footers about how to buy the elements featured.

Admittedly, the whole catalogue is unfairly tantalizing for designers. Veer doesn’t really have any limitations placed on their catalogue. Unlike the rest of us whose brochures and pamphlet need to be well-married with content and function, Veer’s only mandate is to be cool. While some folks might presume that’s an easy mandate to fulfill, at least Veer does it very, very well.

If you’d like to be inspired further, you can download the Summer Activity book, browse old Veer catalogues, shop for stock elements, and check out Veer’s blog The Skinny right here.

(Did you just see that, Veer? We didn’t even get paid to do that.)

No Frills
Our first subject for discussion is the matter of The Real Canadian Superstore’s low-cost alternative called “No Frills”. You’ll find this supermarket in most small towns where people don’t seem to mind shopping at oddly named grocery stores. You’ll also find that this newly launched brand looks remarkably similar to Oh Henry! chocolate bars. We are unsure whether this was caused by a marketing team with a sweet tooth or just a meaningless coincidence.

Koodo Mobile
As No Frills is to The Real Canadian Superstore, so Koodo Mobile is to Telus. Koodo is Telus’ cellulite busting low-cost cellular carrier who’s ads have been all over the mainstream media for the last few months and certainly deserve mention for their 80′s style fitness routines and outrageous spandex-clad models. Koodo was introduced to compete with Solo Mobile, Bell’s low cost alternative, and Fido from Rogers. The ads are fairly clever and attractive to a hip, young audience who appreciates nonsense and irreverence. Perhaps the most un-nerving aspect of this recent campaign is the offer to eliminate the system access fee as if it’s never been needed while at the same time, Telus customers still have to pay this outrageous $7 charge on a monthly basis. It’s the same gall-darn company for goodness sake! Something should be done about this.

Wealthstreet’s New Offices
Switching gears, we’d like to bring to your attention the bizarre new offices for Wealthstreet, a Calgary based investment organization. This multi-coloured, Eastern influenced building is entirely out of context as you arrive to discuss your mutual funds. This is until you realize that its previous occupant was an overpriced Oriental restaurant. Although it seems a wise investment to purchase prime commercial space on MacLeod Trail for the future, conducting business in such a strange setting may discourage some potential clients from taking Wealthstreet seriously. Some work on their non-uniform corporate identity may also be advantageous to the future of their marketing plans as it seems to appear differently online and in real life. Just some food for thought if you don’t mind the pun.

Live at Luna
While we’re on the subject of architectural choices, the beltline is a certainly the place to be for residential real estate opportunities. Luna is a new building scheduled for completion construction this summer. If the advertising is any indication, this building will be intelligently designed. Currently, the billboard promoting the site is nicely designed with simplistic elements, excellent rendered artwork, and a well chosen domain name that’s easy to remember. To top it all off, the moon in the billboard has been created by cutting out the wood to reveal an illuminated panel that makes the moon/logo light up at night. Nice touch.

2008 Stampede Advertising
This post would not be complete if we failed to mention this year’s Stampede advertising. Above is one billboard in series of people ripping off their shirts to reveal true western spirit underneath. Consider it mentioned and have a happy Stampede!

Heritage Park has recently come to the conclusion that perhaps the past is no longer relevant. Please don’t be alarmed. This new philosophy is only being adopted in their approach to branding and primarily presents itself to Calgarians in the form of a modernized logo.

Your friends at Elbowruminations feel this logo is certainly a step forward in time from the previous logo which was a gigantic “H” accompanied by an equally large axe. Although the previous iteration could be successfully classified as either charming and retro in an rustic, distinctively pioneery way or alternatively exceptionally cheesy in nature, the new logo has many things going for it.

The first advantage of the new logo is in the pragmatic details that was bestowed upon it by the team responsible for its design. The simplistic one colour design is an efficient and thrifty method of keeping printing costs down. This colour scheme is also a pairing that evokes the kind of patriotism required for an institution that seeks to celebrate provincial and national history on a daily basis. Secondly, Another detail that is certainly a welcome innovation is the addition of “Historical Village” as a part of the logo. This is a great way to communicate to tourists, and locals alike, what they can expect to find at Hertiage Park. It may be safe to say that there has always been a lingering question mark in the minds of most people as to what this venue could be classified as. Is it an outdoor museum? An antique amusement park? No! It’s a Historical Village. It’s a great relief to have this matter resolved. The new tagline: “How the West was Once” is also quite a clever play on words and is easily understood.

In terms of the overall image achieved by the logo, our only concern is regarding the wispy nature of the lines used to create the look. The old-timey feeling certainly exists with the intelligent usage of the locomotive. The well kearned, variable letter sizes, with a solid, historical type-face is nice touch. Perhaps it just seems that the smoke surrounding the text is more of a feeble attempt to fill space rather than an aggressive, purposeful technique used to evoke the power and prestige of the old-west, anything is possible, pioneer spirit. This however, is a minor issue when the other positive points are considered.

One last thought is regarding the awkward shape of the logo. It may be difficult to apply properly in situations where seamless integration is required and could be well suited to be applied as in a more cohesive crest-like format rather than in the format of a traditional logo. It would work in an embroidery application and would be well suited to uniforms and shirts.

All in all, the new logo seems to be adjusting nicely to a time far different from what you would typically expect to find at a Historical Village like Heritage Park. Let’s hope the future continues to be friendly.

The first item the viewer encounters is the creative (nay, ingenious!) twist of typography usage: words like “family,” “health” and “travel” are spelled out with numbers and symbols, employed backwards, upside-down and sideways. Each word is presented upon a blank field of warm colour, and the fine print is tucked away tidily in the white-and-blue swoops that are part of RBC’s consistent branding efforts.

Each ad is accompanied by a concise and simple message summing it all up: “Talk to an advisor about making your RRSP contribution this year,” it might read. Or perhaps: “Our advisors look for what’s important to you, so they can help you create a plan that fits. Speak to an advisor today.” By coupling a creative visual with a straightforward message, the ad has a very high chance of sticking in the viewer’s mind, and even being followed up on.

Each element in this ad speaks “non-intimidating.” It’s refreshing to see a non-traditional colour pallete employed: dimmer shades of summertime colours end up feeling warm, but not obnoxious. With the creative display of numerals and symbols, the ad can almost serve as a recruiting ad for RBC, suggesting that this bank values people who like to play with numbers.

All in all, the simple message, accessible design and creative presentation manages to get viewers into a good mood about money again. Suddenly, instead of numbers spelling out your doom, they’re spelling out words you care about. The ads serve as a reminder that whatever plans you’re making with your finances, it’s important to be working towards your values and dreams, not just wealth accumulation.

Perhaps something they are not well known for is graphic design. Recently, however this all changed as a hungry representative of Elbowruminations had the opportunity to visit Swiss Chalet accompanied by the token grandmother who stubbornly refuses to eat anything not made of chicken. Upon being seated it was immediately apparent that the menus where not only new but they were very well designed! Perhaps the most creative approach to restaurant menus seen in quite some time.

This menu was more like a food based fairy tale detailing the experience you were about to have rather than a linear inventory of available items. The front and back of the menu was printed with a brickwork similar to what you might find on a classic rotisserie oven. It opened out-wards, like double doors, revealing removable current specials on inside panel – a practical solution that serves to highlight what customers should see first. The size of the menu was also unusual, being a square shape rather than a traditional tall rectangle.

The interior pages of the menu were comprised of classic, simple text treatment and a clean, open layout. A straight, square, two column layout made reading about eating easy. The lack of clutter and consistent style sheet – red titles and black descriptions on a white background – was quick to navigate.

The photography chosen for this menu was bright, powerful, and plentiful. Every odd page contained a full page photo that was not only relevant to the food listed next to it, but it was also complementary in colour. The careful planning of each detailed shot exposed the food’s flavour to its fullest visual potential and told a tale of texture and taste in each crisp pixel.

From the non-traditional format of this menu, to the great photography, and the elegant layout, Swiss Chalet has created a perfect sales pitch that could intrigue even the most fickle eater enough to find himself with a fork in his fist. We give it five stars. The food was pretty good too.

Neat is not a word you hear frequently as a term of endearment these days. Perhaps “neat” is not even something your parents would choose to use in an effort to describe something favourable in nature. In fact, according to the good folks at Merriam-Webster, the word “neat” dates back to the year 1649. Why is it being used as a centerpiece of an advertising campaign in 2008? That’s a good question.

It seems there are a lot of questions you could ask about this advertisement designed for the Calgary Public Library. For example, why choose black and blue as the palette for the ad? This colour combination carries negative connotations, primarily the bruised and battered feeling of placing a distant second in a two person punching contest. It’s not bright enough to attract the attention of a busy motorist rushing home to dinner, and it certainly does not give the impression that your local library is a vibrant centre of modern culture.

Furthermore, there are a variety of questions that also need to be asked about the design execution in this advertisement. The first inquiry being why so many fonts were used. Typically, as a graphic designer, you should attempt to keep your font choices to a minimum. Perhaps two fonts should suffice in most situations – a serif and a sans serif. In this case, at least four fonts are used in addition to bold, italics, and a hand written signature at the bottom. That’s too many.

The construction of the ad is also problematic. There is no flow in the layout. Your eyes are required to sweep the entire ad to gather information you’ll need to comprehend the message, and by that time it may be too late, especially in a car. A good graphic designer will engineer information in a way that gives your eyes a chance to see what needs to be seen one element at a time in order of importance. With the Calgary Public Library logo balanced precariously near the centre and everything else thrown in wherever it fits, efficient visual navigation is difficult.

From the archaic and non-relevant terminology, to the poor layout, and the dull colour scheme, this advertisement is a few letters short of a bad first novel and it’s unfortunate. Our library system deserves a better image. It’s a great resource that the majority of people ignore for the preconceived notion that it’s a bland, beaten down institution frequented by people who think books are “neat”. Now where would they get that idea from?