CCL unveils new logos to go with new location

A time-honored establishment in Colby is getting a new set of logos to represent its new location. The Colby Community Library, with help from several creative Colbyites, has designed two new logos for the library that has roots in both the past and the present.

These logos will be emblazoned on shirts and bookbags for those who support reading and the library, and will be on sale during Colby’s Cheese Days festival later this month.

“In May, the Friends of the CCL sponsored a logo contest for a new design,” CCL director Vicky Calmes said. “Thirty-one entries were submitted by patrons of all ages.” Calmes and Designer Advertising of Colby worked to narrow down the entries via suitability and ease of printing, and two designs were chosen.

Matt Oehmichen and Stacy Schnabel had the two winning designs, with both to be used for shirts and canvas bags.

Calmes says that selling shirts and canvas bags is nothing new for the CCL, and has been going on for years, but with COVID- 19 impacting institutions all across the state of Wisconsin, Calmes says the logos represent another way of raising funds for books, DVDs and educational programs the CCL runs year round.

“When COVID-19 shutdowns occurred, fundraising changed for many organizations, including the Friends, with events cancelled,” Calmes explained.

“When moving into the new building, art deco design shirts and bags were sold and have been a source of funds for the past three years. A financially successful shirt sale during COVID- 19 precautions showed that library supporters were willing to purchase apparel for a good cause.”

For Schnabel, the contest was the perfect opportunity to use her education and creativity for a good cause. A graduate of NTC in IT-Web Design, Schnabel also has a bachelor’s degree in web design and digital marketing.

“I actually submitted eight designs, but had a few more ideas in my head after the deadline,” she said. “My favorite logo that I created was not the one the library picked, but I really like the simplicity of the one that they did go with.”

Schnabel has spent the past eight years working in web design and internet marketing, and is currently the sales and marketing coordinator at Loos Machine & Automation. She says she understands the power of an effective logo.

“A logo has a major impact on how people will see your brand,” Schnabel says. “Something so simple as a font or color can really make or break a design. When designing a logo, I look for something that defines your brand identity. Next is finding some inspiration and deciding on the design style.”

Oehmichen took a different approach to his design, drawing inspiration from the past while wanting a modern look to show how libraries have changed throughout the decades.

With a library that can trace its origins back to 1879, the Colby Community Library has a rich history, and is one of the oldest libraries in the state, being in continuous use for 142 years.

In 1899, the library was reorganized and became the Colby Free Public Library, and an old memento from this time gave Oehmichen everything he needed to get the gears going.

“When I first heard about the competition, I saw an opportunity to . . . link back to the past whilst being in the present,” Oehmichen replied when reached for comment. “So one of the things I asked Vicky was ‘Do you have an original stamp from the Colby library? And Vicky had a whole drawer of them, so she dug through them and she had one that she said was one of the earliest ones.”

Oehmichen’s next step was to reach out to Savannah Guthrie, who specializes in creating logos and digital graphics.

“I sent her that stamp and said can you put a modern twist on this,” Matt said. “After several designs that’s what we came up. So it’s a nice blend between the past and the present.”

Calmes says that for anyone interested in wearing a piece of history and celebrating learning and reading, those designs are available for everyone to own and wear, and those funds will ensure that the CCL can continue its work for many more years to come.