I just attended an online webinar presented by Tara Murray, Director of Information Services/Librarian for the American Philatelic Research Library, and hosted by SLA. The webinar was a great concise outline of poster construction and presentation, and Tara agreed to let me share the highlights with you. You can get more information from her blog at http://diylibrarian.org/archive/2012/04/10/posters/

I know this will come in handy for our upcoming poster at NJLA!

  • Read the instructions! Follow the directions for poster size and format.
  • Include your name on your poster- nobody wants to be anonymous.

Generally, your poster should include:

  • Title of your poster
  • Authors and affiliations
  • Contact information
  • Intro/abstract- check with instructions if required or not wanted
  • Methods, if a research study, or a description
  • Conclusion
  • References and acknowledgements (optional)

Other helpful info:

  • Posters can be created using Adobe Illustrator, or MS PowerPoint.
  • Your title font should be at least 1.5 inches, the rest of the text at least 24 pt font- readable from 3-4’ away. All caps are difficult to read, as are fancy fonts. Sans-serif is good for titles; serif fonts may be easier to read in the body.
  • Color is good for highlighting important points, but don’t go crazy. Contrast is important–don’t use light text on light background.
  • Leave space around your text. Posters are visual- use images.
  • Don’t laminate–it makes the poster heavy, and causes glare.
  • Carry your poster in a tube or carrying case, especially if flying.
  • Handouts are a good place for additional information that didn’t fit on the poster, and for contact information. They should remind people of your poster.
  • Read the instructions so you are prepared with mounting materials, and check to see if you have a table for handouts, and electricity for a laptop. On the day of your presentation, arrive early to set up. Stay near your poster to answer questions.

Thanks Tara and SLA!
~Laura Palumbo, co-webmaster