Blink ...

First impressions are important.  Whether it is a first impression of a new colleague, the trendy coffee shop everyone is talking about, or a blog you stumbled upon, you form an immediate opinion.  Granted, your opinion can morph and transform after your colleague tells a joke, you take your first sip of sumatra, or you read a poorly written post (fingers crossed this isn't one).  But that first impression typically influences future decisions you make about a person, place, or thing.

I had some fun creating the design of this blog in hopes to make a good first impression.  The warm browns and plums were carefully selected to set a welcoming tone.  I tried to avoid too much clutter and distraction and followed Garr Reynolds' advice to practice restraint in my design.  It is easy to continue adding more bells and whistles, but it takes much more strength to know when to stop.  I did my best to step on the brakes at the right moment.  The typeface I chose for the title and headings, Cherry Cream Soda, is a fun and relaxed sans-serif font that I believe reflects my personality.  It gives a professional appearance without seeming stiff.  Molengo, the sans-serif used for posts, is complementary and harmonious to the heading font.

Did you feel comfortable and welcomed upon your first visit to The Top Shelf Library?

I hope so.  This is also the kind of first impression I would like students, parents, and faculty to have when entering my library.  An immediate sense of comfort and welcome.  A feeling that they can't quite put their finger on, but know that this is a space they will want to return to again.  Perhaps students will feel inspired to linger a little bit longer in the fiction section to find a third book to add to their pile for checkout.  Or maybe a faculty member will decide to join the YA book club after seeing our comfortable furniture.  Even a parent may offer to volunteer help at a program after seeing his daughter's artwork hung on the wall.  I would like every person who enters my library to have a desire to return, thanks to the fabulous first (and every thereafter) impression they form.

For a great read on first impressions and snap judgements, I highly recommend Malcolm Gladwell's Blink.

Reynolds, G.  (2014).  Presentation zen design: A simple visual approach to presenting in today's world.  San Francisco, CA:  New Riders.