Library Décor Inspiration

Choosing how to decorate your library is more important than you may realize. The theme you choose will set the tone for the entire year. The posters and décor is the first thing anyone will notice when they enter the library. You want to create a warm and inviting atmosphere that feels welcoming to everyone. You also need to choose something that you like because you have to live with it the entire school year.

Printing Tips

Choosing a library theme is only half the battle. Next you have to print and laminate everything. Printing can definitely be a challenge, especially if you are not able to print color copies at school. If you are printing from home, having a good-quality color printer is a must. Just about everyone I know uses HP instant ink. Honestly, I do not use it myself. However I have never heard anything negative about the program. The program mails you an ink cartridge when your ink is low for a monthly fee. Each plan allows for a certain number of pages to printed per month. You can learn more about the program from their website.

You also want to invest in high quality paper. Bright white cardstock is a great option and you can pick it up anywhere. The colors will be brighter and the posters and décor will last much longer than if you used regular copy printer (even after laminating).

Lastly, you need to check your printer settings. This one can be tricky (at least for me). Not as bad as trying to print library barcodes (lining those up correctly can be a NIGHTMARE). Since every printer is different, here are a few tips to keep in mind. Look for your printer settings under properties from the print menu.

• Change the paper type to cardstock (if you are using a heavier paper)
• Check that the print quality is set to best
• Make sure these boxes are NOT checked (print in grayscale and save ink/toner)
• Look to see if you have an option to print borderless. Turn this on. This will allow the picture to take up the entire page

Want to enlarge the posters? Open the PDF file. Click file, print. Look for the page sizing and handling section on the print screen. Select poster. Look for the box that says cut marks. This will show you how the poster will be divided when you print and shows you where you will need to cut. Look for tile scale. Type in the percentage you would like your poster to be enlarged to. If you choose 150% the poster will be 11.5 inches by 15 inches. Play around with the settings to see what works best for you. Once you print, you will have several pieces to cut out and put together. Now you have a larger poster to display. Laminate and you’re done!

Choose Your Theme

Ready to start decorating? I have 8 different décor sets for you to choose from! Each set has landscape and portrait size pages, includes Dewey Decimal and other library themed posters and comes with many editable PowerPoint files so you can create your own posters while still keeping with the same look and design. Note: the forest theme does not include the word wall cards. There is an editable set of cards for you to make your own. That is the reason for the price difference.