METRO is seeking a design professional who will develop a visual identity and style guide for the Digital Culture of Metropolitan New York (DCMNY) collaborative repository environment. This work will include development of a logotype, color palette, and a digital and print usage and style guide that includes a selection of premade fonts.

To accomplish their work, the designer will lead an inclusive and participatory process by engaging the staff at METRO, and an advisory council composed of NYC professionals engaged in digital repository work.

Background

Digital Culture of Metropolitan New York (DCMNY) provides online access to digital collections of libraries, archives, museums and historical societies located in and around New York City. Participating institutions are located in the following counties of New York State: Bronx, Kings, New York, Queens, and Westchester. Through DCMNY, akin to a community garden, METRO endeavors to cultivate sustainable digital spacemaking, cultural heritage resource exchange, access to collections materials from a spectrum of diverse viewpoints, and research support for individuals seeking information and resources related to Metropolitan New York’s history and unique communities. 

The collections include photographs, maps, letters, postcards, manuscripts, scrapbooks, programs from events, catalogues, memorabilia and ephemera, and more. New collections are being added on an ongoing basis, and contributors are also adding new material to existing collections. The distinctive stewardship styles and descriptive practices of each contributing institution are respected in DCMNY, moving towards the longer term goal of a more equitable mixture of perspectives in online digital culture heritage spaces.  

DCMNY runs on the Archipelago platform, an open source digital repository system. The development of Archipelago is being supported by the METRO, alongside a community of professional partners and open source repositories enthusiasts.

The Metropolitan New York Library Council (METRO) serves as the institutional home of Archipelago, and also acts as a hosted service provider, trainer, and consultancy for institutions who need assistance getting started, customizing, or maintaining their repositories. METRO is one of nine regional library councils serving New York State. These library councils were chartered in New York State Education law almost 50 years ago, and have served libraries, archives, and museums (LAM) in myriad ways over this period. METRO’s immediate service region is New York City and Westchester County, but the audience taking advantage of Archipelago and our other services reaches across New York, across the country, and around the world. 

Timeline

December 15, 2022-January 31, 2022 

Deliverables 

• Logo and all related assets, e.g. logotype, icons, and other recommendations to insure a consistent identity 
• Color Guide
• Font Guide
• All assets in original format (editable) for a complete brand identity, as defined above and determined in subsequent process meetings 

Submit A Proposal

Thanks for your interest. Please submit your proposal to nhill@metro.org and alund@metro.org. Your proposal should be no longer than one page, and include a link to a portfolio and/or resume. Please include your rate as well as a proposed timeline for completion of the deliverables listed. 

Project Budget

7.5k, with 25% payment upon signing of contract and 75% upon completion of agreed scope of work.

Location

Remote

Application Deadline:

December 15th 2022

Submit specified application materials to alund@metro.org.