Resources
Resources at Nebraska
Visual Communicators Network (VCN) Slack Channel
Ask your questions to the Visual Communicators Network community on our Slack channel, a community-based messaging platform. We help each other when someone has a question, share designs and inspiration, and more. Sign up with your @unl.edu email address.
Brand Guide
The Brand Guide is a comprehensive document oriented to printed communications, with reference to all other aspects of the Nebraska brand, including web/digital, social media, photography, video and much more. It's designed to assist in the process of implementing a simple, attractive and economical branding system that is flexible enough for campus units to retain individuality within the university brand.
Lockup Factory
Lockup Factory makes it easy to have an icon lockup created so your unit can align with and take full advantage of the university’s strong brand. An icon lockup combines the university's “Nebraska N" icon with text describing a university department or unit into one scalable image. This allows the text to be "locked in" to the correct position and size next to the "N" in order to keep design consistent across the university for our audiences. Lockup files can then be laid out in print materials, sent to merchandisers or used in websites. Lockup Factory generates images and vectors in RGB, Pantone, CMYK, and Black colors and includes all necessary file types and reversed versions for use on dark backgrounds.
Digital Photo Archive
The Digital Photo Archive is an online archive of photos that have been taken by University Communication since 2003. These photos are available for campus communicators and departments to review and purchase for web, print and other purposes. The photos are organized by date and tagged in specific categories, making it easy to sort and find photos that make sense for your desired need.
Printing, Copy and Mail Services
Print, Copy, Mail and Distribution Services is a full-service operation located at the north edge of City Campus in the Business Services Complex at 1700 Y Street. It provides a wide range of services from promotional material production and small, medium and large-scale printing to mail processing and mailing list management.
University Communication
University Communication offers a variety of services to assist visual communicators including graphic design, photography, videography, internet and interactive media.
Pixel Lab
The Pixel Lab provides posters and large format printing, mounting and lamination and a variety of other services to anyone on campus. It also provides other specialized services, including design and video production, to the College of Education and Human Sciences.
Web Developer Network
The Web Developer Network (WDN) is an open-invitation group of web developers working together to build the university's websites. The WDN operates by consensus, and a comprehensive list of standards has been created to achieve a consistent experience for users of Nebraska websites. The Style Book is the guiding document for the WDN Quality Assurance process. The overall direction of the WDN is led by an elected Governance Board. WDN resources are available to all interested parties, and your participation is welcome. Meetings are held on Second Tuesdays at 2:00 p.m. in the Nebraska Union.
Web Framework Style Book
The UNLedu Web Framework is a community property. Its core attributes are identity, consistency and learnability. In order to protect and extend those core attributes the Web Developer Network has developed this set of guidelines governing its use. The UNLedu Web Framework provides a foundation of code and functionality on which university websites and web applications are built. Adherence to these guidelines will ensure that sites remain upgradeable as the framework advances through major and minor revisions. Consistent use of the various elements of the UNLedu Web Framework is what allows the user to learn how to use unl.edu. Inconsistent use of the elements will cause frustration for site users, as their expectations, developed through experience using other web resources, go unrewarded on sites and pages that implement elements in an inconsistent way. User expectations are of primary importance in site usability, and consistency within and among university websites is what creates those expectations for users of our site.
External Resources
American Advertising Federation (AAF) Lincoln
AAF Lincoln is a local affiliate of the American Advertising Federation (AAF), a national organization of over 50,000 advertising professionals that was founded in 1967 to promote, protect and defend advertising interests. The AAF is the only national advertising association that brings together all segments of the industry.
American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA)
As the profession’s oldest and largest professional membership organization for design, AIGA advances design as a professional craft, strategic advantage and vital cultural force. From content that defines the global practice to events that connect and catalyze, AIGA works to enhance the value and deepen the impact of design across all disciplines on business, society, and our collective future.
Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE)
The Council for Advancement and Support of Education is a professional association serving educational institutions and the advancement professionals who work on their behalf in alumni relations, communications, development, marketing and allied areas. CASE helps its members build stronger relationships with their alumni and donors, raise funds for campus projects, produce recruitment materials, market their institutions to prospective students, diversify the profession, and foster public support of education.
University & College Designers Association (UCDA)
The University & College Designers Association (UCDA) inspires designers working in academia in North America and around the world by delivering relevant programming and benefits in a personal and thoughtful way. The organization provides for the professional and personal growth of its members, and advocates for designer and educators roles within their institution. UCDA works to elevate the importance of design overall.
University Photographers' Association of America UPAA
The UPAA is an international organization of college and university photographers dedicated to the application and practice of photography as it relates to higher education. UPAA is committed to photographic excellence through continuing education and networking with professional colleagues.