Feature Slide Image Design

Design & Accessibility

Before creating your slide image, be sure to review the Graphics guidelines on this page of the ALA Web Style Guide. Pay particular attention to the guidelines about text display against backgrounds.

Parts of a Slide

To successfully grab a viewer’s attention the viewer needs to:

  1. Recognize that the information is for them, and
  2. Understand what you want them to do with that information.

To do this, it is recommended that you include these three elements in your design:

  1. An engaging image,
  2. Clear headline (or logo), and
  3. Text specifying the what or the why.

Best practice example:

 best practice example of Annual Conference registration slide

If you would like graphic design help for your slide design please contact ProductionServices@ala.org for pricing and design timelines.

Another best practice example: 

another best practice of a feature slide

Instructions

Step 1: Create the Image

Image sizes:

467 x 174 pixels "Normal"
700 x 258 pixels "Large"

Please note that for the ALA homepage, your image must be 467 x 174 pixels.  Please submit your design in a lossless file format such as PSD, PNG or BMP.

Step 2: Create Copy for Alternate Text

Screen readers should be able to read, in detail, the contents of your image to a blind or low vision person who will not otherwise be able to understand what the picture is intended to communicate. Provide about 100 characters of text to describe your image (this is read out loud to visitors using screen readers). Note: Slides without alt text will not be installed.

Step 3: Link to the Relevant Highlighted Content

Since the entire feature slide is a link to your content page, include the URL to the page you want featured. (Make sure the page is created or updated, as appropriate.)

Include start and expiration dates with your request.

Step 4: Install the Slide OR Submit the Form

Once you have the slide prepared, install it on your micro site if you have rights. To request your slide display on the ALA homepage or on other unit's micro sites, submit the Homepage Feature Slide Submission Form.  ALA staff members should login to view and submit the form.