The MCW Libraries poster printing service is an internal resource for MCW faculty, staff, students and residents only. Non-academic posters may be printed on a case-by-case basis, but in all instances the submitter must have an employment or enrollment relationship with MCW.
Poster printing uses an online system named iLab. In order to request a poster, you have to create an account in iLab, then join a "Lab" - labs contain the information needed to pay for your poster. Many departments have created their own labs to pay for items. We also have a "Cash" lab, which allows you to pay for your completed poster with cash or check when you pick it up.
MCW Libraries expects that all poster files submitted have been proofread, approved, and are print-ready. If corrections or changes are needed, send the revised file to posterprinting@mcw.edu immediately. However, if the poster has already been printed, MCW Libraries will charge for reprints due to changes on the part of the submitter.
Follow the instructions below to register for iLab (Please note that there are two sets of instructions depending on your classification):
MCW Employees, PDF (anyone with an MCW Employee ID number)
External Customers, PDF (anyone without an MCW Employee ID number- Medical Students, Residents, Clinical Fellows, affiliate employees of Versiti, Children’s Wisconsin, Froedtert, and others) Please allow up to 24 hours to process your iLab account request.
For assistance creating an iLab account, contact ilab@mcw.edu.
Steps for joining a lab are detailed in the PDF instructions in section 2 above.
The preferred file format for posters is a PowerPoint slide (PPT or PPTX), but PDFs are also acceptable.
Pricing
Poster costs are set by the size of the poster. All media are the same price.
Templates
We have many preset sizes at the following prices. Click on the size you want to download a template.
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Custom sizing is also available.
MCW Logo images must be of high quality. Downloadable logos can be found on the Office of Communications InfoScope page. In addition, the templates listed below all contain high-quality logos for MCW, Children's Hospital, and Froedtert.
We have three kinds of media available. All three are the same cost, as our pricing is by poster size.
Plain – Like ordinary office paper, but about twice as thick.
Glossy – Has the appearance of a photograph print.
Fabric – A plastic sheet embossed with a cloth-like texture.
Creating A Poster in PowerPoint (PDF) is a guide to help you create a clear, easy to read poster.
Designing an Effective Poster Video gives further instruction in a detailed video.
I. Set an appropriate slide size for your poster
Be sure to check the size requirements for your poster when setting your slide dimension. PowerPoint has a limit of 56 inches, if you want a larger poster the most important thing is that your slide is proportional to the printed size. (We can scale up slides when printing.) For example, if you wanted a 36 x 48 or 42 x 56 poster, you can set your slide to those sizes. But if you wanted a 42 x 65 poster, you'd have to set the slide to a smaller, proportional size - usually one-half: 21 x 32.5.
II. Stay within the slide area.
PowerPoint will not print anything outside of the white area of the slide.
III. Have only one slide per poster file.
Having multiple versions of your poster or other slides filled with elements for pasting in the same file will result in multiple posters being printed and charged.
IV. Try to avoid using outdated templates.
An outdated template may cause unpredictable behavior when printing and may not be fixable, particularly if it's been passed between Mac and PC. Additionally, there are some templates that have been circulating for years, with bad logos, image compression, and other problems. We have a variety of templates available for download above.
V. Make sure image compression is turned off.
Image compression will reduce the resolution of smaller, simpler images - like logos - giving them a poor appearance. In PowerPoint turn off image compression by going to FILE > OPTIONS, select ADVANCED, then under "Image Size and Quality" select "Do Not Compress Images in File" check box.
VI. Do not recolor, distort, or apply effects to logos.
Logos define corporate identity, and while you may have permission to use one, you are never given permission to alter it. When you have a choice, use logo images that are higher resolution. A screen capture of a logo on a web page is very low resolution and should be avoided if possible. Our templates above have high-resolution copies of logos for MCW, CH, and Froedtert.
MCW Branding Guidelines and Logos
VII. If you use specialty fonts embed them into the file.
FILE > OPTIONS, select SAVE, then under "Preserve fidelity when sharing this presentation," select "Embed fonts in the file" check box.
Selecting Embed only the characters used in the presentation reduces the file size but limits editing of the file using the same font. Leaving that check box blank increases the file size, but is best for allowing others to edit the document and keep the same font.
VIII. Avoid large areas of dark colors, especially black.
Large areas of solid, dark colors are very prone to easily showing accidental bumps and scrapes.
IX. Discover Arrange, Align, Distribute, & Grouping
Learning to use the Alignment and Grouping tools will help you create a better-looking poster more easily. The Alignment and Grouping controls are in the DRAWING section of the HOME ribbon, in the ARRANGE drop-down.
This YouTube video demonstrates using these tools:
PowerPoint 2010: Arranging Objects
X. Three foot rule
When designing your poster, keep in mind that most people will be seeing it from three or more feet away. Scale your elements for easier viewing. Too small text or images may make you poster harder to read. This also means small errors or defects may not be noticeable by most people.
Our normal turnaround time for individual poster requests is two business days, for requests submitted before 4:00 pm. A one-day Expedited Service is available for an additional $15 charge.
You will receive a notification from iLab when your poster is ready to be picked up.
When paying through a departmental lab:
Completed posters may be picked up 24/7 in the self-service rack near the Todd Wehr Library Service Desk (third floor, HRC). An MCW ID badge is required to access to the Library before 9 am and after 5 pm.
When paying with cash or check:
Completed cash posters may be picked up and paid for at the Todd Wehr Library Service Desk (third floor HRC, 9 am-5 pm, M-F). Entrance is through the main front doors. Payment is by cash or check. The library is not able to accept other forms of payment at this time.
Help with account creation and billing issues is available through ilab@mcw.edu
Help with your poster file or questions about printing can be directed to posterprinting@mcw.edu
MCW Libraries
8701 Watertown Plank Road
Milwaukee, WI 53226
(414) 955-8302