Graphic design at the University of Edinburgh: A legacy preserved

Bulletin of IT Services (BITs) Magazine header design

Graphic design has been an integral part of the University of Edinburgh for over 25 years, evolving significantly as a service during this time. Initially centralised in a single team known as Visual Resources, graphic design services gradually expanded across the University’s Colleges, Schools and support areas. One key area where graphic designers made a substantial impact was within the professional service team Media and Learning Technology Services (MALTS). This unit, which merged in 2005 with the Library, Edinburgh Computing Services (EUCS) and Management Information services (MIS) to form Information Services, embedded graphic design expertise supporting the delivery of both print and digital products.

The graphic designers within Information Services served the entire University community, contributing to communication, marketing, research and learning and teaching across various departments. Their creative skills encompassed illustration, animation, and digital/web design. The merger of the Graphic Design team in Information Services with the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine’s (CMVM) Learning Technology Graphic Design team in 2013 solidified the development of graphic design as a service within the University, but also further enriched this body of work bringing in specialist skills such as medical illustration.

Preserving a rich legacy

Box containing compact disks (CDs)

The archive of the Graphic Design team offers a fascinating glimpse into the evolution of graphic design within the University over the decades. Graphic design trends from design icons like Neville Brody, Jessica Walsh, David Carson and agencies such as Pentagram and Why Not Associates can be spotted within the design work as sources of inspiration. Alongside these influences, the archive highlights the unique illustrative styles of the individual graphic designers themselves who brought University content to life through their creative interpretations.

To ensure this rich legacy of work endures, the Graphic Design team collaborated with Digital Archivists Sara Thomson and Alice Austin within the Library’s Heritage Collections in 2023 to digitally preserve the design work that existed. Jasmine Patel was also employed as a Digital Preservation intern overseeing the immense task of curating the graphic design archive. Between 1999 and 2013, most projects were backed up on Compact Discs (CDs). Because the CDs were over 20 years old, the risk of data loss became an urgent concern, prompting immediate action to archive these files and secure the work of the Graphic Design team.

The role of graphic design in the Bulletin of IT Services (BITs) and the Learning Technology Supplement

One of the most historically significant achievements of the Graphic Design Service was its role in shaping the BITs publication and the Learning Technology Supplement — the latter produced by learning technologists within MALTS and the Learning Technology section of CMVM. These publications were far more than newsletters; they served as a dynamic canvas showcasing both technical and non-technical developments within Information Services, reflecting the innovative changes across the University.

As the University evolved, so did BITs. What began as a black-and-white, double-sided document (which we believe began around 1990) gradually transformed into a two-colour scheme publication before evolving into a full-colour magazine, characterised by a striking visual identity.

In its final iteration as a magazine, BITs was designed to align consistently with the University’s brand and other key publications, such as the Communications and Marketing Bulletin. A carefully chosen colour scheme from the University’s secondary colour palette helped differentiate sections of the magazine, making it easy for readers to navigate between news, features, people and events. Illustration became a vital tool in the magazine’s storytelling, linking the central theme of each issue and adding vibrancy to the content. The design didn’t just aim to communicate information; it brought stories to life, with a special focus on the people behind the scenes.

This emphasis on people is particularly evident in key issues, such as when the first editor-in-chief, Nick Stroud, reflected on his role in BITs and his retirement from Information Services. Other notable features included those involved in the Main Library redevelopment, the popular “60-Second Page,” and cover designs that emphasised community building.

Over the years, the Graphic Design team frequently received requests from internal staff, former employees, and alumni for specific articles and images from BITs. However, accessing these resources, stored on obsolete compact disks, became increasingly difficult. The collaboration with the archiving team aimed to address this challenge by making the design files from BITs and the Learning Technology Supplement accessible empowering the University community to independently source articles and bespoke imagery for themselves.

Jasmine’s internship

Jasmine opening a CD box.

Jasmine was able to trace back digital copies of BITs from 1994, even though she was only able to find print versions from 1999. Across two summer projects, she was able to catalogue over 100 CDs; however, there were a small portion of CDs that were unable to be read, most likely because of formatting problems. With input from the Graphic Design team, she pieced together the BITs catalogue and curated the online exhibition that went alongside this work which shares the story of the publication, highlights the crucial role graphic design played in its development and highlights the the digital preservation and archiving process.