SELAH goes online

SELAH, Liberty University’s yearbook, recently received the Gold Crown Award from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, according to Jeff White from Promotional Publications at Liberty. It is the first time Liberty has received the prestigious award.

The award is given to publications in the academic arena for excellence in writing/editing, design, content, concept, photography, art and graphics.

In addition to this achievement, the yearbook has also found a creative solution to the growing discontinuation of yearbook programs in universities nationwide by making the yearbook available online. A print version will be available on demand.

The university partnered with Key Color Inc. (KCI) to produce an online version of the yearbook that will be free for all students at the end of the semester at lifepages.com. It will also be available to Liberty University alumni, according to Director of Marketing for University Publications in Promotional Publications Laura Sipple.

Because of the recent decline in yearbook programs, Liberty decided to conduct research to find out how other colleges kept their yearbook programs alive.

“The fall semester was spent evaluating what current universities and colleges are doing regarding yearbooks. Traditionally, the printed format of the past is no more and colleges are just completely eliminating their collegiate yearbook program,” Sipple said.

The solution was simple. Liberty decided to create an interactive online yearbook with a wide range of features including extra stories, videos, student portraits and user profiles.

Another distinguishing feature of the online version is the ability to view yearbooks from 1974 to the present.

“We can incorporate video, so if there are special plays from the football game, the basketball games, coffeehouse clips, you name it, it can be incorporated into this online yearbook. What’s also nice is there are social features where students can sign each other’s yearbooks digitally. You can also comment on pages and photos,” Sipple said.

The online yearbook is a convergence of traditional yearbook media in addition to the new capabilities of video and audio media.

“It’s not exactly like the original, but it is an alternative that integrates the social media aspect,” SELAH staff member Jacob Anspach said.

For those who still want a print version of the SELAH yearbook, Liberty will have yearbooks available for printing on demand.

“What Liberty decided to do was create 75 pages of core content that will include the happenings around the university, sports, team pictures, etc.,” Anspach said.

The core content will be both online and in the print-on-demand yearbooks.

“Everyone’s first 75 pages will look alike, then you have the option of adding an additional 10, 20, 30 or however many pages you wish to personalize. You can upload your photos from Facebook or any photos on your hard drive. You can have your personalized yearbook in addition to the core content,” Sipple said.

While the online version is free for all students, the print version price will vary based on the student’s customization but is an option for those who want a printed book.

“We’re trying to offer the students both a traditional alternative with the printed book and give an online version that is breaking into new technologies with video and social media aspects too. We feel that by combining both of these, it’s really giving students a great resource for the yearbook,” Sipple said.

For more information, check out the Facebook page at LibertyU Selah Yearbook or liberty.edu/yearbook. The Facebook page includes a Year in Review tab to see content from each graduating class.