How we use on-campus digital signage

On-campus digital signage (AKA the "plasma screens") is used to communicate timely information to our campus community.

• During the COVID-19 pandemic, the primary purpose of these screens is to share important information meant to ensure the health and safety of our students, faculty, and staff.
• In addition to this vital information, the screens can also be used to display notices of events, opportunities, resources, and policies relevant to our on-campus community. 

Digital signage governance

Information Technology manages all of the technical aspects of digital signage, including maintaining and replacing screens. The Office of Communications is responsible for creating original content and approving submitted content on all of the screens in public areas of the campus. The Office of Communications manages some screens in cooperation with specific offices or departments. In some cases, the Office of Communications and IT may agree to allow an office to manage a screen independently.

Communications-managed screens

The Office of Communications manages all content on the screens in the following locations:

• FXB Entrance
• Kresge Atrium
• Kresge G Level (technically 2 screens using 1 box)
• Kresge Outside 110
• OPS FXB Basement

Cooperatively-managed screens

The Office of Communications posts important School-wide information to the screens in the locations listed below. A partnering office (see parentheses) may post additional content that is relevant to a specific audience. The partnering office is responsible for ensuring the accuracy and appropriateness of any and all content that they post to the screens.

• 90 Smith 4^th Floor (Communications/IT - Test Screen)
• 401 Park 3 East (Operations)
• 401 Park 4 West (Operations)
• B2 451 Biostats (Department of Biostatistics)
• HSPH-IT (Information Technology)
• Kresge 110 (Office of the Dean/IT)

Independently-managed screens

The content on the screens in the locations listed below are managed by a designated office. That office is responsible for ensuring the accuracy and appropriateness of any and all content posted to the screens.

• Ariadne Labs (3 screens, managed by Ariadne Labs)

Submitting content for display

Use the Office of Communications Digital Promotion Request Form to submit content for display on Communications-managed and cooperatively-managed screens.

Requirements:

• Communications has provided a PowerPoint template that allows you to create attractive, School-branded slides for the digital screens. Download here: 2021_HSPH_PlasmaScreens_Template.potx
• All images must be 1920x1080 pixels and 72 dpi.
  • Note: These are the default settings when exporting a JPG from the template below
• The submitter is responsible for checking spelling and grammar 

Template instructions

Please read all of the instructions below to ensure your content will display appropriately on the digital screens.

Inserting images over placeholders

Note: Images will be placed into the place holder you have selected. If no place holder is selected it will be placed in the order the place holders appear on the slides.

Option 1: Click

1. Click the picture icon in the center of the image place holder.
2. Your device will prompt you to select an image from your files.
3. Once selected click “insert”
4. The image will appear in the place holder.
5. To crop or re-size image right click and select “crop.”

Option 2: Drag & Drop

1. Select the image placeholder you would like your image to appear in.
2. Drag desired image from your device onto the PowerPoint screen.
3. If an image is already in the placeholder you must delete it first in order to replace it with a new image.
4. To crop or re-size image right click and select “crop.”

How to make a custom URL

1. To create short URLs that are easy to read, visit http://hsph.me/.
2. Log in using your HarvardKey.
3. Copy and paste the link to your event website into the top field.
4. Click "submit" to generate the new URL.

Requesting a new digital screen

• Requests for maintenance or replacement of an existing screen should be directed to IT Media Services: mediaservices@hsph.harvard.edu.
• Requests for a new screen should be directed to Communications: digitalcomms@hsph.harvard.edu. Please include the following information:
  • Office requesting a screen
  • Location of the desired screen
  • Does the requesting office want to display Communications-managed content, its own original content, or both?
  • If the office is planning to post its own original content, please describe that content.