Communication Resources

In 2003, we began offering a non-profit poster printing service for affiliates of Vanderbilt's biomedical sciences graduate programs. Our low cost, fast turnaround time, and convenient location quickly made us a popular printing service. We now find that it is not unusual for us to print dozens of posters in the days before large scientific meetings. To avoid disappointment, submit posters for printing at least two business days before they are required, and we strongly suggest you allow additional time before large conferences. Our printing service has been top-rated because of its low cost and convenient location, and we need to implement this policy to continue printing posters in a timely fashion. As always, posters print on a first-come, first-served basis, and faculty can submit the sign in their finalized form according to the Technical Specifications.

Contact Information:

Karen H. Perry, Printing Project Coordinator
Vanderbilt Basic Sciences Poster Printing Core
307 Light Hall
Nashville, TN 37232-0301
Phone: 615-322-3835
karen.perry@vanderbilt.edu

• Where are you located?
  • The Vanderbilt Basic Science Poster Printing Core is at 307 Light Hall.

• How much does it cost?
  • See Pricing & Payment.

• Do you sell poster tubes?
  • We do sell poster tubes at our new location at 307 Light Hall. The price for our poster tubes is (36)" $2.21 or ( 42″) $2.54 is $. We also provide rubber bands.

• Why do I have to review my poster before you print it?
  • What you see on your monitor is not always what you get when the poster is printed. Following our Technical specifications, Advice & Tips will minimize problems, but we still prefer that you review your poster as it looks on our monitor and grant final approval.

• What if there is an error when the poster is printed?
  • Follow our Technical Specifications Advice & Tips to minimize errors. If you do not follow our specifications and advice and there is a problem with the print, you will be charged the total price for the errant poster.

• Do I need an appointment to drop off my poster?
  • Appointments are not required; your poster is uploaded to dropbox.

• What is the turnaround time for printing?
  • Posters need to be submitted for printing at least two business days before they are required, and we strongly suggest you allow additional time (2-4 days) before large conferences.

To create a poster in PowerPoint, first determine the final size of your poster. Find out if the meeting you are attending has any size guidelines or restrictions. The size you choose should follow conference guidelines and be an appropriate size for your data. The maximum dimension that PowerPoint allows for height and width is 56 inches. If it is longer, you'll need to work at half size, and we'll double when we print. In addition, our paper roll is 42" wide, so although your poster can be up to 56" long (PowerPoint's maximum, the width must be 42"or less).

• Poster Setup Guide for creating with Microsoft PowerPoint 2007 and 2010 for PC.
• Poster Setup Guide for creating with Microsoft Power 2008 and 2011 for Mac.

If you have created slides using PowerPoint, you will find that it isn't challenging to create a poster. However, what you see on the monitor is not always what you get when the sign is printed on the poster printer. We have compiled this list of tips to help you avoid common mistakes that lead to printing errors. Please use these guidelines when creating your poster. If this is the first time you're using PowerPoint to make a poster, browse our Set-Up Guide for additional information.

• All posters should be submitted two business days in advance of pick-up time. Before large scientific meetings, we suggest that you allow additional time.
• Add a 1-1.5″ border of white space on all sides of your poster to accommodate variations in printing.
• Use standard fonts like Arial or Times New Roman; other fonts may not print correctly.
• Type all special characters (e.g., Greek/mathematical symbols)directly in PowerPoint rather than copying and pasting them from another document. We have found that special characters pasted into PowerPoint tend to print incorrectly even though the character displays correctly on the monitor. Insert special characters by clicking Insert >> Symbol >> [texture].
• Make sure that text boxes are on the page. Even if the text appears on the page, the text box may extend beyond the edge and cause the reader to shift when printed. See figure.

SETTING UP A NEW USER ACCOUNT

• If you already have an iLab account, you do not need to sign up for a new one. Please check with your PI, Lab Manager, or Department Manager to make sure you have access to the necessary billing/cost center numbers.
• If you do not have an iLab account, please follow VUMC Core's instructions to register for one. After registering, your account will need to be approved. This will take 24-48 hours. Upon account request approval, please follow the instructions below.

ACCESSING VBS POSTER PRINTING CORE

***DO NOT submit a PO request. Your Department Manager must assign center numbers to your (VU) Lab and give you access to the center number.***

In iLab, you must use a (VU) Lab to place an order with BRET Poster Printing Services. If you do not have a (VU) Lab, please email coresvu@vanderbilt.edu with the following information to create one:

• Name
• VUnet ID
• Email Address
• Lab/Department Name
• PI Name
• PI Email Address

(Lab/Department Name(s) and Department Number(s): this should include any department that the PI has center numbers under.)

Note: If the PI does not have an existing lab group, the user should select the AAA Default (VUMC) Lab.

PLACING YOUR POSTER ORDER

Once you have an iLab account and a (VU) Lab:

• Log in to iLab
• Click on the three bars in the top left corner of the screen
• Go to "Core Facilities"
• Select "Vanderbilt BRET Poster Printing Core"
• Click on "initiate request ->" at the bottom of the screen
• Type in the person's name for whom you'd like to create a request
• Select your (VU) Lab
• Click "-> proceed"
• Complete, save, and submit the request form with the correct billing/cost center number

If you have any questions or concerns, please email karen.perry@vanderbilt.edu or call 615-322-3835.

We support both the PC and Mac platforms. A poster can be created with the following software applications PowerPoint, PDF, Illustrator, and Publisher. The payments and poster requests are made through the iLab Organizer.

See Pricing & Payment.

a) The text boxes on your poster should not overlap.

b) The information on your poster should not go beyond the top, bottom, or outside margins to allow for variations in printing.

• Please use standard fonts like Arial or Times. Using non-standard fonts or special characters could lead to missing characters after printing.
• Create a new blank PowerPoint layout presentation.
• Click on View Tab.
• Turn on gridlines to help line up your figures and text boxes. This will display horizontal and vertical lines on the blank presentation.
• Note:   See Advice & Tips for additional information on creating posters that print successfully.

The printing coordinator processes poster requests and payments through iLab. After setting up your account, you can request your poster. Use the following website, the software used by Core Facilities, for requests and payment for services rendered.