Logo design and visual identity in academic libraries: An empirical study of Chinese university websites

In digital environments, university library websites have become key interfaces for academic service delivery and institutional representation. Within these interfaces, homepage logos function as relatively stable visual elements that play a foundational role in site identification and information differentiation. This study examined 947 university library websites in mainland China by systematically collecting their homepage logo images and applying an analytical framework based on graphic form, color quantity, and hue. Using descriptive quantitative analysis, the research investigated the visual configuration of library website logos and explored variations across regions and disciplinary categories. The results reveal a pronounced concentration in logo design characteristics: 81.9% of logos adopt circular forms, over 70% use monochromatic designs, and blue is the dominant hue. Disciplinary comparisons indicate that libraries affiliated with art-focused and agricultural/forestry universities exhibit greater diversity in both graphic structure and color quantity. Further analysis shows that only 191 libraries employ logos distinct from their parent universities' marks, while the majority closely align with university-level visual identity systems in both form and color choice. By providing an empirical, visually oriented account of structural variation in university library website logos, this study offers data-driven insights into how institutional visual identity manifests within library digital interfaces.