MHLS - Youth - Detailed Bookmark Instructions

Create Your Own Bookmark
Detailed Instructions

These directions were created by using the standard menu in a Word document. There are many ways to execute an individual command in Word as well as shortcut menus that make the process much faster. If you are used to using these shortcuts please continue to do so. The outcome will be the same.

Page Setup | Adding Columns | Entering Data | Formatting (including font and sizing tips)
Clip Art (inserting, formatting) | Finishing Up | Two-Sided Bookmarks

Page Setup
Open a new document and go to File and choose Page Setup open the tab for Paper Size and under Orientation choose Landscape. Click OK.

Columns
Go to Format and choose Columns. Under Presets select Three and make sure under Apply to: the phrase "Whole Document" is chosen. Click OK.
- For a slimmer bookmark choose four columns or for a wider bookmark choose two columns.

Each column is a separate bookmark. You will be working only in the first column when you create and format your bookmark. The other two columns will be a copy of the first. This way you can print three bookmarks on one page.

Entering Data
Insert your booklist, author list or title with author beginning in the first column. If you want a space in between each title do that now. If you want to group together a title and author with a space in between each, do that now. Just put in all of the data, as you want it to look on the bookmark. Do not worry about formatting yet we will deal with font size and style in the next section. Do not worry if the data starts to wrap around to the next column, we will also address that in the next section.

Formatting
Font
Once the data has been entered highlight the entire document. Click and drag with your mouse or go to Edit and choose Select All (or use the shortcut Ctrl +A). Go to Format and choose Font. Select the font you want from the drop down, including style (regular, bold, italic) and size. Click OK when you have chosen all three.
-When choosing a font size and style remember that all of these items have to fit in the first column and if you want to add clip art (we will talk about this later) make sure there will be room for that as well. This process is about trial and error. It may take a few attempts before you decide on what you like and what will work.

Sizing Tips
If you have everything the way you want it but you still can't fit it all into one column, there are ways to manipulate the document so you have more space to work with.

You can decrease or increase the margins to make the bookmark smaller or larger instead of using the preset tabs.
Go to File and choose Page Setup open the tab for Margins. Under Top, Bottom, Left and Right, increase the size to make the bookmark smaller or decrease the size to make the bookmark bigger. Click OK when finished.
- When you change these areas the column size will stay the same but you will have more room to work within the column.
- For even distribution make sure to increase or decrease the Top and Bottom and the Left and Right in equal increments.

If you have spaces in between each title you can decrease the size of these spaces without changing the font size for the entire document. This will give you a little more room to work with.

Place the cursor in the space between two entries (start at the top). Go to Format and choose Font. Under Size select something that is at least 2 points smaller than what you are currently using. If the font is set to 14 change it to 12 for a slight difference or 10 for a more noticeable difference. Click OK.
- Unfortunately you will have to change the font size for each space individually. If you try to highlight the entire document you will simply change the font size for the entire document.

Once you have formatted the document to your liking (make sure that all of your data is only in the first column), you are ready to add clipart.

Inserting Clip Art
If you have not already downloaded the images that you want to use click here to learn how. If you already have the images in a folder ready to use follow the directions below.

Place your cursor in the location that you would like the image. Choose Insert on the toolbar and select picture (from file). A dialogue box will appear. Use the drop down menu to locate the folder that has your pictures in it. Once open select the image you want and click Insert.

Formatting Clip Art
Don't Panic! Everything will have moved but it is only temporary. You are ready to format your image. Make sure the image is selected. There will be a box around the image. Go to Format and Choose Picture and select the tab for Layout. Choose behind text and click OK.

You will now be able to move and size your image.
To size the image click and drag the boxes at the corners, top or bottom by placing the cursor on one and then click and drag with your mouse. To avoid distorting the image keep the Ctrl key depressed while you click and drag to the desired size.

If you want to move the image make sure the cursor has four arrows instead of the regular single arrow. Now you can move the whole object to the desired location.
Repeat steps as necessary to add more clip art to your document.

Once you have sized your image your document should go back to its original state. Make sure that the image does not cover any text and that you are still only using the first column. If this is the case, you are done.

Finishing Up
Now, highlight the entire column and go to Edit and choose Copy. Place your cursor at the top of the second column, and then go to Edit and choose Paste. Repeat these steps for the third column. Save the completed document. Print and cut. You know have three one-sided bookmarks.

Two-Sided Bookmarks
If you want to make a two-sided bookmark create a new document using the above instructions and make the back of the bookmark. Create the double-sided document by running the two documents you have created (front and back) through a copier. You now have three double-sided bookmarks that just need to be cut.