Do you know the way to the Century College computer lab?

When the Century College library relocated on the college's East Campus in 2009, movers schlepped the books, audiovisual material and computers across the street. But they left the sign behind. Two years after the move, the sign was still on the door of the library's former space on the West Campus.

During two years of extensive remodeling, several academic and administrative departments relocated to other parts of the school's main building or, like the library, to other parts of the campus. In the moves, some signs identifying the departments were lost, while others never had them. That made it hard for students, faculty members and visitors to find their way around and many got lost, said Mike Bruner, vice president of student services and campus facilities.

In an effort to make the campus at 3300 Century Av. N. more user-friendly, the two-year school is updating its signs and installing video kiosks to help people find their way around.

"We had people show up on the West Campus when their meeting was on the East Campus," Bruner said. "We need to do a wholesale upgrade of signage across campus so people and visitors know where they are going and make it easy to find their final destination."

Although they won't be installed in time for the fall term, which begins Monday, more than 50 new signs will go up over the next few weeks on the interiors and exteriors of buildings. Among them are signs to help people distinguish the West Campus, on the White Bear Lake side of Century Avenue, from the East Campus on the Mahtomedi side of Century Avenue.

Other outdoor signs will identify everything from main entrances to parking lots and athletic fields. Signs indoors will direct people to commonly sought-after locations such as the admissions office, auditorium, computer lab and library.

The school also will install kiosks with video-touch screens that visitors can use to find their way. And the college will redesign its large electronic sign on Century Avenue near the main entry to the campus.

The new signs are the result of a collaborative process. A committee identified things "that would make it easier for the public when they come on campus." Then Century hired the Minneapolis architectural firm HGA for the sign program. The college is spending more than $183,900 on the signs, which will feature the school's logo. Bruner said it is money well-spent.

"This was a long time coming," Bruner said. "With so many upgrades to campus, we needed to have new signage."