James Madison University
JMU Scholarly Commons
Libraries
Libraries & Educational Technologies
10-26-2012
Mystery at the Library: An Orientation Game for
JMU Engineering Students
Kelly Giles
James Madison University, [email protected]
Andrew Evans
James Madison University, [email protected]
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Part of the Library and Information Science Commons
Recommended Citation
Giles, K. & Evans, A. “Mystery at the Library: An Orientation Game for JMU Engineering Students.” Presented at the Virginia Library
Association Annual Conference. Williamsburg, VA. Oct. 26, 2012.
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Mystery at the Library
Kelly Giles, Applied Sciences Librarian
Andrew Evans, Library Assistant
Rose Library, James Madison University
An Orientation Game for JMU Engineering Students
`Goals
`Implementation
A mystery game was developed by the Applied
Sciences Librarian to help Engineering freshmen
become familiar with Rose Library and library tasks
Instructions and suspect profiles were provided to students via the Blackboard
group for Engineering 101. After finding the clues hidden in the library and
hacking into a RefWorks account belonging to the thief, players had the
that new users often find confusing. This game was
intended to be an engaging hands-on activity that
students could complete at their own pace.
information they needed to solve the mystery. To complete the game, players
answered a brief Blackboard quiz using information from the clues. This quiz
tracked participation so students could receive credit for the activity.
`Development
`Response
A rough version of the
mystery game was created
during the summer of 2010.
Development involved
deciding which library tasks
(e.g. finding the reference
section) to include in the
game, then creating the story.
Most respondents
recommended that
the game be used
again.
Staff at Rose went through the clues and provided
feedback leading to a more streamlined version of
the game, which debuted in the fall of 2010 as a
homework assignment for Engineering 101 students.
While the activity was largely successful, student
Name: Lucida Sans
Occupation: President, Nikola Tesla Fan Club
Favorite Author: Neal Stephenson
Research Interests:
Perpetual Motion Machines, Photography
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Yes, II recommend
recommend itit
Maybe,
Maybe,ififsome
somechanges
changesare
aremade
made
No,
do not
not recommend
recommend itit
No, II do
When asked to describe what they had learned from
the game, the most common answers were about the
layout of the library and how to find books.
Do you know how to perform the following tasks at [Rose Library] or online?
“It was pretty exciting looking
for [clues] around the library.”
100%
80%
70%
“It was fun!”
60%
50%
“I learned that all the librarians
are willing to help.”
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Get
Get an
an item
item that
that isis on
on
reserve
reservefor
foryour
yourclass
class
Find the book you want on Find
Find the
the reference
reference section
section
the
theshelves
shelvesininthe
thelibrary
library
(dictionaries &
encyclopedias)
Agree/ Strongly Agree (Before)
Get help from a library
worker worker
Look
books
Look
up up
a book
in in
thethe
JMU
JMUlibrary
librarycatalog
catalog
Log in to RefWorks
Agree/ Strongly Agree (After)
`Conclusion
The Mystery at the Library activity succeeded in
helping Engineering freshmen become more familiar
with Rose Library. Most students also reported
enjoying the game. Input from both students and
100%
90%
80%
70%
comments and the
observations of librarians
and desk staff helped identify
areas for improvement. The
instructions were revised and
a particularly cryptic clue was
replaced for the fall 2011
version of the game.
60%
increase was seen with the task that students felt most familiar with before the game, getting help from a library
worker. Reaction to the game was favorable. A majority of respondents agreed that it was fun and helpful.
90%
Engineering students. A series of clues dropped by
the thief would lead players through the library and
provide hints about the thief ’s plans.
70%
Online surveys were distributed to students before and after the fall 2011 mystery game activity. Of the 123 students
in the class, 55 completed the “before” survey and 58 completed the “after” survey. The “after” survey showed an
increase in student familiarity with each of the listed tasks. For most tasks, the change was dramatic. A modest
Name: Georgia Garamond
Occupation: Librarian, Miskatonic University
Favorite Author: Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Research Interests:
Astronomy, Russian History, Tunguska Event
The theft of a rare book – a fictional notebook that
belonged to real-life inventor Nikola Tesla – seemed
an appropriate crime for a library setting. Tesla was
selected as a historic figure likely to interest
One of the most
common suggestions
was to make the game
longer, with more
clues and more
exploration of the
library building.
Would you recommend
that this activity be used
with other classes?
desk staff was valuable in identifying areas for
60%
improvement in the game.
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
II had
had fun
fun with
with this
this activity
activity
I learned
the library
I learned
aboutabout
the library
from this
from this activity
activity
Agree/ Strongly Agree
feel more
comfortable
feel more
comfortable
asking
I feelImore
comfortable
usingusing
the library I feelI more
comfortable
asking
for help at
the library
nowI did before
for
at now
the library
now than
the help
library
than Inow
did before
Neither Agree nor Disagree
Disagree/ Strongly Disagree
The mystery game did require more planning and
preparation than a traditional scavenger hunt or
library tour. Further studies may include comparing
the effectiveness and popularity of the game to
other library orientation activities.