It’s a Mystery!: Effective Library Orientation Activities with Learning Objectives
Type of Presentation
Individual paper/presentation (20 minute presentation)
Target Audience
Higher Education
Location
Room 217
Abstract
What is the best way to introduce students to the library’s many resources and physical layout without boring them to tears? At Valdosta State University’s Odum Library, we use a library mystery activity that is designed to encourage students to work together, explore the library, and use its resources. Students follow a trail of clues, each related to a specific learning objective. The library mystery is fun to conduct and participate in, and receives very positive feedback from students and professors.
Library mysteries are active learning activities that are effective orientation tools for first-year and at-risk students. In the past, library mysteries were used for general orientations and fun promotional events. Library mysteries can be used to effectively teach basic information literacy principles if learning objectives are clearly defined and applied. We have worked with professors to identify learning outcomes and objectives, and designed a mystery based on those objectives and outcomes. This presentation will cover the development of library mysteries at Odum, our work with professors to design a mystery based on learning objectives, the implementation of the mystery, the lessons we learned, and our future plans. It will also address suggested methods for developing your library mystery program from beginning (who to target) to finish (running the mystery and assessing).
Presentation Description
What is the best way to introduce students to the library’s many resources and physical layout without boring them to tears? At Valdosta State University’s Odum Library, we use a library mystery activity that is designed to encourage students to work together, explore the library, and use its resources. This presentation will cover the development of library mysteries at Odum, our work with professors to design a mystery based on learning objectives, the implementation of the mystery, the lessons we learned, and our future plans.
Keywords
library instruction, mystery, at-risk students, first-year experience, orientation, tours, information literacy, effective means
Publication Type and Release Option
Presentation (Open Access)
Recommended Citation
Holt, Michael and Wright, Laura, "It’s a Mystery!: Effective Library Orientation Activities with Learning Objectives" (2014). Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy. 37.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/gaintlit/2014/2014/37
It’s a Mystery!: Effective Library Orientation Activities with Learning Objectives
Room 217
What is the best way to introduce students to the library’s many resources and physical layout without boring them to tears? At Valdosta State University’s Odum Library, we use a library mystery activity that is designed to encourage students to work together, explore the library, and use its resources. Students follow a trail of clues, each related to a specific learning objective. The library mystery is fun to conduct and participate in, and receives very positive feedback from students and professors.
Library mysteries are active learning activities that are effective orientation tools for first-year and at-risk students. In the past, library mysteries were used for general orientations and fun promotional events. Library mysteries can be used to effectively teach basic information literacy principles if learning objectives are clearly defined and applied. We have worked with professors to identify learning outcomes and objectives, and designed a mystery based on those objectives and outcomes. This presentation will cover the development of library mysteries at Odum, our work with professors to design a mystery based on learning objectives, the implementation of the mystery, the lessons we learned, and our future plans. It will also address suggested methods for developing your library mystery program from beginning (who to target) to finish (running the mystery and assessing).
