Putting the Puzzle Together

Creating a Library Orientation Escape Room for University Freshmen

Authors

  • Kelly Giles James Madison University
  • Brian Sullivan James Madison University

Abstract

At James Madison University, many first-year students enroll in a general education course that requires them to participate in campus events. James Madison University Libraries offers special information literacy sessions as part of this program, but developing an engaging session that is not tied to a research assignment or academic major can be challenging. A team of librarians and staff collaborated on creating an escape room that would teach freshmen about James Madison University Libraries spaces, collections, and services. In this case study, we describe the development process from identifying learning objectives through playtesting to the successful implementation of the escape room as a library orientation activity. We discuss some principles of good escape room design taken from the literature as well as observations and lessons learned from our experiences. 

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Published

2023-04-19 — Updated on 2023-05-20

Versions

Issue

Vol. 13 No. 1 (2023)

Section

Articles

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