Head Hunt :An Online Library Orientation Game

Fred RoeckerInstruction Librarian

roecker.1@osu.edu

LOEX of the West Conference

June 6, 2008

Presentation Overview

Background of Ohio State and Libraries

Development of game

Demo

Data collected

Tips for creating a game

Questions

Background - 2006

Over 6,000 new OSU freshmen arrive on campus each fall

Summer orientation offered by the Office of First Year Experience (FYE)

No Library orientation

currently included

Goals – FYE Office

Provide orientation to the Libraries, resources, and services

Offer to all new students before first day of classes

Alleviate fears andencourage usage

Available for families

Project Design Team

Three Instruction Office librarians – design and content

Graduate Student – assessment / programming

Student – programming

On- and Off-Campus

Consultants

Funding

Paul P. Fidler Research grant (Unsuccessful)(National Resource Center for the First-Year Experience and Students in Transition)

Administrative support

Existing personnel

Freeware

To-Do List

Survey students about library use/preferences

Explore different content/delivery methods

Discuss issues with experts

Conduct usability tests

Distribute to students Summer 2007

Assess impact on student perceptions

Student Perceptions/Use Survey

500 students from all colleges

Survey conducted four weeks into Fall 2006

Questions: Had intro to Libraries? Visited a library? Used resources? Comfort level? More info desired? Need orientation CD?

Survey Results – Library Use

After four weeks at Ohio State –

29% - had received a library introduction

60% - had visited an Ohio State University library

Student Comments – Did not know what library resources were

available

Had difficulty finding what they need

Survey Results – Orientation CD

Orientation CD should include:

Locations of libraries Map to show which library

is closest to their dorm Short movies Digital stories Interactive games and puzzles

**May not be interested in using this CD**

Design Team’s First Thoughts

Goal:

provide basic information about the OSU

Libraries in an engaging format to inspire student use.

Objectives:

users should learn

about resources

(catalog, databases,

advanced Google).

First Version – The Four Quests

Conquering the Book SwampUse the Libraries’ Catalog to find books

Slay the Google DragonUse advanced features in Google and Google Scholar

Solve the Library MazeExplore the OSU Libraries

Beseech the Articles Wizard Use a database to find articles

On Second Thought …

Quests: too much like an “assignment.”

Casual Games: more fun;

focus on a positive,

interesting orientation

Production Challenges

Format ?

Incentives ?

Usability ?

User tracking ?

Project evaluation ?

Decision 1 - Campus Game Board

Decision 2 - Casual Games

ClickZone

Close to Dorms

Database Match

LC Call Number Order

Library Superstars

Libwords

Multiple Guess

Way / No Way

Decision 3 - Short Movies

Renovation Slide Show

Cartoon Research Library

Libstories

Director’s Welcome

Learning Commons

Decision 4 - Testing / Evaluation

Usability testing (prototype)

Stress test (faculty and staff)

Comment form (within game)

Re-administer thePerceptions Survey

Respond to problemsduring game

Decision 5 - Incentives

Barnes and Nobel gift certificates

iTunes cards

iPod

Movie Tickets

(for survey)

The Game (It’s about time!)

A Demo of the game

library.osu.edu/sites/fye/

Student players: 856 (937 overall)

Completed game: 509

Most views (games): 1,298 (Call Number)

Most views (movies): 831 (Director, Renovation)

Rate Interest: [1 = Interesting 7 = Not at all interesting]

Games: 2.91 (Jigsaw) 3.51 (Call number)

Movies: 2.80 (Renovation) 3.51 (Director)

User Data – Fall 2007

Perception Surveys Comparison

2006 2007

Visited a Library ………...… 64% 71%

Used online resource …..… 29% 42%

Libraries are not conveniently

located ………………..… 49% 38%

Libraries too imposing ……… 22% 19%

I don’t know what resources

are available …………...… 48% 41%

I’m not confident using

Library resources ……..… 26% 32%

“I learned that you need to return your book if someone requested it. Otherwise you have to pay $10.”

“You learned all of the information when you played the game. The nice thing was that you had to keep retryinguntil you got the right answer to make sure you knew!”

“Before the game I did not realize how useful the resources of the libraries will be and how many resources are available online without a need to go to the nearest location.”

“Wow, good job. I admit that I probably wouldn’t have explored all the libraries on my own. I would’ve just gone to the library closest to me. But with this game, I feel like I have a better idea of how to take advantage of what OSU libraries have to offer.“

Student Comments

Next Steps

Update OSU Libraries’ information

Add new games / movies

Dorms / colleges competition

Publicize earlier in summer

Want to Build Your Own Game?

Assemble small, compatible, enthusiastic design team

Know your goals and budget

Design, consult, test, refine – repeat often

Use freeware and

in-house resources

Have fun!

Useful Tools

Captivate/Flash Google Map API HotPotatoes 6 jQuery 1.1.2 PHP LoginSystem

by Jpmaster77 Thickbox 3 Toolman DHTML XML/SWF Charts Zoho Project Manager

= Free Software

“Library Skills Game” – Bardonia Elementary School www.ccsd.edu/bardonia/LearningGames/LibrarySkills/

“Quarantined” – Arizona State University library.west.asu.edu/game/quarantined/login.cfm

“Library Arcade” – Carnegie Mellon www.library.cmu.edu/Libraries/etc/index.html

“The Goodhue Codex” – Los Angeles Public Library www.lapl.org/ya/game/

“Cirticon, Library Defender” – Orange County Pub. Library www.ocls.info/citricon/default.asp?bhcp=1

“Defense of Hidgeon” – University of Michigan www.youtube.com/watch?v=u76tW-ne-yY

Further Interest – Other Games

Further Interest - Books

Everything Bad Is Good for You: How Today's Popular Culture Is Actually Making Us Smarter

- Stephen Johnson

Got Game? How the Gamer Generation Is Reshaping Business Forever

- John C. Beck and Mtchell Wade

A Theory of Fun for Game Design- Ralph Koster

Understanding Digital Games- Jason Rutter and Jo Bryce

Further Interest – Misc.

Bibliographic Gaming Blogbibliogaming.blogspot.com/

Shifted Librarian Blogwww.theshiftedlibrarian.com/

Gaming and Libraries Update ALA TechSource Library Technology Reportwww.techsource.ala.org/ltr/gaming-and-libraries-update.html

Gaming, Learning, and Libraries Symposium(ALA TechSource – Chicago, November 2-4, 2008)

gaming.techsource.ala.org/index.php/Main_Page

Thanks for coming! Questions?

Fred RoeckerThe Ohio State University Libraries

120N Mason Hall

250 West Woodruff

Columbus, OH 433210

(614) 292-5172

roecker.1@osu.edu