“Immersive virtual reality programming allows for stronger conversations,” says Sharon Whitfield, electronic resources & user access librarian at Rider University’s (N.J.) Franklin F. Moore Library. “These types of programs build empathy and can be used as mechanisms for meaningful dialogue and connection.”
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many academic libraries were faced with the challenge of supporting academic success while most students were off-campus and taking online classes. Many outreach librarians turned to virtual programming.
Pet Grams were developed as a way to reach out and connect virtually with patrons, no matter their location. The main outcome for Pet Grams is to share kindness and motivation during a stressful time in the semester, especially for students but also for other community members who may also need support.
Often, those of us who work in academic libraries (or maybe it’s ALL libraries) get asked the question of whether or not libraries are even a thing anymore.
For National Bookmobile Day 2017, my coworkers and I borrowed a cargo-bed golf cart from the university’s facilities department and converted it into a bookmobile. We decorated it with Hawaiian luau-themed party decorations and loaded the cargo bed with new books and DVDs.
We partnered with the university’s marketing department to announce the bookmobile’s campus route via Twitter. Over six hours, we made 12 stops on campus, rotating shifts with 11 library employees.
Mystery events are a fun and creative way to highlight library spaces and resources, as well as create interesting and memorable experiences for users.
While you can always invest in pre-made “Mystery in a Box” games or hunt down online kits, there is great enjoyment in designing your own custom mystery, for both the participants and the design team. It also allows you to incorporate the use of library resources and spaces in an educational and informative way (all under the guise of mystery-filled fun).
