Head Hunt :
An Online Library
Orientation Game
Fred Roecker
Instruction 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 and
encourage 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:
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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:
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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 Swamp
Use the Libraries’ Catalog to find books
Slay the Google Dragon
Use advanced features in
Google and Google Scholar
Solve the Library Maze
Explore 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 the
Perceptions Survey
 Respond to problems
during 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/
User Data – Fall 2007
Student players:
856 (937 overall)
Completed game:
509
Most views (games):
Most views (movies):
Rate Interest:
Games:
Movies:
[1 = Interesting
1,298 (Call Number)
831 (Director, Renovation)
7 = Not at all interesting]
2.91 (Jigsaw)
2.80 (Renovation)
3.51 (Call number)
3.51 (Director)
Perception Surveys Comparison
2006
Visited a Library ………...… 64%
Used online resource …..…
2007
71%
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%
Student Comments

“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 retrying
until 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.“
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 –
Use freeware and
in-house resources
Have fun!
repeat often
Useful Tools
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 = Free Software
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
Further Interest – Other Games
“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 - 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 Blog
bibliogaming.blogspot.com/
Shifted Librarian Blog
www.theshiftedlibrarian.com/
Gaming and Libraries Update
ALA TechSource Library Technology Report
www.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 Roecker
The Ohio State University Libraries
120N Mason Hall
250 West Woodruff
Columbus, OH 433210
(614) 292-5172
roecker.1@osu.edu