Many librarians face the same dilemma: the number of students we seek to interact with outstrips the hours librarians have to work with students. While maintaining our roots through course-integrated library instruction sessions, we grew our capacity through play, gamification, and game-based learning as ways to encourage students to spend their own time learning about library skills and spaces. We will share three examples of gamified library instruction that successfully augmented traditional library instruction sessions, and we will discuss the challenges of gaining buy-in from the academic support community, partnerships with design courses to leverage student time for play testing, and piloting and promoting the activities.
Laura Barrett, Dartmouth University, co-created this presentation.Participants will:
- Examine play as an alternative path to teaching basic library skills (aside from the traditional instruction session)
- Explore place-based possibilities for incorporating play at their institutions, tied to local lore, traditions, and opportunities.
