Getting students interested in new library databases and procedures is like catching a Golden Snitch-- or at least that may have been the thought running through the creative minds at University of Maryland College Park.
They reimagined the library's resources in the magic-infused world of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series, letting students reserve the "Room of Requirement" to learn about group study room reservations, creating a replica of the "Monster Book of Monsters" for students to check out through interlibrary loan, finding images of the campus mascot in the digital archives, and so on. Students were challenged to complete all these activities through an interactive Wizarding Tournament, with clues launched on Snapchat.
<p>Judges loved how this entry took a calculated risk to be truly innovative, using elements of gamification to make a procedural and every day topic (Dare we say it?) fun. University of Maryland College Park fully committed to a framework (Harry Potter) that was already well understood, created highly detailed games that weren't a large burden on their administration or budget, and got students talking about how to use the library. Their whimsical creativity and commitment to a theme is something that should, and could, be done for any multimedia campaign.
Engagement metrics for Snapchat and Instagram showed good student engagement with this contest. Judges were curious to see how this translates to long-term awareness and use of the resources featured.
