Description
You've probably heard of (and maybe even watched) many of the reality television programs that now fill the programming on television networks – Survivor and Big Brother to Dancing with the Stars and Project Runway. Whether you're a fan or not, the reality is that 'reality' television has invaded our popular culture and it has captured the attention of many of our library's users - especially teenagers and young adults. Using web video, interactive polls and activities, and online forums, Macalester College decided to jump on the 'reality' bandwagon. They created a reality TV-like web-based activity called “Survivor Library” intended to introduce incoming first year students to the library services and resources during the summer before they arrived on campus. The premise: What happens when you “lock” eight college students in the library, have them compete in weekly competitions using library resources and services with the winning team voting a person “out” each week until only one remains – the ultimate library survivor! This presentation will share how the programming was created for Survivor Library and several other pop culture programming examples, discuss the challenges and successes encountered and share the reactions of users.
ABOUT THE PRESENTER: Ron Joslin is Systems Librarian at Macalester College's DeWitt Wallace Library.
Start Date
17-3-2011 2:30 PM
Survivor Library, the DeWitt Code and LibTV: Using ‘Pop’ Culture to Introduce New Users to the Library
You've probably heard of (and maybe even watched) many of the reality television programs that now fill the programming on television networks – Survivor and Big Brother to Dancing with the Stars and Project Runway. Whether you're a fan or not, the reality is that 'reality' television has invaded our popular culture and it has captured the attention of many of our library's users - especially teenagers and young adults. Using web video, interactive polls and activities, and online forums, Macalester College decided to jump on the 'reality' bandwagon. They created a reality TV-like web-based activity called “Survivor Library” intended to introduce incoming first year students to the library services and resources during the summer before they arrived on campus. The premise: What happens when you “lock” eight college students in the library, have them compete in weekly competitions using library resources and services with the winning team voting a person “out” each week until only one remains – the ultimate library survivor! This presentation will share how the programming was created for Survivor Library and several other pop culture programming examples, discuss the challenges and successes encountered and share the reactions of users.
ABOUT THE PRESENTER: Ron Joslin is Systems Librarian at Macalester College's DeWitt Wallace Library.