Escape Rooms and Other Immersive Experiences in the Library

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Price: 
$57.99
ALA Member 
$52.19
Item Number: 
978-0-8389-1767-1
Published: 
2019
Publisher: 
ALA Editions
Pages: 
200
Width: 
6"
Height: 
9"
Format: 
Softcover
AP Categories: 
A, C, I
  • Description
  • Table of Contents
  • About the Author
  • Reviews

By one count, there are more than 7,200 escape room environments in 1,445 cities in 105 countries. So why not in libraries? Sharpening participants’ problem solving and collaboration skills by mashing up real-time adventure, immersive theater, gaming, and old-fashioned entertainment, they’re a natural for libraries. And, as Kroski demonstrates in this fun guide, they’re feasible for a range of audiences and library budgets. Whether you’re already an escape room aficionado who’s eager to replicate the experience at your own institution, or an intrigued novice looking for ways to enliven your programing, Kroski has got you covered. This book

  • discusses the differences between escape rooms, which are highly structured, and immersive experiences, which are more casual;
  • shows how these unique experiences can be used to teach information literacy skills, add unique youth programming, bring adults into the library, and instruct patrons about library resources in the form of puzzles and challenges;
  • profiles several successful library projects, from large scale programs like New York Public Libraries’ Find the Future: The Game to smaller ones like Search for Alexander Hamilton;
  • offers dozens of programming ideas and examples that can be tailored to fit a variety of libraries and budgets; and
  • provides information on game kits available for purchase, tips for partnering with local Escape Room businesses, and links to additional resources.

With the assistance of Kroski’s guide, libraries everywhere can offer their own take on these exciting forms of entertainment, engagement, and education.

 

List of Figures
Preface

Part I    Introducing Escape Rooms and Immersive Experiences

Chapter 1    Escape Rooms and Immersive Experiences Explained
Chapter 2    The Escape Room Opportunity
Chapter 3    Escape Room Activity in Libraries

Part II    How to Create, Organize, and Run Eleven Project Types

Chapter 4    How to Host a Pre-Designed Escape Room Event
Chapter 5    How to Design an Escape Room from Scratch
Chapter 6    How to Create a Pop-Up Escape Room
Chapter 7    How to Create an Escape Room Enthusiasts Club
Chapter 8    How to Host an Immersive Experience
Chapter 9    How to Host a Kid-Friendly Escape Room Event
Chapter 10    How to Design a Digital Breakout
Chapter 11    All About Escape Room Board Games
Chapter 12    How to Host an Escape Room Event for Team-Building and Training
Chapter 13    How to Add a High-Tech Twist to Your Escape Room
Chapter 14    Start-to-Finish Model: The Search for Alexander Hamilton and the Missing Librarian

  • Appendix A    Escape Room Set-Up Document Template
  • Appendix B    Escape Room Puzzle Document Template

Resources
Index

Ellyssa Kroski

Ellyssa Kroski is the Director of Information Technology and Marketing at the New York Law Institute as well as an award-winning editor and author of 60 books, including Law Librarianship in the Age of AI for which she received AALL's 2020 Joseph L. Andrews Legal Literature Award. She is a librarian, an adjunct faculty member at Drexel and San Jose State Universities, and an international conference speaker. She received the 2017 Library Hi Tech Award from the ALA/LITA for her long-term contributions in the area of Library and Information Science technology and its application. She can be found at: http://www.amazon.com/author/ellyssa.

”Kroski provides librarians at public, school, and academic libraries with a well-written, easy-to-follow, and inspirational how-to book on creating escape rooms ... Highly recommended."
— ARBA

”A big assist for those interested in making rooms, not only outlining the step-by-step construction of a scenario, but also tethering the activity to specific library concerns, like information literacy ... A valuable investment for libraries that want to jazz up their event calendars."
— Booklist

”This book is designed not only for easy reading, but as a handy reference tool. While the examples featured in this book borrow from all types of libraries—school, special, public, and academic—all can be adapted ... The additional resources provided throughout, especially the numerous programing guides, are a most helpful tool. The reviewer, never having experienced an escape room herself, came away with a better understanding of these types of experiences as well as copious ideas to try at her institution."
— Public Services Quarterly

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