Transforming information literacy through experimentation and play

Last week I attended ALIA access 2010 in Brisbane and gave a presentation in the information literacy stream. The presentation was based on the paper written by Jemima McDonald and me titled: Transforming information literacy through experimentation and play. The presentation illustrated some of the ways UTS Library is creating a more dynamic and engaging information literacy program in physical, digital and mobile spaces. Some of the things we're using are games, vodcasts, podcasts, screencasts, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, flickr, blogs, QR codes, interactive teamboards, fun days and hands on workshops! Toward the end of the presentation I emphasised that none of this would be possible without the hard work and enthusiasm of all the staff at UTS Library who are willing to experiment and play to make all these projects a reality. The presentation was created in prezi and includes animations created using xtranormal.

Information literacy is seriously fun! on Prezi

The idea behind all of this is that Web 2.0 has changed the way we engage with information. Information is now everywhere created by everyone and we need to transform our information literacy programs to better support the 21stC learning, teaching and research of our clients in their information worlds. Not only online but in physical and mobile spaces by understanding the concept of Library 2.0 which is about users, participation and interaction (Luo, 2009). If you're interested, I recommend reading the paper - it's not too long!

We've had a lot of great feedback about the presentation and genuine interest in what we're doing at UTS Library. I'd like to thank everyone who came to the presentation and shared their thoughts with me at the conference. I also have many people to thank for their help in making this presentation happen. Firstly, my co-author Jemima for all her hard work and support through this experience from initiating and leading many of the projects, to abstract submission, paper writing, presentation creation and presenting! Thanks to Sally for help with the abstract, making the projects happen and grilling me with potential questions, Belinda for super quick editing, Mal for reminding me I'm from UTS Library and that means no rules,  Ashley for being my spirit lifter and helper in all things, Fides for beaming at me from the back row and Alex for his leadership in all of this and trusting a newbie like me to represent the Library! Finally I'd like to thank all the staff who've made it all possible. This is becoming a bit of a love fest but I really want to express how much I appreciate the people I work with. They're a great bunch!

Library Fun Day: O week, games , prizes and QR code treasure hunt

Due to an extreme amount of peer pressure exerted via Twitter I'm going to do my best to join in #blogeverydayofjune and thought I'd start with this post I began months ago and only just realised I never published! Oh noes!!

During O week this year we held our inaugural Library Fun Day! And what a day of fun it was! There was Wii and Xbox 360 games, library trivia, rogues gallery, free food and drink and a totally awesome library treasure hunt! I really got into the fun spirit of the day as you can see I wore a maroon afro wig and orange T-shirt. This first photo shows people gathering for the first treasure hunt of the day.

I organised the treasure hunt with a little help from my friends (thanks) and gave participants the option of using QR code or paper clues so no one was disadvantaged. We thought most people would have web enabled phones and could download a QR code reader before starting if they didn't already have one. However, we found most people didn't have wifi enabled phones and couldn't utilise the QR code clues (BTW we ran the treasure hunt twice and both winners used the QR code clues)! There were six stations in the treasure hunt and participants had to photograph each station and be first back to claim the prize. The stations were: find the research help desk, find **** in the catalogue, find same book on shelf, take our librarian or not test, become our fan on Facebook and find the printing/copying room.

There was such excitement in the library as everyone scurried up and down the stairs looking for all the stations and clues. At one point @malbooth may have remarked that it was "an OH&S nightmare"! The triumphant winners exclaimed that they'd had so much fun and learnt a lot about the library! In light of this great success we're considering how we can integrate treasure hunts into our usual start of semester tours schedule! Information literacy and fun can be in the same sentence!

Library staff really got into the swing of things by participating in our Meet your Librarians gallery. Before the Fun Day a few of us went around taking photos of co-operating library staff using my iPhone and then manipulated the photos using an iPhone app. The results were so funny that everyone started emailing each other their photos, printing them and putting them up everywhere (see above)! It proved a really fun way to get to know library staff and start a little silliness! Breaking down the perceptions students may have about librarians being all serious and foreboding is a hard task but I think we really achieved this.

We had many goals for the day but I think a real positive to come out of it was students coming to the library, seeing it as a vibrant fun place to be and breaking down preconceptions they might have about libraries/librarians.

It took a team of people, much planning, crazy ideas and enthusiasm to pull off this extravaganza and it was well worth it. We really showed our clients that libraries aren't just about books. We had so many first timers to the library and we overheard many comments from people about how much fun they were having. Can't wait to make it even bigger and better next year!

QR codes: linking digital and physical space

Time for another update… Many of you would know that QR codes are a pet project for me and I’ve been trying to wangle them into the library for a while now. My nagging recently coincided with the decision to increase our video content and so viola - QR codes and our YouTube channel are a match made in heaven! We worked with a team of people to prioritise the content of the videos, then scripted them and early this year two colleagues and I agreed to star in them. We shot the vids and now you can enjoy watching them at your leisure on our YouTube channel! Most of them are very short (20-40 seconds) and informative or instructional about areas or services in the library.

For example, you can see in these images how QR codes are being used next to our self-service loans machine to link people to our video about how to use the machine. Our most popular video by far (starring Ashley – soon to be guest blogger) is the one explaining our printing system. The vids are also embedded in our website at relevant spots and it’s always fun to teach an IL class and come across a video of myself on the website… “hey, that’s you”… lol. I recently gave a presentation and introduced myself with 'you might remember me from such places as the library youTube channel...'

The two other stars of the videos and myself were recently recognised by the university for our contribution to social media because of this QR code video project. We were invited to ring the university bell to mark the start off semester. The festive occasion was much fun and we were honored to ring the bell and receive a commemorative pen.

I also recently had a paper published in inCite called QR codes and the mobile web. I'm putting a pre-print up for those who haven’t seen it yet.







QR codes and the mobile web
We are engaged in the delivery of high quality information literacy training and services to clients. We endeavour to maintain awareness of emerging trends in technology and communications with regard to their impact on educational and library settings. Through this process we hope to better meet the needs and expectations of our clients by creating an evolving and dynamic teaching, learning and research environment. One way we are trying to achieve this is through the use of QR codes. QR codes are barcodes for the 21st century that can be scanned by a web-enabled mobile device and link you to digital content such as a website, video, podcast, quiz, pdf, or almost anything!

Recently, Australia has experienced a massive increase in the use of mobile devices and clients now expect to access library services and resources anywhere, anytime. The nature of a mobile device means that digital content can now be accessed immediately, in context, when it’s most relevant or bookmarked for later. QR codes are a simple way to achieve this by connecting the physical and digital worlds through the use of a mobile device.

Trend watching: What the experts say
The recent ANZ Horizon Report (2009) outlines key technology trends they recognise as emerging in educational settings over the next two to five years. QR codes are recognised in two categories:
The delivery of mobile content and augmented realities emerging within the next two to three years.

• This includes the development of educational gaming programs using augmented reality layers and making use of geo-location technology


• QR codes are included in this category because of their ability to deliver mobile content when a connection between the physical and digital worlds is required

As part of a group of ‘smart objects’ which are classified as technology that connects the physical and digital worlds, emerging within the next four to five years.

• Includes technology such as QR codes, RFID, smart cards and microchips
• QR codes are included in this category because they combine “the ability to collect and transmit information with the means to immediately use that information“ (Horizon, p.22, 2009)

Physical and digital spaces
QR codes have been used in a wide variety of contexts such as music, museums, games, marketing, libraries and education. In all contexts they have been used to connect users in a physical space to contextualised digital content.
We are trialling QR codes in a number of ways. We are placing them on objects in the physical library such as self-check machines and printers where assistance may be required. This allows clients to take a photo of the QR code and immediately watch a short demonstration of the service they are trying to use. Traditionally, instructional and promotional materials have been text-based, however with the addition of QR codes these resources are now enhanced with more dynamic content.

QR codes can be used on promotional bookmarks and brochures to connect clients to online content in context. QR codes can also be used online to link to specific mobile content. For example, we are launching a mobile website in February 2010 which runs on a range of mobile platforms including iphone/itouch, Android, Windows mobile and Opera mini. A simple way of promoting the mobile site to clients is placing a QR code on the library home page. The code links clients to the new mobile site and they can immediately move around the library searching and browsing at the shelf rather than at the PC terminal. Similarly, databases are starting to provide mobile platforms and QR codes could be used in the OPAC to link clients directly to mobile databases rather than having to type in a long URL. While these ideas are simple, they provide library clients with easy access to mobile content and services.

Moving forward
We are raising client awareness of QR codes so that clients can use this new technology more effectively. We will monitor this pilot project by tracking usage statistics of the content we link to and engaging in discussion with clients through our social networking sites. We see the addition of QR codes to our promotional and instructional material as a way to enhance traditional services rather than replacing them altogether. As the number of people using mobile devices increases, so does the demand for mobile content. Here, we aim to meet that demand by continuing to develop services that address client needs. Through the use of QR codes we will enhance our existing library services and create a more engaging and dynamic library environment.

More information can be found in this poster Sophie presented at the UTS Teaching and Learning Forum and at the HCTD Mobile Research Workshop both held in November 2009: http://www.slideshare.net/MissSophieMac/qr-codes-and-the-mobile-web. The ANZ Horizon report can be found here: http://www.nmc.org/pdf/2009-Horizon-Report-ANZ-Edition.pdf

QR codes and the mobile web

This is a poster I presented yesterday at the UTS Teaching and Learning Forum called "QR codes and the mobile web". There was much interest in the poster and I demonstrated how they work with my iphone which has the i-nigma reader installed (I think this is the best reader I have tested for the iphone as it auto takes photos very quickly with low error rate - much for efficient than the BeeTag reader). The poster was aimed at raising awareness of QR codes and their potential use in teaching, learning and research environments. The audience was mainly academic staff and most had seen QR codes before but weren't sure how they worked. I explained how we're using them in the library and suggested ways they could use them in their contexts. Most people were enthusiastic about trying to use them in some way and appreciated the way QR codes can bridge the gap between physical and digital learning environments. The full abstract is below.

QR codes and the mobile web

View more documents from MissSophieMac.

At UTS Library we are engaged in the delivery of high quality information literacy training and services to clients. We endeavour to maintain awareness of emerging trends in technology and communications with regard to their impact on educational and library settings. Through this process we hope to better meet client needs and expectations by creating an evolving and dynamic teaching and learning environment. One way UTS library is trying to achieve this is through the use of QR codes. QR codes are barcodes for the 21st century that can be scanned by a mobile device and lead you to a website, video, podcast, quiz, pdf, or almost anything! They are simple to create and use as will be demonstrated live during the poster session. As more and more people use mobile devices everyday, the need to provide mobile content for accessing on-the-go is increasing and QR codes are a simple way to achieve that. Mobile devices allow the digital and physical worlds to interact via QR codes and enhance the teaching and learning environment.

At UTS Library we are trialling QR codes in our promotional bookmarks and flyers for example, a flyer promoting the new catalogue will have a QR code leading to a short screencast of how to use the new catalogue. While this is a simple idea, it provides library clients with an immediate interactive experience of how to use a new hands-on service that is better explained by demonstration than in reading a flyer. QR codes have been used in a wide variety of contexts such as advertising, events, music, museums, games, libraries and education. In an educational setting QR codes could be introduced to handouts or UTSonline as a way to enhance the learning experience. For example, websites, quizzes or video content referred to could have a QR code attached allowing people to access content on their mobile device in the classroom or on-the-go. It is also possible to create short screencasts or vodcasts for specific classes in minutes and link them to QR codes for placing in handouts, lecture slides or UTSonline. An added benefit of using QR codes is that they can be scanned by the mobile device and stored to be accessed anytime.

We will be educating our clients about QR codes and monitoring this pilot project by tracking usage statistics of the content we link to. We hope to enhance our existing library services through the use of QR codes by creating a more engaging and dynamic teaching and learning environment.

QR codes let your blog go mobile

I just created this QR code which directs people to the mobile ready version of my blog! I created it in Mofuse.com and it was really easy with great features like site analytics. There are many other QR code generators out there and maybe I'll try some others for you too.

The great thing about this is you can add it to a business card, email, blog comment, conference poster and so much more.

The growing use of QR codes

In my last blog post there was a poll about QR codes and most people responded that they'd like to know more. In case you missed the QR code boat entirely - I'll briefly explain what they're all about. Similar to a traditional barcode but better, QR codes can link to multi-media online content. All you have to do is scan the code ( i.e. take a photo on your camera phone using free software) and up pops a video, sound, blog, website or pdf optimised for mobile browsers. For example, QR codes have been widely used for marketing purposes to capture consumers reading magazines or walking the streets by directing them to online stores and promotional sites through their mobile phones. However, more creatively, they've been used by museums, street artists, fashion labels, musicians and activists.

Imagine the old business card (which has almost become a thing of the past) with a QR code that links back to your blog or LinkedIn profile! So much more information than you can fit on a tiny little card.


Street artists such as Bansky have used the codes alongside their impermanent work as a link back to more information, wikipedia entries, online galleries and video art. Public art enthusiasts need only scan the code with their phone to get a whole lot more information about the artist and where else to see their work. For example, geo-tagging is being used in this area so street art can be found in google maps.

QR codes are also being used in museums to direct visitors to more information, interactive content and images. For example, the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney, trialled them in a recent exhibition of Japanese fashion with mixed success and recommend education as a way to combat low usage stats. The Mattress Factory in San Francisco have incorporated QR codes and have also pro actively educate visitors and guide them through downloading a free a QR code reader.

Musicians are using QR codes on gig posters and CD art to link back to their website, myspace, music videos, free song downloads or directly to the itunes store. Fashion has grabbed hold of QR codes are are using them as a branding and functional design element. For example, a stylish limited edition QR code scarf or a reconfigurable velcro QR code T-shirt? The space invader scarf holds messages 'from outer space' and the velcro T-shirt... presumably you could generate a QR code and then replicate it on the T-shirt to create a walking QR code platform.



Other uses include scavenger hunts where you have to scan the codes to get the clues to follow the trail that leads to the treasure! Or in activism, where a simple black and white code stuck on a building belies the power of the message and social network behind it.

Those are some of the uses of QR codes that I've uncovered. I would be interested to hear about any other interesting uses, particularly in libraries. So, in my last post I remarked that I thought I had some pretty cool ideas about how we can use QR codes in libraries. For a start I think we could print them on our flyers, pamphlets, bookmarks, posters etc, so people could scan them and link to online content such as video of search tips, database demos, library orientation, news and updates and more. I think the QR code is another example of the convergence of physical and digital worlds, and it will be exciting to see how the use of them develops.

QR codes and great expectations

Whenever I have a new idea I get carried away thinking how marvelous I am - don't we all. Recently I've had some fantastic ideas about how to use QR codes for information literacy - yet to be revealed. However, I decided that I may be getting way ahead of myself with expecting people will a) know what QR codes are and b) know how to use them. So I've created this quiz with the hope of some responses. If most answer 'tell me more' - I will. Also, I'm trying out this poll software so let me know what you think of it.