LOTW 2010 G.I.F.T. Session - Mapping Library Resources
Margy MacMillan – Mount Royal University

What it was: A low-tech exercise designed to familiarize students with the geography of the
library, by asking them to locate material on the shelves and create a collaborative map of
where they found it.
Who it was for: First year Information Design students. The materials they need are scattered
throughout the collection – graphic design, typography, internet usability, etc., and in multiple
formats – monographs, serials, videos. They also often need print materials rather than eversions, as there are design considerations in print that may be lost online.
Goals: To introduce students to the online catalogue, to ensure they could translate a call
number on the screen to an item on the shelf, to encourage browsing, and to familiarize them
with the library’s collections.
Why it worked:
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Timing – the students had seen me in another course where we reviewed electronic
sources for a different assignment earlier in the week. So I didn’t have to teach them
EVERYTHING.
Assignment - students had a small, immediate assignment – to review one of the items
they located; and would have another one (with another focussed library session) on
historical aspects of communication. In the meantime they had multiple assignments in
other courses where awareness of resources would help
Fun - it was an active session, encouraging exploration, and obviously different from
their previous workshops

The activity: Students were given a brief demonstration of the online catalogue, and
encouraged to generate and try different keywords to do with information design. They were
asked to find one of the items in the collection and bring it back, for their reviewing assignment.
Students also had a blank map on which they were to mark where they found the item, and
transfer that information to an overhead transparency of the same map. This information was
later transferred to a web version of the map all students could access for later searching.
What happened: Students were so caught up in the activity they brought back books and
videos and journals by the armload. There was quite a lot of discussion as they marked up the
map. The Instructors in the program reported students used greater numbers and variety of
print sources.

The Map

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