LM_NET: Library Media Networking
In reply to Marty Rosenzweig's post about a "Stump the Librarian" Game:
We have run a "Stump the Library Game" each spring for the past 6 years
-- and it has proven to be a very popular program. Students are allowed
to ask ONE legitimate reference question of the library staff, and we
have a time period of about weeks to answer all the questions. The only
limitations placed on questions is that the answer must be found in a
reference source (traditionally, books, but last year we expanded to
include on-line sources), available to the general public; we do not compute
math problems or answer philosophy or religious queries.
Although at mid-contest we often feel like "moving to Australia," in the
end it is rewarding. Those who stump us (and last year, it was only 12%
of the questioners!) feel like they've accomplished something, and those
who are answered learn something, as our replies always carefully
document where we found the answer and how we formulated a search
strategy to find the answer.
We reward our students with a pizza party during the last week of school
-- they always appreciate a break from cafeteria food!
I highly recommend this contest as a way of raising your library's
profile -- a great p.r. device. It also is a way to involve your faculty
in the library program, because I find many coming by the library to
assist in the answering of questions!
As a point of information: we're an independent school, grades 7-12.
Beth Reardon
McCallie School
Chattanooga, Tennessee
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