ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries


382

Butler freshmen hunt for 
lib rary treasure
By Sheridan Stormes

One way to get students into the 
library early

T he libraries at Butler University in India­napolis have found a unique and fun way 
to get incoming freshmen into the campus li­
braries even BEFORE the first week o f classes! 
They hold a library “Treasure Hunt” during 
freshman orientation week. This year marked 
the second annual such “Hunt.” It was co-spon­
sored  b y  the lib ra ries and the Campus 
Interfraternity Council.

The Treasure Hunt is set up much like a 
traditional scavenger hunt. It is scheduled for a 
two- to four-hour time block usually on the 
Friday o f orientation and at a time when there 
are few  conflicting events. The actual hunt only 
takes about 30 minutes. Students entering the 
main library are greeted by librarians and stu­
dent assistants who welcome them and give 
them a “Hunt Protocol” containing instructions 
on how  to proceed. The next stop allows stu­
dents to get their ID cards barcoded so that 
they will be ready to check out materials from 
the Butler Libraries when they come on future 
visits.

After receiving the obligatory barcode, the 
students are given a “clue”— written in the form 
o f a limerick— that, when deciphered, tells the 
eager “hunters” where to find their next clue. 
The clues are designed in such a w ay as to 
lead the students to all o f the various depart­
ments o f the libraries: the online catalog (stu­
dents must actually perform a search on the 
catalog to receive their next clue at this sta­
tion), the stacks, reference, rare books and spe­
cial collections, the music division, current jour­
nals room, microform reading room, curriculum

resource center, interlibrary loan, reserves and 
circulation, and the Science Library. At each 
“station,” the students are greeted by a regular 
member o f the library staff. Each library staff 
person gives a brief (no more than five min­
utes) talk about the area to which the students 
have come. This way, the students not only 
become familiar with the libraries and their 
services but they get to know the library staff 
members as well. Those students who success­
fully complete the “Hunt” are given a prize. 
Prizes range from $1 worth o f free photocopy­
ing to coupons for free pizzas, movie passes, 
and various items bearing the university logo, 
such as key rings, notebooks, bumper stickers, 
frisbees, beverage mugs, and even a “deluxe” 
Butler bulletin board.

…  the students not only become 
fa m ilia r with the libraries and 
their services but they get to 
kno w the library staff members 
as well.

G etting the w o rd  out
Advertising for the Library Treasure Hunt is 
done in a number o f ways. A  colorful flyer (on 
day-glo construction paper) is included in each 
freshman packet. More flyers are posted on bul­
letin boards in residence halls and in all the 
academic buildings. A  giant banner announc­
ing the hunt is hung across the front o f the 
main library during orientation week. Finally, 
faculty and student orientation guides and mem­
bers o f the various fraternities and sororities 
are encouraged to “spread the w ord” about the 
hunt to the incoming students.

Sheridan Stormes is associate director fo r public services at Butler University, Indianapolis



383

Some funds for prizes are set aside from the
regular library budget. Other prizes are obtained
through phone, letter, and direct personal so­
licitations. Students from the Inter-fraternity
Council were especially helpful with publicity
and in soliciting 

 
 

 
 

prizes. A  few stu­
dents w o rk e d  
side by side with 
the library staff in 
g re e tin g  the 
“ H u n ts p e o p le ” 
and distributing 
the prizes.

Approximately 
100 students par­
ticipated in each 
o f the two Hunts 
held so far. This 
represents a p ­

Library staff holding the banner used to publicize the 
treasure hunt.

proximately one-sixth o f the total number in 
the freshman class for these two years. The staff 
intend to make a few  modifications next year 
to improve participation. One will be to limit 
the time period during which students may par­
ticipate in the hunt to two hours (rather than 
four). Another anticipated change is to make 
sure that the time necessary to complete the 
hunt is stated in the freshman orientation schedule.

 Past schedules only indicated the time 
block during which participation was possible. 
This may have led some students to believe 
that the hunt itself took four hours to com­
plete, thus discouraging some otherwise inter­

ested people. Fi­
nally, next year, 
the library plans 
to aim for even 
greater distribu­
tion of flyers and, 
also, to have some 
larger posters 
printed up adver­
tising the hunt.

Thus far, the 
hunt idea ap ­
pears to have 
been a “hit” with 
the students 

who have participated. During this past hunt, 
a few o f the participants were actually over­
heard declaring, “Gosh, this is the most fun 
w e ’ve had all week!”

For more information about this project, 
please contact Sheri Stormes, associate direc­
tor for public services, Irwin Library, Butler Uni­
versity, 4600 Sunset Ave., Indianapolis, IN 
46208. ■