Mobile treasure hunt using the barcodes is a fun way to learn about these locations and services.
The public libraries in Chesterfield County, Virginia are using QR codes to challenge teens and draw them to learn more about the resources available at the various locations and online.
The barcodes help the teens to solve a series of different types of problems.
The QR codes are so simple to use, and require only a smartphone – which many teens have – so the Chesterfield County Public Library determined that they will be a great tool for helping to teach adolescents about the libraries in the area. Moreover, even when they don’t have them, they often know how to operate them when they are provided.
According to the community services library services administrator, Carolyn Sears, “We wanted to try to reach them on their own terms, so we thought about using technology.” She explained that “that’s how we got the QR code idea.”
A similar program using QR codes was successfully run in November 2011.
That campaign was called “iHunt: Crack the CCPL Code”. It ran for two months and challenged teenagers to discover more about the resources available at the library through the completion of a digital treasure hunt located within the various library locations.
QR codes were strategically placed by librarians throughout the locations. They could be found on signs that were equipped with mobile devices that could read the barcodes if they did not have their own smartphones to use.
The treasure hunt began with questions that had to be answered regarding one of the resources at the library. Then, clues were provided so that the answer could be discovered. The clues would lead them to an item in the library where a sign with QR codes was located. When the barcode was scanned, the next question was revealed.
According to Sears, the treasure hunt wasn’t tremendously challenging, but it consisted of eight questions and was simply designed to walk the teens through the library and discover the different types of resources that are available to them. The hope is that the QR codes will help them to know what is there for them, and therefore be more inclined to use it.
