Last year, when access to the library was severely restricted due to our school’s health protocols, I needed to find a way to foster student connections with me and the library, provide instruction, and set up collaborations with teachers. One answer to this challenge came in the form of virtual escape rooms.

An escape room is basically a scavenger hunt, where, by solving clues, you move around a space until you can “unlock” the door and escape; a virtual escape room is a digital version of the escape room experience.

Last year, our school was separated into grade level zones (both inside and outside the building) as one of many safety protocols implemented during the Pandemic. As the library is located in the 11th grade zone, only those students (and faculty and staff) came into the library, which was mostly used for additional classroom space. I provided library services to the other grades virtually and used “curbside delivery” to loan out library materials.

​My challenge was how to give 9th graders a fun and meaningful library orientation when they couldn’t come into the library in person. Usually, I design a 9th grade library orientation in the form of a game or a challenge where students become familiar with the library space by solving clues located in different areas. I needed a digital tool that could provide a similar fun experience for our 9th graders where they would know how to access the library catalog, resources, and the digital collection. 

​During the previous summer I was exploring the Boston Public Library website and came across a virtual escape room challenge that was geared toward families. I took the challenge and found that not only was it immensely fun, but also noticed it contained several challenges that related to the organization of the library space. Then and there I decided that this format would work perfectly for a virtual orientation when school reopened in the fall. The escape room created by the Boston Public Library used the story of Dracula and I decided to use the theme of one of my favorite books - Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll and the challenge would be to escape from Wonderland and the Queen of Hearts. The only problem? I had no idea how to construct one! 

I worked with the 9th grade Humanities teachers to schedule time for their students to meet with me over Zoom where I introduced myself, demonstrated how to get to the library home page via our school portal and then on to the escape room. The activity was such a success one of the Spanish language teachers asked me to help her convert a quiz to an escape room, I collaborated with the 10th grade English teacher to create another escape room as an assessment for a unit on Macbeth, and our admissions department approached me to help them create a virtual escape room to establish relationships between incoming families and communicate information about the school.  I also created an escape room for a library resources orientation for faculty. ​

​I don’t know whether, how or when I will use this digital tool going forward, as both students and faculty are coming into the library in droves after a year wandering in the desert . . . Plus, I am able to offer instruction both in classrooms and in the library. At the very least, I have another tool in my educational toolbox and am happy that I was able to expand on the ways I connect with students and teachers during last year’s challenging circumstances. 

Resources
Digital Escape Room Wakelet: Tutorials, examples of digital escape rooms, and a list of resources for puzzles.
https://wke.lt/w/s/SlBMfB
Digital Escape Room Presentation Slide Deck (MSLA 2021 Conference)
https://tinyurl.com/4c4yvuk2

Librarian Luke Steere and the students in the Library Advisory Committee used podcasting as an innovative way to build community and to reach out to students and teachers when the school pivoted to remote learning. 

Millis Middle/High School
Patsy Divver, School Librarian

​With a little creativity, wise spending,  and organization, ​YOUR library can be brand NEW!  The Millis Middle/High school library definitely needed a change. When I started here in 2002, I updated the books but they hadn't been updated since.  The 8’ high shelves were out of place and we hadn't changed tables for about ten years.  The 30 year old rug had seen better days and the library was just not as inviting as it had the potential to be.  Other than a new cafe table, the space needed some work. ​

McDevitt Middle School Library/ Ms. Clerkin's Tech Literacy Class 
Lucy Clerkin, Librarian 
Barbara Walsh, Library paraprofessional 
​
​When you have a library full of kids long before the start of the school day, it’s time to get creative, and it doesn’t have to cost a lot of money. About three years ago, Library Teacher Lucy Clerkin and Library Paraprofessional Barbara Walsh, like many other library professionals, decided to build a MakerSpace. For us, that meant a space stocked with stuff mostly borrowed and found that we hoped would someday and somehow be transformed into something.

​Sarah Bickel, Librarian  
Greenlodge Elementary School Library 

​After many iterations of school announcements, we have found success (for now)! We have a great crew of fifth grade news reporters who create a weekly video called Greenlodge News. This has allowed the school to cut down on the length of morning announcements, and more importantly, gives fifth graders the chance to become news reporters! In addition to collaborating with peers to interview and write up news reports, produce a video product, and use a green screen, students are much more confident because of the experience!

Librarian: Andrea Zampitella 
The Winchester High School Creative Technology Center is a place in the WHS Library for students and staff to come together, share ideas and come up with creative problem-solving solutions. The room  is designed to be flexible – with mobile furniture. The space is a combination of a lab, workshop and collaborative conference space which can be utilized by students and staff from different content areas, fostering a multidisciplinary way of thinking, and learning. This student-driven, creative space is equipped with tools that will help to aid students into hands-on learning approaches. 
​

Library Teacher: Katy Gallagher 
​Hingham High School Library Media Center

​The Hingham Tech Squad is a student-centered solution for school-wide technology integration. Students involved in this program learn how to use existing educational technologies, as well as how to evaluate and make informed selections among the technologies available to complete a task or project. Students not only learn technology skills but also crucial 21st century skills, such as planning and collaboration. They learn how to help teachers integrate technology into classroom lessons, how to use school technology, and how to provide tech support. ​

​Librarian: Paige Rowse, Needham High School Library

Inspired by the American Library Association’s Teen Tech Week, Needham High School is hosting our second annual Teen Tech Week program! We have a number of tech-related activities available for student participation both in the library and beyond. It is our hope that students will engage with new technology in a meaningful way as well as think more conscientiously about how they engage with technology and social media every day. This year, we are taking that a step further by embracing this year’s ALA theme of “Be the source of change”. Collaboration is a key component for success in our daily workshops and weeklong activities.