imagine escape rooms at your library!
TRANSCRIPT
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Whydoescaperooms?
-High-demandlibraryprogramsbecauseprofessionalescaperoomsareexpensive
(around$25perperson)
-Fun
-WaytoaCractfirst-EmeparEcipantstolibraryprograms
-Canbedonewithavarietyofagegroups(tweens,teens,adults)
-Bringstogetherpeoplefromdiversebackgrounds
-FosterscollaboraEon(animportantlifeskill)–workingtogethertoreachacommon
goal
-PracEseproblem-solvingskills,logicalandabstractthinkingskills,communicaEonskills
Drawbacks:
Staffintensive–bothcreaEngthemandrunningthem
Workbestwith5or6parEcipants–everyonegetsachancetoparEcipate
AprogramspacecanbeusedonlyfortheescaperoomforaperiodofEmeORneed
extrastaffEmetoset-upandcleanupeachdaythatyouruntheprogram
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Thepremise:“Youareagroupofstudentswhohaveheardthattheirpaleontology
professorhasfoundawaytobringdinosaursbacktolife.Allhehastodoisincrease
therateofglobalwarming,andheatuptheEarthtoatemperatureatwhichdinosaurs
cansurvive.You’vesnuckintohisofficewhileheisteachingaclassandyouhaveonly
45minutestofindhisplansandgetout.Thisshouldbeacinch,exceptyouhearlocks
closingbehindyou,notonlytoyourprofessor’soffice,buttothebuildingaswell.Hurry
andfindawayoutbeforeyoubecomedinolunch!”
-ThisprogramwascreatedthroughthecollaboraEveeffortsoftwostaff
-AphotographercametotakepicturesforaSt.AlbertGazeCearEcleonescaperooms
ArEcleURL:hCps://www.stalbertgazeCe.com/arEcle/great-escape-a-look-at-the-
regions-newest-entertainment-trend-20170311
(photoisfromSt.AlbertGazeCearEcleGreatEscape:Alookattheregion’snewestentertainmenttrendpublishedonMarch112017:PhotographerChrisColbourne,
ArEclebyMichelleFerguson)
-MoreEmetoplanandcarryoutthananEcipated,buttheparEcipantswerevery
excitedtotryandescape
-WantedtooffertheprogramtoalargeraudienceagerpuhnginsomuchpreparaEon
-WewereabletoblockoffameeEngroominthelibraryandruntheprogramover
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ThePremise:Yourresearchteamhasdiscoveredanewspeciesofpenguinin
AntarcEca.Arivalteamwantstotakecreditforyourdiscoveryandtheyhavelocked
youintheabandonedDangerIslandResearchStaEonwhichispoisedprecariouslyon
anunstableiceshelf.Thevillainousteamhastakenalloftheremotedooropeners
exceptone.Thecaretakerhasaspareremotedooropenerlockedawayfor
emergencies,butsheogenforgetsthecombinaEonofthelock.Followtheseriesof
cluesandpuzzlesshehaslegtogetintothefinallockbox.Yourteamhas45minutes
tosolveallthepuzzlesandpushthebuConbeforetheiceshelfcracksandtheresearch
staEonandallofyouareplungedintotheicyocean!
-Maximumof6parEcipantspersession
-Sessionswere94%full
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AsamplingofcommentsfromparEcipantfeedbackforms
WealsohadmanyposiEveparentresponsesviaemail
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-Thereare3differentpuzzles.IwillgooverallthepuzzlesandthesoluEonsfollowing
theacEvity
-ThetypeoflockyouareaCempEngtoopenisshownontheenvelope
-AlllockswillopeneasilywiththerightcombinaEon–donotforcethelock
-TrythecombinaEonONEEme.Ifthelockdoesn’topen,resetittoallzeroesand
returntoyourgroupformoreproblemsolving
-ComeuptotrythelockagainwithyourrevisedcombinaEon
-Time’sup:cleanup
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You’llhavetoshigsomeleCercombinaEonsaround,becausetherearemulEplesof
someingredientswherethecanshavedifferentsetsofleCersonthelid.
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TheicecoresamplesaregluegungluesEcksmarkedwithcoloredandblackpermanent
markers
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Wehavedonethis.Itisdifficultandstaff-intensive
WewenttoaprofessionalescaperoomforinspiraEon
Wehadbrainstormingsessionswithtwostafftogenerateideasforpuzzles
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Forthefirstescaperoom,Iwenttothecragstoreforwoodenboxesandthehardware
storeforlocksandsuppliesmulEpleEmes
Professionalescaperoomscandothingsthataredifficulttodoinalibrarysehng:
-Trapdoors
-Movingwalls
-MagneEclocksthatopenwhenobjectsareplacedormovedinacertainsequence
Thelibrarydiddoatwo-stagebreakout-hadtogetoutofalocked“office”intoa
larger“laboratory”areawithnewpuzzles
Lockedboxesandotherthingsthatlock:
Suitcases
ToolBoxes
Lockingcabinet
Safe
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-45minutes-scheduleandadverEseitasa60-minuteprogram
-Laminateanyposters,signs,instrucEonsheets
-CanusepaCernedducttapetoindicatethatthingsdonotneedtobetakenapart
-UseacountdownEmer/syncitwithyourwatch
(parEcipantsdiscussedre-sehngtheiPadEmerthatweused)
-Simple,explaintogroupalongwithguidelinesBEFOREgoingintotheescaperoom(as
soonastheygointheroom,theirfocusshigstowhat’sintheroomandtryingtosolve
puzzles)
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Usestafforagroupofvolunteers(Teenadvisorygroup?)whowerenotinvolvedin
creaEngthegametodoatrialrunandhopefullyfindanyissues
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Mixofeasyandmoredifficultpuzzlesisagoodidea
Allowstheteamtoexperiencesuccessaswellaschallenges/frustraEon
PropsandpuzzlesiPadwithaVRapp(HPReveal)
Booksonatopicrelatedtothethemeoftheescapescenario
Recipes
Maps
Jigsawpuzzles
InvisibleinkandUVflashlight
EasyBuConfromStaples
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Whyusehints?
-avoidfrustraEon-allowsthemtoconEnueagerhihngablock
-canchallengeparEcipantstouseonehintornohints
-hintsthemselvescanbechallengingforthefacilitator-Needsomefamiliaritywiththe
roomandpuzzles.
-In2018mostgroupsused2hints,1groupused1hint,nogroupsusedzerohints
-hintcardsarehelpful-atokenexchangedforahint,andoncethey’regone,they’re
gone
-useawirelessdoorbelltocallthefacilitatortogethints
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PutaposiEvespinoneverything
Emphasizesuccesses
Takeasadphotofollowedbya“wehadfun”phototosendtoparEcipants
UsedWeEscaped/WeDidn’tEscapesigns
Haveafinisherswallforbothsuccessfulandunsuccessfulgroups
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BreakoutEDU
Markettheirproductas“animmersivelearninggamesplasorm”
Thekitsplus12monthsaccesstotheirplasormofescapegamesis$150USDplus
shipping
Wepaidabout$225CanadianforoursinFebruary
Also,forbranchlibrarysystems,thecompanyhaskitbundlese.g.6kits,6accesscodes
($800USplusshipping)
Haslotsofusefulcomponentsincluding
-2lockboxes(largeronewillaccommodateatablet)
-high-qualitylockswithexpansionlockwheels:numbers,shapes,colors
-invisibleinkpenplusdecoderUVflashlight
-hintcards
-cardsthatpromptparEcipantstoreflectontheirescapeexperience
Gamesontheplasormareclearlyexplainedwithstepstosetupandprintable
resources(thataresharedwithyouonyourclouddrivewhenyouclick“access
resources”foragame)
Examplesofgamesavailable:TotallyRadical80’sTimeTravel/BacktoReality(a
Minecragthemedgame)/lotsofsubjectthemedgamesformath,science,social
studies
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-About$20Canadianforagame
-EXITareone-usekitsbecausethecomponentsarebentandtornasyouprogress
throughthegame
-Unlock!Canbereused(withnewgroups)andrequiresafreeappthatrunsonphones
andtablets–worksofflineonceappisdownloaded
-SuccessfullyusedtheUnlock!GamewithaTeenAdvisoryGroup(ages13to18)
-Recommendsearchingonlinereviewsforindividualgamestohelpdeterminedifficulty
level,content
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