The Cephalonian Experience: how to bring some Greek sunshine to your library

orientation

Nigel Morgan, Cardiff University

LOEX of the West

Las Vegas, June 5th 2008

Please fill in your fun Library Orientation Quiz

sheet

Wales

Great Britain

LondonCardiff

Cardiff University

Library Orientation Quiz Orientometer Scores

7-8 Orientation Dodo- your views border on extinction!

9-12 Orientation Ostrich- take your head out of the sand and be

more pro-active!

13-24 Orientation Owl- wise views – you recognize the importance/challenges of orientation

25-28 Orientation Hawk- you devour orientation - would you like to

lead this session please?

Some observations on library orientation

“Teaching first-year students about the library can be like teaching librarians how to field strip an M-1 carbine.” (Cornell 2000, p.45)

“Avoiding the fish-eye” (McGuire and Welch 2000, p.177)

What is the Cephalonian Method?

It is not– a method of birth control– anything to do with

“Captain Corelli’s Mandolin”– a weight loss program– a culinary procedure

The Cephalonian Method is:

“A glorious fusion of music, color and audience participation which is designed to appeal to the senses whilst engaging the mind”

It’s an accepted fact that library orientation is “boring”. So why

did we bother revamping our sessions?

• To stop students falling asleep

• To stop OURSELVES falling asleep

• Convey information more effectively

• Inject some spontaneity

• Encourage attendance at BI sessions

We wanted to have a good time!!

What qualities did we want our “new-style” orientation to

have?

• An interactive format– illusion of being “student driven”

• Enjoyable to deliver

• To present librarians in a favorable light

• Humorous & entertaining

• Theatrical & attention grabbing

We wanted to put on a “show”!

Where did we get our inspiration? And WHY are you reading out questions from those colored

cards?

Hi Las Vegas! Sorry I can’t be

with you today!

The Cephalonian Method explained

Basic introductory information

Finding reading list items

Services and facilities

Miscellaneous  

Biosciences Study Centre

PC rooms in Science Library • Microsoft applications • Blackboard, Internet, & email

Networked printing payment:• Laser printing (b&w)

- 6p per A4 sheet• Colour printing

- 20p per sheet

My Mum’s e-mailed me a photo of Miguel, my

pet iguana. Where can I print him out?

Use Voyager to place reservations

E.g.

Germann, W. & Stanfield, C. Principles of human physiology. San Francisco: Benjamin Cummings. 2002.

None of the books I need are on the shelf. How do I get hold of

them?

What really irritates us?

Eating & drinking

Excessive noise

Soggy books

Loud talkers

Theft

Mobile phones !

Mobile phones !!

Mobile phones !!!

What are the advantages of using the C Method?

• A good icebreaker• Extremely versatile

– large & small groups / different audiences• Encourages creativity • Variety

– each session is unique! • Non-linear approach ideal for the

web generation• It works!

What are the potential pitfalls?

• Unpredictability for presenter• Lacks “spatial orientation” value• General shyness• Audibility of students• Color perception issues• Preparation time• ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN!

How did the students react to the Cephalonian

Method?“Very well presented..loved it….Bravo!”

“It was a creative way of introducing the library. Student’s participation was a smart idea!”

“It was a bit weird” / “It was funny”

“It was divine” / “It was bangin’ “

“Captivating”

“Loved the jokes”

“Who’s the guy in the photos? Can I have his phone number? I want to date him”

“Did you think that this session provided an effective introduction to

the library?”

Yes 98.1% No 0.2%

Don’t Know 1.7%

1762

4 31

0200400600800

10001200140016001800

Number of students

Yes No Don't Know

Year 1 Medicine 2003-2007

“How did you rate the session overall?”

7 - 20% 8 – 39%

9 - 19% 10 - 12%

5 6 9 10 46

91

338

642

316196

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

Number of students

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Score

Year 1 Medicine 2003-2007

“Do you think it will be beneficial to attend the next BI session?”

Yes 79%No 6%Don’t Know 15%

Year 1 Medicine 2003-2007

How and why did we incorporate music and what

did we choose?

• Creates mood & atmosphere• Use at start, finish or during activities

• An aid to learning– “Mozart effect” (Don Campbell,

1997)

• Effect on biorhythms

• Students like it! We like it!

How and why did we incorporate music and what

did we choose?Santana / Latin American classical guitarTalking Heads Paul WellerGoldberg Variations - J.S. BachSarah BrightmanKate BushNew Age / InspirationalBirdsong

Student “hot picks”

• “We’ve Got to Get Out of This Place” – The Animals

• “I Want to Break Free” – Queen• “Bat out of Hell” – Meatloaf• Spice Girls • Handel’s “Messiah”• The national anthem • Death metal / thrash metal• “ More music would be fun"

Music Activity

Listen to the following 3 tracks and fill in your activity sheet

Consider: • The kind of mood created

• The most appropriate time of day

Music Activity

Track 1: Mr. Elemental by Clifford White

Track 2: Corazon Espinado by Santana

Track 3: Night on Bare Mountain by Modest Mussorgsky

Who else has used the Method and how successful has it been?Uni of Abertay DundeeAston UniversityBangor UniversityUniversity of BedfordshireUniversity of BirminghamUniversity of BradfordUniversity of BrightonUniversity of BristolUniversity of ChesterDe Montfort UniversityUniversity of DerbyDurham UniversityUniversity of East LondonUniversity of GlamorganUniversity of HuddersfieldImperial College London

Kingston UniversityUniversity of LeedsLeeds Metropolitan UniversityUniversity of LeicesterLoughborough University Manchester Metropolitan UniUniversity of SouthamptonUniversity of StirlingUniversity of StrathclydeUniversity of SunderlandUniversity of SussexSwansea UniversityUniversity of TeessideUniversity of the West of

EnglandUniversity College Worcester York St John University

Who else has used the Method and how successful has it been?

Barnet College

City and Islington College

Cornwall College, Saltash

Hadlow College

Holy Cross College, Bury

Kidderminster College.

Leeds College of Building

Coleg Llandrillo

Mid Cheshire College

Neath Port Talbot College

Nicholas Chamberlaine Technology College

Northfields Technology College

Oldham College

Oldham Sixth Form College

Coleg Powys

Rotherham College of Arts and Technology

Community College, Shoreditch

Coleg Sir Gâr

Stafford College

West Cheshire College

City of Wolverhampton College

Further Education Colleges (16-18 years)

Who else has used the Method and how successful has it been?Schools:Fortismere School, North London The Cardinal Wiseman High

School, MiddlesexOakbank School, Keighley,

W. Yorks.

Health Services:Peterborough & Stamford Hospitals The Princess Alexandra Hospital

NHS Trust, HarlowThe Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS

TrustRoyal Devon and Exeter HospitalSalisbury NHS Foundation Trust

Other:Institute of Development

Studies, UK.

International:Universite Catholique de

Louvain, BelgiumUniversitaetsbibliothek

Wuerzburg, GermanyRedcliffe/Caboolture Health

Service District Library, Queensland, Australia

Waterford Institute of Technology, Ireland

Who else has used the Method and how successful has it been?

United States:

Emory University, Atlanta, GA

Lincoln Christian College and Seminary, IL

University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, IL

Bowdoin College, Brunswick, ME

Camden County College, NJ

College of New Jersey, NJ

Kent State Libraries, OH

Southwestern Oklahoma State University, OK

Mt Hood Community College, Gresham, OR

Crichton College, Memphis, TN

32

Faint o lyfrau gallaf eu benthyca? • Israddedigion ac Ôl-raddedigion Hyfforddedig:

12 eitem am bythefnos

• Gellir benthyg llyfrau poblogaidd, fel y rhai sydd ar restrau darllen am gyfnod byrrach e.e. 24 awr neu 3 diwrnod

Cofiwch y bydd angen eich Cerdyn Llyfrgell/Mynediad arnoch i fenthyca llyfrau!!

Quand peut-on avoir accès à la bibliothèque?

Du lundi au jeudi: de 8h00 à 18h8h00 à 18h

Le vendredi: de 8h00 à 17h8h00 à 17h

Pendant les vacances: de 9h à 16h9h à 16h

How to print your Polar Bear

• We have drop-in IT facilities in the Learning Centre, G17, and the silent study room (L32).

• All machines are attached to black and white printers.

• At the start of term you have £20 worth of print credit, black and white prints cost 6p each, colour prints cost 75p.

• Make sure you choose the correct printer! If you sent a black and white print to the colour printer you will still be charged 75p.

How can I keep in touch?

Why are we all here today?

• To find out what services are available in the Learning Centre

• You can get access to all the facilities on completion of enrolment

• Your student card is also your library card

I want to send a photo of my pet gerbil, Derek, on

the Karaoke to my friend. Can I email it?

Comments from librarians

“I invited the Dean of Faculty. He described it as “pedagogically practised and polished” (Maria Bennett, University of Derby)

“We got applause at the end of the session instead of the usual glum faces” (Mary Edwards Otter, University of Leicester)

“It saved us from dying of boredom” (Hilary McKenzie, Cardinal Wiseman High School)

“It engages them in a way that a straight presentation cannot” (Peter Godwin, University of Bedfordshire)

In what ways can the Cephalonian Method be adapted

and varied?

• Incorporated into library tours (use of color zones)

• Treasure hunts• Students write their own questions• Combined with “clickers” technology• Prizes / incentives• Quiz / game show formats

Case Study: Oldham Sixth Form College, Lancashire

Key elements:• Video clips to deliver information• A charismatic “compere”• Library staff divided into color teams• Colored lighting effects• Electronic random seat generator • Students entered into prize draw• A “come on down” finale

Now it’s MY turn to ask YOU!

1. What do you like / dislike about the Cephalonian Method. Would you consider using it?

2. What obstacles might you face when trying to implement it?

3. Can you suggest ways in which the Method can be improved / developed?

I hope you enjoyed your visit to Cephalonia!

Thanks for your attention!