“Lost in the Library” video series invites students to explore

Super-spy librarians, kung fu shelvers and star-crossed lovers locking eyes over their computer work stations. These are the characters of Lost in the Library, a new web series produced in Wright State University’s Dunbar Library.

Using the library can be intimidating: floors and floors of books, interlibrary loans, infinite online resources…but the time in the library is inevitable for college students. Two Wright State University Dunbar Library employees, Beth Anderson and Karin Nevius, want to make that time fun and productive.

Nevius is the coordinator of development and public relations, and Anderson is the Student Technology Assistance Center (STAC) reference specialist.

“This is the first time we’ve ever gotten to do something truly fun, to get out there to students and show them what we have,” said Nevius.

Anderson has had a lot of practice making videos like these. Last year, she received the President’s Award for Excellence in Innovation for working on similar video projects with area high schools.

Both Nevius and Anderson were quick to point out that Wright State students can make videos just like the Lost in the Library series, using the Flip Video cameras and editing equipment in the STAC.

“If we can do it, anybody can do it,” said Anderson.

Many students have taken advantage of STAC in the past, including a student who got to the semifinals of Survivor; she used the equipment available in the STAC to shoot her audition video.

“STAC has been here for 10 years,” said Nevius. “We have 20,000 students a year come in here, but a high percentage of students don’t know what’s here.”

They’re hoping that the Lost in the Library videos will draw more visitors to the STAC, as well as the rest of the library. But they’re also hoping the videos will make people smile.

When they shoot the videos, Anderson says, “We take a bunch of video that makes us laugh, and if it makes our students laugh, okay!”

The videos are simple but effective. Anderson edits them using Apple’s iMovie 11. Each one has a distinct film theme, such as an action flick, a romance or a mystery. They star librarians, students and student workers.

“Everyone in them has been very excited about them,” said Nevius. “I hope that gets across to people, because everybody who works here is really, honestly interested in helping students. We want people to realize that this is not a scary place.”

To see more Lost in the Library videos, check out the library’s YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/wsulibraries