Our project was to host a murder mystery in the library where we presented students with a series of clues that required them to check out an article on reserve, look up an online subject guide, use the catalog and another database, and navigate the floors of the library.  The murder mystery was a fun yet educational way to help introduce students to research tools in the Carmichael library as well as to physically get them into the library and have them interact with library staff.
I believe we successfully achieved our goals, even surpassed them since the library revised and ran another intro mystery/scavenger hunt to incoming freshman this summer during orientation.

Our goal was to educate as well as entertain. The first IL student learning outcomes for goal 1 specifically refers to investigation by students.  We combined research investigation with a murder mystery to provide a specific question (i.e. who is the murder?) that the students investigated using specific library services and by accessing information using a variety of search strategies, thus fulfilling Student Learning Outcomes 2.  We directed students by providing them with an overall plan and timeline to acquire the necessary information.

Specifically, this murder mystery enhanced the IL Student Learning Goal and Outcome number 4: Information literate students effectively use the information to accomplish a specific purpose.  Their specific purpose was to identify the murder.  To do this, they achieved the IL student outcomes: apply information appropriately to the identified questions and problems, summarize and draw conclusions based on the information gathered, and synthesize and systematically present evidence obtained from research to support conclusions.

The murder mystery also helped complete the IL student Learning Goal and Outcomes number 3: Information literate students assess the validity and the appropriateness of the information. The student participants walked through pre-planned research steps that modeled how research is conducted.  They also determined the extent to which the retrieved information satisfied the research questions or problems (i.e. who is the murderer!).

At the onset, we felt our goal would be achieved if the students were able to tell us who the murder was, which means that they had correctly researched and processed the information.  And around 80 students successfully completed this goal!  Students had fun in the library and learned while playing! Thus, goal achieved.