Discover the Library Through a Game

The UB has introduced a new English-language offering: In addition to traditional library introductions for first-semester students and newcomers, students of the humanities from their second semester onwards, as well as researchers, can now explore the library through an interactive escape game. “The Professor’s Curse: A Library Escape Game” not only teaches basic library skills but also helps participants navigate the central library’s layout and develop search strategies for the UB catalogue and an English studies database. In groups of two to five, participants solve a mystery involving a fictional professor who works in the library and seems to have changed dramatically under mysterious circumstances.

Originally designed specifically for students of English studies, the escape game was first suggested by Dr. Sofia Rüdiger from the Chair of English Linguistics at the University of Bayreuth in 2020. The project was put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic but was finalized in 2023 through collaboration with UB staff members Katharina Lehner and Magdalena Rausch. The first test runs took place that year.

“One of the great strengths of the escape game is that it not only fosters interaction with the library staff but also promotes collaboration among students. Additionally, the playful approach lowers the threshold for engaging with the UB’s digital resources and labyrinthine layout,” explains Katharina Lehner from the UB.