The ACU Library has prepared a fantastic display featuring the common book. Here are some elements you might have missed if you didn’t realize what you were looking at:
* Display cases containing information about the common book idea, other books considered, and artistic ties to Same Kind of Different.
* Poster size photographs featuring ACU students engaged in service projects. Did you know these were fellow students? They suggest great ways to get involved. The photos were provided by the Volunteer and Service Learning Center on campus.
* Books to check out on themes suggested by the common book. Themes include poverty, wealth and Christianity, transformational church, Christian friendship, and faith inspired service opportunities. These books are good ways to go beyond the common book to explore an issue more deeply.
A special element of the display is that it takes advantage of iPhone technology. Scattered throughout the exhibit are special barcodes that contain additional information. You can take a picture of the barcode with an iPhone or any camera enabled cell phone. The phone decodes the barcode and lets you view additional information directly on your mobile device. For example, someone can look at the photos of students helping at the Salvation Army. They can scan the special barcode by the poster and watch a video of ACU Service Saturday or go to Abilene’s Freedom Fellowship website. While perusing books on poverty, they can scan another barcode and pull up a customized, pre-formatted search of the library catalog that shows more books on the subject, lets them request books online, and links them to reviews and summaries. It is a great way of delivering enhanced information directly and conveniently where users want it.
We’ve already had some books checked out and comments on the exhibit. In fact, during iPhone distribution two weekends ago I saw some students and their parents point to the signs and book quotes and say, “There’s that book everyone is talking about!”
Additional people who worked on this exhibit include Shan Martinez, Shalis Stevens, and Karen Hendrick. I am so proud of the work they put in. On behalf of the ACU Library, please take time to enjoy the exhibit and to thank each of these people when you see them.
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