Thursday, December 8, 2011

Case Study No. 0110: The Egyptophile/Jerry Hernandez

footage1
0:18
Found video showing jar theft
Tags: Blood on the Stacks
Added: 5 years ago
From: jdonald32
Views: 245

[scene consists of closeup on a bloodied hand clutching the canopic jar, then the Egyptophile (whose POV is through the camera lens) reaching down and taking the jar before running off into the stacks]

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From trinity.edu:

A daring crime in the library? Resident Mentors and library staff among the suspects? Students comb the library and its website for clues to solve the case? Sounds like New Student Orientation, Coates Library-style! In August the Coates Library welcomed Trinity First-Year students with an alternate reality game called Blood on the Stacks. For the second consecutive year, new students arrived in their Resident Mentor groups to solve a library mystery, win points by answering further questions, and compete for a grand prize.

Blood on the Stacks began in the spring of 2006, with a charge from Library Director Diane Graves to invent an orientation to follow in the footsteps of the hugely successful Harry Potter-themed orientations created by science librarian Barbara MacAlpine. Librarians Jeremy Donald, Clint Chamberlain and Jason Hardin created a mixed-media, digital/analog experience that treated the library as both a cyberspace and a bricks-and-mortar campus hotspot. Communication professor Aaron Delwiche supplied the idea of making the library orientation an 'alternate reality game,' where a fictional online narrative combines with real-world people, places, and events to create a game that blurs the boundary between the real and the imagined, the online environment and physical reality. The game involved a website, a My Space page, several film clips, an online tutorial, and a hunt for clues in the library during orientation week.

While input from an ad hoc student committee informed the design of the first incarnation of the game, the 2007 version of Blood on the Stacks benefited immensely from feedback provided by several focus groups consisting of new and returning RA's and RM's. Ben Newhouse and Katie Storey served on the planning committee, and made many important contributions as well. Ben and Katie also worked with the librarians to integrate the library NSO fully into the Orientation Week activities.

The 2007 Blood on the Stacks Library New Student Orientation represented a new high for involvement and enthusiasm from both new students and Residence Life staff. 39 Resident Mentor groups participated, bringing a total of over 500 first-year students through the library. Out of 39 RM groups, 31 decided to stay and work on the bonus questions-ten library-specific questions of increasingly difficulty, designed to test First Years on what they learned during the orientation. An 80% participation rate in completing the optional questions was a strong indication that this year's new students responded positively to the orientation, and got off a good start as future library geeks.

This year, two Resident Mentor groups took home the Grand Prize, a $150 study break during mid-terms. Caroline Balogh and Kevin Eaton both led their groups to not only guess the identity of the culprit (the Library's own Jerry Hernandez) but to answer the most bonus questions to take home the two grand prizes. They are representative of the leadership and positive role modeling demonstrated by all the RM's who brought their best efforts to bear on helping First Year students discover and become familiar with the library's resources, services, and staff.

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From trinity.edu:

***
Blood on the Stacks is a mystery game centered on Trinity University's Coates Library. It's part game, part real-life treasure hunt, and part library experience.
***

Ancient Egypt, home of the world's earliest libraries and the originator of the written record. Its treasures coveted by researchers and collectors alike.
San Antonio, Texas. Home of Trinity University, and the region's most extensive research collection, the Coates Library.
It was a rare honor to be chosen to host a display of precious artifacts. The librarians were thrilled, until the rare and valuable canopic jar went missing.
This security footage shows the bizarre crime as it happened. Reaching into the sealed case, the thief steals the prized artifact.
The thief, however, left behind a trail of clues. He also left with more than he bargained for.
Toxic mold spores trapped in the case could have a temporary psychotic effect.
The identity and location of the thief remain a mystery. Authorities are certain he or she works in the building.
Luckily, clues remain scattered throughout the library.

We need your help.
Help us identify the thief ...
... by searching the library for clues.

Among the movies in the Media Collection. Amidst government documents. Amongst current periodicals, the stacks, Special Collections, the Information Commons, the Writing Center, Circulation, and the Help Desk.
You'll find evidence to solve the mystery and win prizes as you go.
Catch the thief and the jar is sure to follow.

August 21 and 22
Coates Library

Film by Robert Smith and Jeremy Donald
Music by Manolo Camp
Voice by Clint Chamberlain
Starring JH and the Library Staff

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From myspace.com:

Egyptophile

The One You Least Suspect

Male
102 years old
SAN ANTONIO, Texas
United States

Status: Single
Here for: Networking
Religion: Other
Zodiac Sign: Leo
Occupation: library staff member
Income: $250,000 and Higher

About me:
I work in Coates Library. But you already knew that, right? Follow the clues you find here and throughout your library adventure and try to discover my true identity! But even if you do, you'll never catch me, ha ha! I'll be long gone with the money I made from the sale of the canopic jar...

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From personal correspondence with Jeremy Donald:

To answer your question about the identity of the thief, it was Jerry Hernandez one of our staff members in Tech Services, who also acted the part of the thief in the movie. (His dossier best matched the various clues students discovered in their trip through the library and online.)

To answer your question about how the identity of thief was revealed to students:

We had students work first in small groups of 3-4 to follow one of several 'clue-paths' through the library. (Each group started with an initial clue telling them to go to a library location and telling them something about the thief; once at that location, they would get another clue, and so on.) Then we had them convene in their 'resident mentor' groups (about 18 students) to pool all of their clues and compare them to the binder full of dossiers in the hopes of finding one suspect who matched the clues better than the others. The RM groups would then go to a 'check-out' station (set up for the orientation) and present their choice of suspect. If they were correct, their team was awarded points, and could go on to earn more points by answering online questions or completing a 'bonus questions' worksheet (I think we did it differently each of the two years we ran BOTS as our library orientation). The RM groups with the most points won the prizes and had their pictures published in the student newspaper.

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SUSPECT RAP SHEET 1
***

Name: Jerry Hernandez
Alias: JH; Officer Friendly
D.O.B.: Same as the birth of Rock 'n Roll
Distinguishing Traits and features:
Bilingual; Works with BC; Name means 'Son of fernando'; works for archaeologist Clint Chamberlain in the Serials dept; Part Time Wildlife officer; Bird watching addiction

Prior Convictions: Once called the International Space Station from extension 8307; outstanding warrant for barbequing w/out requisite safety padding; Repeat offence: wearing white pants during NIOSA.

***
SUSPECT RAP SHEET 2
***

Name: Diane J. Graves
Alias: Diane "Tator Salad" Graves; D.J.; Daisy-May
D.O.B.: June 12. "That's all you need to know, you upstart!"
Distinguishing Traits and features:
Blonde hair, glasses, high metabolism. "Icecapades" fanatic.

Prior Convictions: "Excuse me?? Like I'm going to share that with you people??" Top Secret: Banned from the Alamo Gift Shop for life (ask her!).

***
SUSPECT RAP SHEET 3
***

Name: Ron Fortin
Alias: "Tony"
D.O.B.: November 10, 1775
Distinguishing Traits and features:
Eats everything w/ rice; believes he has powers like peter petrelli (from heroes); and Wants to be the next apprentice

Prior Convictions: plead Guilty to the egging of the University Chihuahua; convicted of flushing his roommate's book in the toilet; sentenced to life in a cubicle for squishing the head of the largest cockroach ever squished! Look out, he's hard corps!!! Considered armed and dangerous!

***
Suspect Clue No. 1: The thief may reek of Gouda.
***

Student lockers throughout the library can give you a place to store your books all semester. Your next clue is at a locker on the 4th floor, No. 1408. The Help Desk staff will give you directions.

***
Suspect Clue No. 2: Someone here speaks a bit of Egyptian Arabic.
***

You're hot on the trail now! Our thief is known to have an affinity for films and music about Egypt. Check out the Library's vast Media holdings on the first floor and find:
PN 1997 .M357 1941
DT 62 .M7 S437 1994
MCD 3000 .P76 4s

***
Suspect Clue No. 3: We have reason to believe that the culprit worships the falcon-headed god Horus. He has a great love of birds.
***

Find these books with call number:
DS62 .F79 2006
DS62 .P385 1983
DS61.7.B37 L86 2006
for your next clue.

Hint: 2nd Floor, Behind the Staircase

***
Suspect Clue No. 4: One might say that this knave is something of a "serial" thief.
***

Speaking of serials, the Library has a large collection of current periodicals. All the journals and newspapers cover a copious amount of topics. Go find the New York Times on the 2nd floor where your next clue awaits.

***
Suspect Clue No. 5: Works with B.C.
***

The circulation desk has several dozen wireless-ready laptops available for two-hour check-out. Head there and pick up your next clue.

Hint: 3rd Floor

***
Suspect Clue No. 6: Works for a former archaeologist.
***

While you're at the circ desk, be sure to notice the popular titles on display in the lobby. Now, head down to the 2nd floor, find room 213 and translate your next step in the journey.

***
Suspect Clue No. 7: May just worship the Egyptian goddess Bast; this suspect has two cats.
***

The Library has seven group study rooms available for two-hour check-out, on the 2nd and 4th floors. You may find something interesting in room 409 ...

***
Suspect Clue No. 8: Special Hint: An actual color photograph of the culprit can be found posted somewhere on the 3rd-floor's photo montage staircase!
***

Rare and special titles are housed in this elegant area, which is only open from 1:00 to 4:45 each day. Drop by this location for your next clue (stop at the staircase mural for the suspect photo mentioned above!).

***
Suspect Clue No. 9: Don't let this person come close to a gift shop
***

Keep following the clues! Find a place on the 3rd floor that can handle all your printing, binding, and shipping needs.

***
Suspect Clue No. 10: Tutored in language by two Egyptians.
***

New library books and media are put on display on the 3rd floor. Head to any of the New Books Shelves for your next clue.

***
Suspect Clue No. 11: The Egyptians revered the scarab beetle. One of our librarians has a fondness for bugs, too!
***

Your translation skills are serving you well. Go to classroom 209 and try this one to get directions to your next destination: Look right behind you!

***
Suspect Clue No. 12: "Son of Fernando"
***

The ancient Egyptian scribes were much revered for their learning and writing skills. Improve your own academic literacy with help from the kind folks at the 3rd-floor's Writing Center. Go there now.

***
Suspect Clue No. 13: 8307
***

Keep following the clues!

Call No. N 5336 F8 P36 1992
Hint: 4th floor, left at the top of stairs

***
Suspect Clue No. 14: The thief is bilingual.
***

Up next for a clue: The Library's Information Technology Training Room (310), a state-of-the-art computer lab and lecture hall, complete with multimedia data projector and 27 student computer terminals. This facility is used for library instruction and GIS classes.

***
Suspect Clue No. 15: Many folks say the villain resembles Egyptian antiquities expert Zahi Hawass.
***

Hopefully, with the theft of the jar, the United States relations with Egypt will not become strained. Check out United States Treaties and other International Agreements, located on the 1st floor compact shelving, range S 9.10:-Sl 3.6

Hint: Behind the Staircase

***
Suspect Clue No. 16: White Pants!
***

Your next clue is located at a place where you can always get help with finding sources, organizing your research, and preparing your papers properly.
Hint: 3rd Floor

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