Mysteries of Murdock: Resources Revealed

By: Mckenzie Gerdes

Photographed by: Victoria Prieto

Sometimes trying to locate resources on campus can feel like searching for Bigfoot, but the Mysteries of Murdock event brings Bigfoot and valuable resources directly to students.

Mysteries of Murdock is designed to introduce students to important resources available at the library, including research material help, the Academic Resource Center (ARC), and Disability and Accessibility Services (DAS). This event was put together by ARC Coordinator Hannah Jackson, and Research and Instruction Librarians, Jenny Bruxvoort and Kate Wimer. This year, the event took place on Sept. 17.

What is Mysteries of Murdock? Jackson said that it is a fun event meant to help students engage with the library in a non-academic way. It involves investigations, searching for Bigfoot, and participating at different booths in order to win prizes. Music and snacks are also provided.

Months of planning go into Mysteries of Murdock, including weekly staff meetings leading up to it. Volunteers help run the booths, which are each planned to help students have fun while learning about resources.

While the event is only in its third year, the organizers expect it will grow into something bigger, and plan to possibly add more departments and resources to learn about. Bruxvoort is hopeful that Mysteries of Murdock will be in more calendars across campus, so that more people will come. Additionally, the event is now open to all students at George Fox University, not just incoming students, as it was in previous years.

Last year, the organizers of Mysteries of Murdock were able to show their flexibility by taking the event online, becoming a choose-your-own-adventure event. This year they were able to host it in person, allowing students to get even more familiar with Murdock Library.

Overall, Jackson and Bruxvoort hope that students will have fun. This event was designed to help people realize the resources they have available to them, such as research help, the ARC, and DAS. As Mysteries of Murdock becomes more established on campus due to the hard work of those who put it together, there is anticipation that more and more students will become confident in visiting Murdock Library anytime they need to. Bruxvoort said the message to students is that “when you need us, if you need us, you feel comfortable.”