Learning how to use the library course reserves at UF is now an adventure to save thousands from the deadly Gator Virus.
"Bioactive" is a new interactive game about bioterrorism where players must use key UF library resources to save themselves and the university.
Sara Gonzalez, a UF physical sciences librarian and project leader of the game, said it's a fun way to learn about the libraries' resources.
"Bioactive" took more than 10 months to create and the collaborative efforts of six UF librarians without funding or formal training.
Valrie Davis, a UF agricultural sciences librarian and co-project leader, said the entire project was volunteer-based.
She said they also had an active community of programmers they could go to if they needed help.
"Bioactive" has gone through two different versions. The first version was based on text commands.
Davis said they changed the interface after receiving feedback from library staff and students who said they had a hard time navigating the game.
The current version is a simpler point-and-click game that uses a Web browser and doesn't require the user to download anything, Gonzalez said.
Davis and Gonzalez said "Bioactive" has received a lot of positive response so far, but they're still looking for students to test the game.
They said they hope to give "Bioactive" to instructors to assign to their classes that use course reserves.
They also began working on a generic version for other libraries to use after presenting it at the American Library Association Conference in June.
"We want to make it available to other libraries that don't have the man power and the money to create a similar program," Gonzalez said.
Students can play "Bioactive" by visiting the game's Web site at http://www.uflib.ufl.edu/games/bioactive/.
