Visitors to the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre (IKBLC) have long enjoyed the ties to B.C. – from the design to the place names used throughout the building.
A new project highlights the place names in a new and creative way.
As of December, 32 rooms in the building feature a plaque with a historical image and QR codes to learn more about the history behind the region. The QR codes can be scanned using a phone or tablet, and have links to book study space and search Library materials, as well as historical information about the place. For example, the Chilcotin Room (256 on the second floor) has a black-and-white image of the gold mining ghost town, circa 1938.
“This project really merges history with technology,” says Allan Cho, Community Engagement Librarian at the IKBLC. The project, dubbed the Virtual Museum, also “reinforces the Barber Centre mandate – connecting each room to a region in British Columbia.”
Cho started the initial pilot of 12 rooms in May 2013, to see if there was interest from students. Cho hopes that the plaques will encourage students to interact and engage with the space in new and interesting ways.
The featured rooms include:
- Atlin Meeting Room, Room 191
- Bella Coola Meeting Room, Room 193
- Chapman Learning Commons, Room 300
- Chilcotin Board Room, Room 256
- Chung Room and Collection, Room 111
- Columbia River Room, Room 316
- Dodson Room, Room 302
- Kootenay River Room, Room 422
- Moresby Classroom, Room 185
- Qualicum Reading Room,Room 305
- Skeena River Room, Room 317
- Stewart Meeting Room, Room 184
- Stikine Room, Room 260
- Tofino Meeting Room, Room 156
- Ucluelet Meeting Room, Room 158
- Yukon Meeting Room, Room 181
- Bamfield Meeting Room, Room 157
- Bella Bella Meeting Room, Room 192
- Fraser Meeting Room, Room 183
- Gold River Videoconference Room, Room 272
- Golden Jubilee Room, Room 400
- Hartley Bay Meeting Room, Room 266
- Keremeos Lounge, Room 262
- Lillooet Room, Room 301
- Namu Meeting Room, Room 194
- Parliamentary Room, Room 155
- Peace River Room, Room 261
- Ridington Room, Room 321
- Thompson Meeting Room, Room 196
- Thompson River Room, Room 315
- Victoria Learning Theatre, Room 182
We are actively looking at possibilities using augmented reality. Future potential includes using LAYAR, a tool that allows people to scan printed material and look at digital content on their phones or tablets.
Start exploring the Virtual Musuem online or in-person at the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre.