A modern form of "treasure hunting," geocache players use a GPS device or a smartphone with a GPS application to find a hidden container or 'cache' using coordinates obtained from a website such as geocaching.com. The cache contains a log book, where players record that they located the cache, and small trinkets for the player to take as a prize. Some players even leave items for other treasure hunters to find later. Staff was originally interested in geocaching to bring new users into the Library. As gaming and mobile applications grow in popularity, a geocache can assist librarians in reaching a tech-savvy audience and is an innovative way to engage potential library users. Geocaching also promotes the Library as a welcoming place for gamers and encourages active use of the Library facility. Inevitably, as geocachers move from clue to clue, they discover materials of interest within the Library. Geocachers can also leave feedback using social media tools, such as twitter and Facebook, in addition to rating the puzzle on various geocaching websites. Thus, by incorporating social media, geocaching is an innovative form of outreach and marketing.

Staff utilized logic and creativity when designing the cache. The actual technology is simple: the Library’s physical coordinates were posted to a geocaching website, along with a list of clues and more information about the Library’s cache. The geocache at the Library requires library literacy more than just technology to discover its treasure. To find the cache, hunters must go on a library journey that increases information literacy, while keeping the searcher engaged with thoughtful puzzles. Each clue requires more than a nimble mind, as geocachers have to interact with the Library -- the staff, catalog, and collections -- to find the solution. The geocacher must solve several puzzles each with a single digit answer. These token answers are inserted into corresponding fields that will yield, upon completion, a call number. The cache is cleverly disguised as a simple book on a shelf that cannot be found without this secret call number. In pursuing the solution, geocachers first learn about information services at the Information Desk. Their second clue sends them into genre fiction with a tough puzzle about the “grand dame” of mystery novels. Next, the hunters head to audiobooks, where they are exposed to a video variety of audio-visual materials. Then, they are directed to the computer lab to count the number of OPACs available to customers. The last clue location exposes hunters to the new books display and requires them to browse library policies for the final piece of the puzzle. With all of the puzzles solved, searchers have the complete string of tokens for the secret Dewey Decimal number. Their final test is to track down the cache in the stacks and reap their reward.

The Original Wikipedia was recently nominated for two awards by the Northern Virginia Geocaching Organization. Specifically, the cache was nominated for "Most Creative Cache" and "Best Mystery/Puzzle Cache." Feedback from participants has been quite positive and many have left comments on their own Facebook pages and twitter accounts promoting the Alexandria Library cache.

In order to further promote geocaching, the Library recently offered a workshop on the topic in partnership with the Northern Virginia Geocaching Organization and the staff has plans to offer additional gaming sessions and programs on modern gaming. Effective communication contributed to the success of this program and it was important to offer proper instructions to all staff members regarding the geocache initiative and the appearance of “treasure hunters” in the Library. One potential negative, is the need to either revise the current geocache puzzle for ongoing relevance and to attract more geocachers. Overall, this was a relatively simple method to attract new users to the Library and to generate buzz by creatively employing technology.