Lexington Public Library saw the opportunity to use BattleKasters to engage teen customers, their families and community partners in a robust new way during the summer. The Library imagined a way to meet teens where they are and entice them into participating in a story brought to life across the city using the BattleKasters app. BattleKasters uses content from the book The Red Sun to create a virtual interactive quest in which participants try to resolve the essential quest of the book in a similar manner to Sam, the protagonist.

BattleKasters uses location-aware beacons to create an interactive, questing adventure. Four distinct games were created. Two games span the city. Community partners agreed to host beacons. The commercial partners are able to deliver content and the library is able to reciprocate by driving foot traffic to the partners. This active partnership benefits both parties. Lextran, the Transit Authority of Lexington, agreed to provide free transportation to people up to age 18 using their library card. This makes it possible for all students to participate in not only the BattleKasters game, but also to access many other summer programs.

Students participated in school book clubs using The Red Sun prior to the launch of the game. This, combined with the resolution of transportation issues, should combine to boost participation in the desired teen audience. Bringing a book to life across the city is a unique way to engage teens in an evolving ever-changing narrative. This method of engaging teens and their families helps us build a solid foundation to continue exploring the confluence of storytelling and technology in future programs.