A Data Structures Field Trip? Integrating a Library Visit into CS2

Computer science students often struggle to understand the real-world implications of theoretical computer science. In our data structures course, we conducted an experimental activity taking students on a field trip to the school library in order to showcase the ways that the library functions as a data structure, and the algorithms that library staff employ to keep the library running smoothly. Here, we describe the design of four activities for data structures students at the library and encourage other courses to consider integrating real-world examples of data structures and algorithms into their courses.