Get Your Game On Video Games in the Library

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Get Your Game On!Video Games in the Library

• Presented for Metrowest MRLS
• by Beth Gallaway May 22, 2006

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Gaming Glossary
Online game
ESRB
Handheld
Platform
Video game
FPS
Controller
Console
PC Game
MMORPG
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STAT ATTACK

• 7 Billion in Video Game Sales in 2005
• Only 15 of games sold in 2005 were rated M
• 32 of households that play games on handheld or
  wireless devices
• 31 of gamers are under age 18
• 81 of teens play games online
• 25 of gamers are over age 50
• 50 of gamers play with someone else
• 25 of gamers play with someone else online

• ESA. Essential Facts About the Computer and Game
  Industry. 2006.http//www.theesa.com/archives/fil
  es/Essential20Facts202006.pdf
• Lenhart, Amanda et al. "Teens and Technology
  Youth are Leading the Transition to a Fully Wired
  and Mobile Nation." Family, Friends Community.
  Pew Internet American Life Project. July 2005.
  http//www.pewinternet.org/PPF/r/162/report_displa
  y.asp

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• Gaming is the medium of choice
• for the millennial generation

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The Gamer Generation TM Characteristics

• Social
• Competitive
• Wired
• Self-aware
• Always On

• Heroic
• Multi-taskers
• Global
• Collaborative
• Risk Takers

Beck, John C. Mitchell Wade. Got Game? How the
Gamer Generation is Reshaping Business Forever.
Cambridge MA Harvard Business School, 2004.
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7 Developmental Needs of Adolescents

• positive social interaction with adults peers
• structure and clear limits
• physical activity
• creative expression
• competence and achievement
• meaningful participation in families, school,
• communities
• opportunities for self-definition

NMSA. NMSA Research Summaries. Young Adolescents
Developmental Needs (1996)http//www.nmsa.org/Res
earch/ResearchSummaries/Summary5/tabid/257/Default
.aspx
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Gaming builds developmental assets
SUPPORT by respecting the teens, giving them a
chance to plan programs and services, and giving
them a place in which to test things out and be
themselves. BOUNDARIES EXPECTATIONS by
helping the teens cycle through the games in
order to test each one. EMPOWERMENT by giving
the teens the role of game testers and by showing
teens then can "perform" in front of others and
not be judged. SOCIAL COMPETENCIES by giving
teens the chance to play games together, hang out
in a comfortable environment, and talking to them
about their needs and interests.
Braun, Linda. Teens Are Great. YALSA Blog, May
14, 2006. http//blogs.ala.org/yalsa.php?titlete
ens_are_greatmore1c1tb1pb1
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Learning principles in games

• Risk tasking in a safe environment
• Rewarding of practice
• Use of affinity groups
• Probing cycles
• Situated meaning
• Self-knowledge
• Identity formation

Gee, James Paul. What Video Games Have to
Teach Us About Learning and Literacy.
Palgrave McMillan, 2003
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Side Effects of Video Games

• Hand-eye coordination
• Pattern Recognition
• Reading Writing
• Physics
• Math
• History
• Geography/Map Reading
• Social Skills

• Mentoring Leadership
• Critical Thinking
• Problem Solving
• Creativity
• High self-esteem
• Loyalty
• Teamwork
• Calculated, Strategic Risk-taking
• Fun

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Success Stories

• Santa Monica Public Library (CA) Counterstrike
  LAN party
• Ann Arbor District Library (MI) Mario Kart,
  Super Smash Bros, and DDR tournaments
• North Hunterdon High School (NJ) hosts a
  student-run game night in the cafeteria
• Kansas City Public Library (Central)Runescape
  Marathon
• East Brunswick Public Library (NJ) Circulating
  games for 16 years
• Austin Public Library (TX) Hosted a Video Game
  Design Camp
• University of Waterloo Library Video game to
  train staff in GovInfo Ref ???

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Success Stories

• Carencro High School (LA) Hosts Game Academy for
  future game designers
• Jervis Public Library (NY) Teen Summer Reading
  Program Game
• Flint Memorial Library (MA) Game Night program
• Tulsa City-County Library (OK) Gaming Council
• Charlotte Mecklenburg County (NC) Halo
  Tournament for adults 18
• MORE SUCCESS STORIES Best Practices Library
  Success Wiki at http//www.libsuccess.org

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Your Success Story In Print!

• Game On! Gaming and Libraries
• Neal-Schuman
• email Beth at informationgoddess29_at_gmail.com

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Dance Dance Revolution Free Play Tournaments

• Sellers Library (PA)
• Thomas Ford Memorial Library (IL)
• Tipton County Public Library (IN)
• Bloomington Public Library (IL)
• Ann Arbor District Library (MI)

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DDR Recipe for Success

• One console (100-400)
• 2-4 dance pads (20-300)
• 1 game (25-60)
• 1 LCD projector
• 1 one large screen or white wall
• plenty of drinks!

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DDR / Guitar Hero _at_ the Library was

• Awesome cuz everyone gets along with each other,
  theres no waiting in line or nething (sic). Plus
  guitar hero is a wicked rad game.
• It was fun because im (sic) learning to play
  guitar
• I loved ddr I just started playing and when I
  started playing I really stunkthen I played for
  7 hours then im (sic). really good I love ddr
  now!!!
• I liked this because theres too few of the DDR
  community around. This is a good opportunity to
  meet people with like interests.
• I had a really awesome time. I saw a lot of my
  friends I havent seen a few weeks and months. It
  was entertaing (sic) because DDr is a really big
  game now. Its a lot of fun too!
• Ddrgutiart hero fun

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WHAT IF I AM NOT READY TO HOST A GAMING PROGRAM?
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7 THINGS YOU CAN DO TOMORROW to make your
library welcoming to gamers

• Use games to do readers advisory 
• Be a strategy guide
• Embrace your inner technogeek
• Be flexible
• Plan change
• Immerse yourself in pop culture especially
  video game culture
• Try some games!

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1. READERS ADVISORY

• INSTEAD OF
• What authors do you like to read?
• What are the last 3 books you read and enjoyed?
• What did you like about them?
• ASK
• What movies do you like?
• What TV shows do you watch?
• What games do you play?

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2. BE A STRATEGY GUIDE

• Show, dont tell.
• Make it interactive.
• Get them started.
• Have a free-for-all.
• Ask for a demo of expertise

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3. EMBRACE YOUR INNER TECHNOGEEK

• Upgrade.
• Get a screen name.
• Try to break it.
• Develop pilot projects.
• Read tech news.

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4. BE FLEXIBLE

• Change the space.
• Say yes.
• Go meta.
• Customize.
• Flexible furnishings.

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5. PLAN CHANGE

• Sticky content for your website
• Sticky content for your facility
• Accept change
• Write it into the long range plan

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6. IMMERSE YOURSELF IN POP CULTURE

• Know whats hot/whats not.
• Pop goes the library
• Boing Boing
• Nextfest
• Know about crossovers.

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ESPECIALLY VIDEO GAME CULTURE

• Watch Red Vs. Blue
• Read Penny Acade or PvP
• View PBSs Culture Shock You Decide Video Games
• Skim gaming magazines
• Pay attention to gaming news

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Video Game Culture

• Join the LibGaming Google Group
• Read the Game On! Video Games in Libraries blog
• Take an online class on Video Games and Libraries
  from Simmons GSLIS
• Participate in the YALSA Gaming Interest Group.
• Take the YALSA Teens Technology class

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7. TRY SOME GAMES

• SET GAME DAILY PUZZLE
• PENGUIN BASEBALL
• BEJEWELED
• CHICKTIONARY
• BOB THE BLOB
• NEOPETS
• RUNESCAPE
• DINER DASH
• CABOODLE
• SNOOD

• APPLECORE
• BONUS
• CITYCAFE
• FUNBRAIN
• GAIAM
• GIRLS GO TECH
• GIRL TECH GAMES CAFÉ
• PLAYFIRST
• POGO
• QUEEN BEE GAMES
• J OTTO SEIBOLD
• SHOCKWAVE

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Games are like books, they are just another new
format