Gaming in the Library

Within the past five years, the subject of gaming in libraries has been a hot topic among information professionals. As a result, greater numbers of games have started to make their way into library collections, and many institutions have explored different types of games-related programs.

Photo credit: David Lea. Reproduced by permission.

However, these changes have not been entirely uncontested; patrons, administrators, and library staff continue to debate not only the basic justifications for games-related services but also the effectiveness and appropriateness of specific programs and materials.

This website explores the questions of why games might belong in the library and how libraries can get started on integrating games into their core services. In addition, more specific subjects, such as the appearance of "serious games" and the state of games-related services in Canadian libraries, will also be discussed.

A Brief Note about Definitions

The broader issue of games in libraries obviously spans a variety of formats. Some libraries have had great success in organizing physical scavenger hunt style games. Another significant category is represented by board games and card games. However, these particular gaming options tend to provoke less controversy due to basic familiarity: traditional board games have been long-time fixtures in libraries. (Neiburger 16). For that reason, this site will mainly focus on the issue of videogames in public and academic libraries. This overarching term includes games for virtually any platform (i.e. Xbox, Playstation, Wii, SNES, PC, iPhone, and so on) and encompasses a wide range of genres, from first-person shooters to puzzle games to massive multiplayer online role playing games (MMORPGs).

 
Created by Megan Sorenson
November 15, 2010
LIBR 500
Foundations of Information Technology
 
Hand-coded using TextMate