GET YOUR GAME ON! GAMING AT THE LIBRARY

Presented by Beth Gallaway for ARLAOctober 2008http://informationgoddess.info

WHAT IS A GAME?

GAME: activity engaged in for diversion or amusement; synonym: see FUN

VIDEO GAME: an electronic game played by means of images on a video screen and often emphasizing fast action

Merriam-Webster Online. http://www.m-w.com

WHY GAMES AT THE LIBRARY?BECAUSE GAMES …

Are just like books, they are just another new format

Are the medium of choice for the millennial generation

Build developmental assets Are literary Reinforce new literacies Bring in new users FUN!

GAMES ARE LIKE BOOKS...

THEY ARE JUST A NEW FORMAT

GAMING IS THE MEDIUM OF CHOICE FOR THE MILLENNIAL GENERATION

WHAT IS THE BIRTH YEAR SPAN OF MILLENNIALS?A. 1968-1982B. 1975-1990C. 1982-2000D. 1996-PRESENT

WHAT % OF YOUTH AGE 12-17 PLAY VIDEOGAMES?

* Pew Internet & American Life Project. “Teens Video Games & Civics.” September 2008. http://pewinternet.org/PPF/r/263/report_display.asp

97%

WHAT % OF GAMERS ARE FEMALE?

* Entertainment Software Association. Top 10 Facts. http://www.theesa.com/facts/top_10_facts.php

40%

GAMING MEETS DEVELOPMENTAL NEEDS OF YOUNG ADOLESCENTS

o Positive social interaction with adults & peers

o Structure and clear limitso Physical activityo Creative expressiono Competence and achievemento Meaningful participation in families,

school, communitieso Opportunities for self-definition

NMSA. NMSA Research Summaries. Young Adolescents Developmental Needs (1996)

WHAT DEVELOPMENTAL ASSETS ARE BEING BUILT?

GAMING = LITERACY Environmental print

signagelabelsmaps

Reading about the gameinstructionswalkthroughs

Writing about the gameforumswebsites

Chat: “WTS, Mageweave cloth, 15g”

GAMING REINFORCES NEW LITERACIES

Exposing knowledge

Employing information

Expressing ideas compellingly

Ethics on the Internet

Warlick, David. ”The New Literacies.” Scholastic Administrator. Mar-Apr2005

1. EXPOSING KNOWLEDGE

Find information

Understand and explain found information regardless of its format

Evaluate information

Organize information

2. EMPLOYING INFORMATION

Computation

Measurement

Analysis

Application

3. EXPRESSING IDEAS COMPELLINGLY

Mechanics matter

Creativity & efficiency highly rated

Text, images, audio, and video are used to express ideas in many digital formats

WAYS GAMERS EXPRESS IDEAS COMPELLINGLY

Fan Fiction Machinima Web Comics Fan Forums Clan Websites

ETHICS ON THE INTERNET

Modding – recreating game content

FanFic – writing stories about characters created/owner by someone else

Machinima – films/videos created through recording video game play

HAVE YOU EVER PLAYED A GAME RATED “M” FOR MATURE?

YES

NO

WHAT PERCENTAGE OF GAMES SOLD IN 2006 WERE RATED M?*

* Entertainment Software Association. Top 10 Facts. http://www.theesa.com/facts/top_10_facts.php

15%

HOW CAN LIBRARIES SERVE YOUNG GAMERS?

o Connect games with “traditional” materialso Think like a gamero Become a strategy guideo Research video game cultureo Support gaming o Create a gaming experience:

o Game collectionso Gaming programs

o Try some games!

USE GAMES IN READER'S ADVISORY

INSTEAD OF: What authors do you like to read? What are the last 3 books you read? What did you like about them?

ASK: What movies do you like? What TV shows do you watch? What games do you play?

THINK LIKE A GAMER

o Everything is in BETA

o Get a screen nameo It's all about YOUo You can’t break ito Fail early, fail often

BE A STRATEGY GUIDE... ...NOT A LEVEL BOSS!

o Show, don’t tell.o Make it interactive.o Have a free-for-all.o Ask for a demo of

expertise

RESEARCH VIDEO GAME CULTURE

o Watch Red Vs. Blueo Read Penny Acade or PvPo Skim gaming magazineso Link to gaming siteso Pay attention to gaming around youo Attend GLLS2008o Join the LibGaming Google group:

http://groups.google.com/group/libgaming

TRY SOME GAMES

o Set Gameo Penguin Baseballo Bejeweledo Chicktionaryo Bob the Blobo Club Penguino Runescapeo Diner Dasho Snood

http://del.icio.us/informationgoddess29/games

WHAT % OF PUBLIC LIBRARIES ALLOW PATRONS TO PLAY COMPUTER GAMES?*

82%

*Nicholson, Scott. (2007). The Role of Gaming in Libraries: Taking the Pulse. July 2007. http://boardgameswithscott.com/pulse2007.pdf . Accessed October 8, 2007.

AND … CREATE A GAMING EXPERIENCE

o Programso Collections

WHAT % OF PUBLIC LIBRARIES HOST VIDEO GAME PROGRAMS?*

13%

*Nicholson, Scott. (2007). The Role of Gaming in Libraries: Taking the Pulse. July 2007. http://boardgameswithscott.com/pulse2007.pdf . Accessed October 8, 2007.

WHAT MAKES A SUCCESSFUL GAMING PROGRAM?

1. Do your homework2. Provide variety3. Open up to the community4. Spread the word5. Play

FOR PROGRAMS, CHOOSE GAMES THAT ARE:

Multiplayer Short rounds Rated E or T Easy to learn Challenging to master Appealing to a wide demographic

WHAT % OF GAMERS PLAY ON HANDHELDS?

* Entertainment Software Association. Top 10 Facts. http://www.theesa.com/facts/index.asp

32 %36%

HANDHELD PROGRAM Cell phone clinic PSP Gamefest Nintendo DS Gamefest

MODEL GAMING PROGRAMS Velma Teague Branch, Glendale Public

LibraryRunescape LAN party 2 sessions 6-12 teens

AFTER SCHOOL ZONE Benicia Public Library, CA

Hanging out, snacks and playing games encourages

Kids and teens who have gotten parental consent can play Halo 2 and Ghost Recon on the XBox 360;

Mario Kart and Super Smash Bros. Melee are popular on Gamecube

MODEL GAMING PROGRAMS

Ann Arbor District Library (MI) Mario Kart, Super Smash Bros, & DDR Tournaments for all ages Regular programs Online community

MODEL GAMING PROGRAMS

North Hunterdon High School NJ 25 Projectors + white walls Fundraiser

GAME DESIGN!

Ben 10 Alien Force Game Creator

http://gamecreator.cartoonnetwork.com/

DDR RECIPE FOR SUCCESS

One console ($80-$600) 2-4 dance pads ($20-$300 each) 1 game ($25-$60) 1 LCD projector ($600-1000) or TV ($100-

$2K) 1 one large screen or white wall Activity for waiters Water

“DDR+GUTIART HERO= FUN”

“Awesome cuz everyone gets along with each other, there’s no waiting in line or nething. Plus guitar hero is a wicked rad game.”

“I liked this because there’s too few of the DDR community around. This is a good opportunity to meet people with like interests.”

“I LOVED DDR”

WHAT % OF PUBLIC LIBRARIES CIRCULATE VIDEO GAMES?*

30%

*Nicholson, Scott. (2007). The Role of Gaming in Libraries: Taking the Pulse. July 2007. http://boardgameswithscott.com/pulse2007.pdf . Accessed October 8, 2007.

GAMING COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT

1. Magazines2. Strategy guides3. Nonfiction about gaming4. Fiction with gaming as a plot or subplot

PRIMA STRATEGY GUIDES

eGuides in PDF format

504 titles $12.99 each

COLLECTION POLICY CONSIDERATIONS

Formats Console PC Internet Subscription

Breadth & Depth Genres Styles Age ranges

Budget

COLLECTION MANAGEMENT Storage depends on:

format staff space budget

Theft start with programs start small

Issues replacement/repair resistance

BEST PRACTICES: COLLECTIONSRockridge Ages 13-18 year olds PS2 games 2 games/patron No holds/renewals 7 day free checkout $1/day late fee $50/replacement fee Genres: sports,

adventure, racing, fighting, and shooters.

Helen McGraw E, E10+ and T PS2 and PC games 14 day circ $.25/day late fee game

cost+$5/replacement fee

Genres: compilations, sports, racing games, platformers, unique and quirky titles

THANK YOU!BETH GALLAWAYINFORMATION GODDESS CONSULTANT

Links: http://www.delicious.com/informationgoddess29/alsc

Email: informationgoddess29@gmail.com

Website: http://informationgoddess.info

Phone: 603.247.3196