Gaming in Academic Libraries: The Why and

How  Lori O. Critz, Georgia Institute of Technology

Asst. Dept. Head – Information Services Department Instruction Coordinator Web Content Coordinator Georgia Tech Library & Information Center

lori.critz@library.gatech.edu

Lynn Sutton, Wake Forest UniversityDirector, Z. Smith Reynolds Library

Wake Forest Universitysuttonls@wfu.edu

Giz Womack, Wake Forest UniversityManager of Technology Training-Z. Smith Reynolds Library

Wake Forest Universitywomack@wfu.edu

July 23rd, 2007 ALA Gaming Symposium Chicago

What kind of library are you from?

0%

9%

0%

5%

86% 1. Academic

2. Public

3. School

4. Not from a Library

5. None of your business

Background Demographics

Have you already conducted a gaming event?

2%

80%

18%

Background Demographics

1. Yes

2. No

3. Are you crazy?

Are you thinking of conducting a gaming event (your first or another one)?

24%

16%

60%

Background Demographics

1. Yes

2. No

3. Isn’t that why we are here?

Purpose of gaming event?

4%

33%

22%

42%

Background Demographics

1. Marketing

2. Library Instruction

3. Sheer Joy of it

4. Being able to present at conferences

If you could choose a super power, which would it be?

61%

39%

Background Demographics

1. Be invisible

2. Fly

Wake Forest University

• Demon Deacons • Winston-Salem, NC• 30th in USNWR• Most selective• Baptist heritage• 4,200 undergrads• $32K tuition

Why Gaming?

•Marketing technique•Reach out to new audience•Support innovation & creativity•Stay relevant to users•It’s fun!

Beyond Marketing

• Pervasive in society• Social networking• Complex learning

theory• Library instruction• OPAC design???

Get Game@ZSR - Formats

Open Game Nights – Two held on a Friday in September from

7pm-11pm.– One held on a Friday in February from 7pm-

11pm.

Tournament – Held on a Friday in February from 3pm-6pm.– We have hosted one tournament

Students registered in advance for both formats.

Get Game@ZSR - Resources

Staff/Partners– Library Information Technology Team Staff (6)– Resident Technology Advisors (RTAs) (8)

Equipment– LCD Projectors – Screens

Supplies– Pizza, Sodas, Water and Candy keep everyone happy! – Long extension cords and surge suppressors are a must!– Provide painter’s tape and sharpie pens to tag ALL the

equipment the players bring to the events.– Stock various RCA connectors for the projectors

and game systems.– Tournaments need a trophy!

Get Game@ZSR- Marketing

Get Game@ZSR - Costs

– First Open Game Night in Fall 2005

$425– First Tournament in Spring 2006

$172– Second Open Game Night in Fall 2006

$167– Third Open Game Night in Spring 2007

$173

What Do Spend On Each Gaming Event?

0%

0%

21%

14%

64% 1. $0-$100

2. $101-$250

3. $251-%500

4. $501-$750

5. More than $750

What Works?• We have surveyed students twice now in

Spring 2006 and Spring 2007 using Zoomerang.

• Students like these events!

• Students like bringing their own game consoles.

• Students like both game nights and tournaments.

• Keep mixing it up. The Wii was a big hit at our February event.

Georgia Institute of Technology• Located in the heart of Atlanta• 16,000+ undergraduate and graduate students• Focused, technologically based education• Research I level institution• 6 Colleges: Architecture, Engineering,

Sciences, Computing, Management, Liberal Arts

• Georgia Tech consistently ranks among U.S. News & World Report's top ten public universities in the United States.

• Tech ranks No. 2 at the bachelor's level, No. 1 at the master's level, and No. 3 at the doctoral level for African American engineering graduates (Diverse Issues in Higher Education)

So, why did we try Gaming?

– To ‘orient’ incoming freshmen to the library (Welcome Week)

– To provide librarians/staff insight into college students ‘culture’

– To brand the library “as a technically advanced, communal third place where people can come for informal social bonding” (Meet the Gamers. Kurt Squire & Constance Steinkuehler. Library Journal. April 15, 2005)

– To introduce Library staff as ‘real people’ and build a sense of community with students

– To strengthen partnership in LWC with campus IT staff

Initial Steps

• Formed a Planning Committee – Campus IT (OIT) & Library

• Divided responsibilities– OIT to handle setting up LAN, programming for online score

board and online registration, machine/server set-up, technical support

– Library to handle food, prizes, marketing, scheduling other ‘activities’, facilities, security, overall coordination

• Selected Unreal Tournament for LAN Tournament --- company gave us ‘free’ use

• Festivities would include food, music (DJ), Dance Dance Revolution, Multimedia demos, GT Improv theater group, GT A Cappella Club, Anime Movie Club, ORGT, etc.

Set-up

• Control Center – Server to direct

start/stop times, scoring, maps used

– Program written to display scores/live action

– Maintained LAN

Set-up

• Projection Screen– 12 feet across– $500 to rent

Set-up• Computer Stations

– Game was loaded on each machine

– Before play, each machine was opened & “air dusted” to limit overheating

– Headphones added to each station

Tournament

• 4 – 30 minute Elimination Rounds & Finals (at 12 am!) – each round had 3 -10 minute segments with different map

• Maximum of 64 players each round

• Finalists =Top four scorers from each round

• Gamers could use keyboard/mouse or own USB controller

• Players pre-registered for time slots

In play …..Library West Commons (LWC) – Game Central!

Winners Circle

• Semifinalists won headphones, Barnes & Nobles Gift Certificates, Jump Drives

• Grand Prize – Apple 20 GB iPod

Clean-up

• Took 2 hours to take down Control Center, Screens

• Library wide cleaning required – floors, table tops, food areas

What did we Gain?

• Working the Coolness Factor!• Face recognition --- “I remember you …”• Lasting Goodwill with my young colleagues in

OIT • Subtle “indoctrination” of freshmen to

services/resources –strategically placed signage• Clubs now see GA Tech Library as an able and

willing partner/venue for campus activities• Great image boost for the staff, proving that they

were not above having some fun with students

Committee plus student OIT workers ….

What did we Learn?• Unreal Tournament had limited

appeal to females and non-gamers in general -- other activities drew them in

• Video cards on 2005 machines were not adequate

• OIT (campus IT) estimated over 200 staff hours were used for this event; Library estimated over 150 hours ---- not sustainable

• Food is a HUGE attraction!• More sustained campus-wide

marketing needed• Expensive - $700 for student OIT

workers, $500 for screen, $1000 for food/prizes

• Not possible without volunteer help (40 additional staff helped for the evening)

Current Iteration of Game Night

• “CeLIBration” – more of a festival atmosphere

• Retro gaming in Multi Media Studio (Mario Brothers, Donkey Gong, Pac Man, …)

• Board games (Battleship, Risk, Candy Land, Clue, Checkers, …)

• Poker Tournament• Speed Dating• Ninja Tag• Dance Dance Revolution• Marketing included flyers,

Facebook, posters

Questions?

Contact Information:

Lori O. Critz, Georgia Institute of TechnologyAsst. Dept. Head – Information Services Department Instruction Coordinator Web Content Coordinator Georgia Tech Library & Information Centerlori.critz@library.gatech.edu

Lynn Sutton, Wake Forest UniversityDirector, Z. Smith Reynolds Library

Wake Forest University

suttonls@wfu.edu

Giz Womack, Wake Forest UniversityManager of Technology Training, Z. Smith Reynolds LibraryWake Forest Universitywomack@wfu.edu