Spring Fling 2010

Gaming as a Service

Why Gaming?

Why NOT

Gaming?

We’re Already Gaming

ChessCheckersSummer Reading ClubRecreational ReadingStory time

But A Library Does Not Provide

Carry FictionCarry picture books or other children’s

literature.Provide programming of any kind.“We are not a recreation center” attitude

is not doing us or our community any favors.

Libraries can…

Provide a third place.Provide a safe place.Provide a place to socialize.Provide an experience that you cannot

get at home.

Gaming can be a piece of this picture.

Gaming and Story

Libraries are about stories and information and access to stories and information regardless of format. Videogames must be regarded as a new, interactive, multimedia, three dimensional digital format for conveying stories and information.”

Game On! By Beth Gallaway, Neal-Schuman, 2009.

And…

Teens are more invested in the story of videogames because they are the ones shaping the course and tone of the story in the moment of play.

BUTVideogames are…

Violent

Stats of highest selling video games here

Consoles and games have controls to tone down the violence (no blood, flowers instead of blood, green instead of red.

As library staff you are in control of what games are played and in what modes.

BUTVideogames are…

Time Wasters

The Gamer Generation is…Open to risk-taking, exploring, trying

new things, and solving problems creatively.

Social, and understand that sharing their interests with others does not depend on georgaphy.

Content Creators (fan fiction, character blogs, machinima.

Not Convinced?One Library’s Story

How It Started

2005 Gaming Symposium2006 Gaming Proposal2006 Board approval2007 Teen Tech Week roll-out.

Supplies and Budget to Start

2007 PS2, Guitar Hero, DDR, Nintendo Wii

Each branch had $260.00 Circulating collection, $1,000 worth of games

2008 $750.00 each branch, some bought extra Wii

consoles, accessories, games, replacement items

2009 $475.00 per branch (budget cuts) $700.00 circulating board game collection.

Teen Tech Week 2007

PS2, Guitar Hero w/two guitars and DDR pads.

378 teens attend programs in one week.

Summer Reading Club 2007

Some branches offered gaming as often as once a week over the 8 week period. 2,118 teens attended gaming programs across the system.

Teen Read Week 2007

Branches offered both open play and Guitar Hero II Tournaments. Red Octane, the company that makes Guitar Hero donated hats, t-shirts and wrist bands to every branch that hosted a tournament.

378 teens came to these gaming programs.

2007 Total Numbers

Teen Tech Week: 378March to June : 678Teen Summer Reading: 2,118Teen Read Week: 378August to December: 1809TOTAL: 5,361

Total to Date…

Over 15,000 teens have attended gaming programs in three years. When we take the total cost spent from 2007 to 2009, the average amount spent per teen is:

$1.15

Beyond Statistics: Literacy

…it was a great opportunity for me to interact with teens who would not normally open up to me. I set up a book display featuring books from the Teen Tech Week booklist and after I promoted them, nearly all of them were checked out. –Dublin Branch

Beyond Statistics: Literacy

After Wednesday’s program, I was talking to Katelyn, the girl to beat at DDR yesterday. We were talking about some books she had in her hand and turns out she was interested in WWII because her grandfather was in it. This lead to talk about the Diary of Anne Frank, which she had never heard of, so we then found it and she checked it out. Hopefully as this evolves, we will find even more “book connections” with regular participants. -- Franklinton Branch

Beyond Statistics: Relationships

The Karl Road Branch has built a Teen Advisory Board from regular gamers.

Northern Lights Branch has a large Somali population and gaming gives Somali teens a safe, non-confrontational venue to socialize with an activity that has high appeal.

Nuts and Bolts Basics

Pilots

Can be an easy sell.Opportunity to build advocacy.Allows you to work out the kinks.Build the excitement before a mandate

from admin comes down.

Logistical Advantages

Quick Set-up and Tear DownOpportunities for teens to be the experts.Library staff are able to shift from

presenter to facilitator. Any staff person can host gaming.

What to Buy

Accept that like any electronic technology, gaming changes rapidly.

Choose things with wide appeal first, then consider what your regular gaming participants recommend.

Be prepared to trade games in for newer ones.

What to Buy

Remember it’s less about equipment and more about environment.

If teens bring items from home, discuss responsibility and liability.

For big ticket items, buy one or two and share among branches/libraries, to see what to further invest in.

Promotion

Provide gaming and they will come.Schools, parent newsletter.Talk with other youth serving agencies.Unroll gaming alongside a larger event

like Summer Reading Club or large community event.

Newspaper, local news gaming shops

Tournaments

• Provide and ongoing story• Helps customers build teamwork and

participate in healthy civic engagement.

• Can become a tradition that cultivates interest from the community at large.

• Provides opportunities for teamwork and other confidence building activities.

Tournament Resources

Ann Arbor District Library http://www.aadl.org/aadlgt

http://wiki.gtsystem.org/

What? Gamers in the Library? By Eli Neiburger, ALA Publications, 2007.

Don’t Forget

Board GamesCard GamesAllowing the gaming environment to be

shaped by your teen customers.

Gaming Then and Now

2005 Symposium, new idea, few model libraries sharing their stories. Articles in Voya.

2010 Corporate Grants for Gaming, Regular columns on Gaming at School Library Journal, Voya, and Library Journal blog.

Moving into Game Design Programs.

Resources

Liz Danforth Blog:

www.libraryjournal.com/blog/1130000713.html

ALA Toolkit:

www.librarygamingtoolkit.com

Electronic Software Association

www.theesa.com

More Resources

Voya Column by Matthew Roach Gaming Life Column, School Library

Journal What? Gamers in the Library! By Eli

Neiburger, ALA Publications, 2007 Game On! By Beth Gallaway, Neal-

Schuman, 2009.

Questions?juliethelibrarian@gmail.com