GET YOUR GAME ON! GAMING AT THE LIBRARY
Presented for NHLAby Beth Gallaway, http://informationgoddess.info May 2008
SLIDES & LINKSwill be posted on my BLOG:http://infogdss.wordpress.com
Beth Gallaway
CONTACT:
603.247.3196
http://informationgoddess.info
http://del.icio.us/informationgoddess29
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
DO YOU PLAY GAMES OF ANY KIND?
YES
NO
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
Meet developmental needs of teens Are literary Reinforce new literacies
GAMES ARE LIKE BOOKS...
THEY ARE JUST A NEW FORMAT
GAMING IS THE MEDIUM OF CHOICE FOR THE MILLENNIAL GENERATION
WHAT IS THE AVERAGE AGE OF A GAMER?
* Entertainment Software Association. Top 10 Facts. http://www.theesa.com/facts/top_10_facts.php
33
WHAT PERCENT OF PEOPLE OVER 50 PLAY GAMES?*
* Entertainment Software Association. Top 10 Facts. http://www.theesa.com/facts/top_10_facts.php
24%
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 NEEDS ARE BEING MET?
WHAT % OF GAMERS ARE FEMALE?
* Entertainment Software Association. Top 10 Facts. http://www.theesa.com/facts/top_10_facts.php
38%
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
HOW MANY BILLIONS DID COMPUTER & VIDEO GAME SALES GROSS IN THE US IN 2006?*
$7.4
* Entertainment Software Association. Top 10 Facts. http://www.theesa.com/facts/top_10_facts.php
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
HOW CAN LIBRARIES SERVE GAMERS?
o Connect games with “traditional” materialso Think like a gamero Become a strategy guideo Research video game cultureo Support gamingo Try some games! o Create a gaming experience:
o Gaming programso Game collections
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?
IF YOU LIKE CITY OF HEROES
THINK LIKE A GAMER
o Get a screen nameo It's all about YOUo You can’t break ito Everything is in
BETAo Fail early, fail often
BE A STRATEGY GUIDE... ...NOT A LEVEL BOSS!
o Show, don’t tello Make learning interactiveo Have a free-for-allo 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 GAMESo Set Gameo Penguin Baseballo Bejeweledo Chicktionaryo Bob the Blobo Club Penguino Runescapeo Diner Dasho Snood
http://del.icio.us/informationgoddess29/games
DOES YOUR LIBRARY ALLOW PATRONS TO PLAY GAMES ON LIBRARY COMPUTERS?
YES
NO
POLL #9: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
DOES YOUR LIBRARY HOST VIDEO GAME PROGRAMS?
YES
NO
*Nicholson, Scott. (2007). The Role of Gaming in Libraries: Taking the Pulse. July 2007. http://boardgameswithscott.com/pulse2007.pdf . Accessed October 8, 2007.
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 A GAME THAT IS...
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/top_10_facts.php
32 %32%
EASY, FREE PROGRAMS!
Cell phone clinic PSP Gamefest Nintendo DS Gamefest
32 %
RUNESCAPE DISCUSSION GROUP,
LACKMAN BRANCH LIBRARY
JOHNSON COUNTY, KS
Runescape discussion group after hours
14 attendees
Discussion focused on character levels, quests
completed, items obtained, play style, enemies
defeated
Group more excited about individual challenges
than tournament or competitive play
Program concluded with playing Runescape
SITE:
http://www.ckls.org/gaming/runelackman.html
GAME NIGHT,NORTH HUNTERDON HIGH SCHOOLNORTH HUNTERDON, NJ
Student-run game night in the cafeteria
Fundraiser
DANCE DANCE REVOLUTION, HAVERHILL PUBLIC LIBRARYHAVERHILL, MA
One PS2 console ($130) 2 dance pads ($160) 1 DDR game ($40) 1 LCD projector and screen/white wall
OR TV TOTAL:$330.00
AFTER SCHOOL ZONE, BENICIA PUBLIC LIBRARYBENICIA, CA
Hanging out, snacks and playing games
encouraged
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 Wii
Everyone must agree to the gaming policy
before playing
SUPER SMASH/DOUBLE DASH TOURNAMENT,ANN ARBOR DISTRICT LIBRARYANN ARBOR, MI
Tournaments for all ages
Regular programs
Online community
SITE: http://www.aadl.org/gt
“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”
IN CONCLUSION…
Libraries are about access to stories, and access to information – in any format.
We have to stop being format snobs!
THANK YOU!
Beth GallaCONTACT: [email protected]
LINKS:http://del.icio.us/informationgoddess29
SLIDES:http://infogdss.wordpress.com