1 LPL Amy Wander Adam Melancon 02/2005Lafayette Public Library

2 The LPL Experience Why? How We Made It Happen The Equipment What We Learned Resources

3 Our Tournaments (summer & winter break) Mario Kart Wii Sports Final Round of Mario Guitar Hero Mario Kart – Set up

4 Why? Most libraries offer recreational programming. Video Games are a core part of life for many teens. – 95% of teenage boys play video games ( – Gaming provides programs that are boy friendly. Offers non-traditional program that will generate excitement about the library. Once a teen attends a tournament he sees the library and staff in a new light. – Provides positive interaction between staff and teen patrons. We had around 30 teen participants for each tournament.

5 What They Said… “ What did you like about the tournament?” – “It was cool!” – “The tense moments” – “ I think the entire idea is great” – a parent’s comment – “It was the challenge I needed” – “It was fun”

6 How We Made It Happen Planned collaboratively by the IT Department, Teen Department, and volunteers. Based on the Ann Arbor District Library tournaments, VOYA Most gaming equipment was borrowed from our Teen Advisory Committee and Library Staff. The library owned projectors, screens, and TVs. Adult and teen volunteers helped staff the tournament.

7 The Equipment Mario Kart: Double Dash – 2 Game Cubes – 2 Copies of Mario Kart: Double Dash – 2 projectors with screens – 4-8 controllers – Sound system with wireless microphone – Snacks Extras: – Prizes – Laptop with screen (display slides of scores) – DJ lights – Games while teens wait : Guitar Hero, PlayStation, large screen TV Wii sports, Wii, projector, and screen

8 The Equipment Wii Sports – 2 Wii’s – 2 Copies Wii Sports – 2 projectors with screens – 4 controllers – Sound system with wireless Microphone – Snacks Extras: – Prizes – Laptop with screen (display slides of scores) – DJ lights – Games while teens wait: Guitar Hero, PlayStation, large screen TV

9 What We Learned Have open play at the beginning (1/2 hour). Wii Warning: anyone who plays will be sore the next day. The more volunteers the better. Teen volunteers work great too. – 2 emcees, who also picked game routes. – 1 per extra game to explain how to play. – 1-2 extra staff/volunteer just in case. – Emcee volunteers need to know their games. During the second tournament two teen volunteers picked which Mario Kart routes to use and were able to time the tournament pacing perfectly. Pick a tournament style where participants get to play more than once. – i.e. double elimination

10 Resources Websites – Gaming – Library Success: a Best Practices Wiki – Game On: Games in Libraries – The Shifted Librarian Blog by Jenny Levine – Flickr group of photos tagged gaminginlibraries – Ann Arbor District Library (AADL). AXIS AADL Blog Listserves – LibGaming group

11 Resources On Paper - Articles and Books – Video Games as a Service: Hosting Tournaments at Your Library – Levine, Jenny. "Gaming and Libraries: Intersection of Services" Library Technology Reports (ALA TechSource) Sep/Oct 2006, vol. 42, n. 5."Gaming and Libraries: Intersection of Services"(ALA TechSource) – Gallaway, Beth. Game On! Gaming at the Library (available in 2008) – Rumor has it, Eli Neiburger of AADL will also be publishing a book on this topic.

12 Questions? Amy Wander Youth Services Librarian (337) Adam Melancon Systems Administrator (337)