GAMERS IN THE STACKS: A BRIEF LOOK AT WHO THE GAMERS ARE, AND WAYS PUBLIC LIBRARIES CAN SERVE THEM Presented for the PLA Virtual Conference by Beth Gallaway, March 2008

CONTACT BETH: Beth Gallaway

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.

POLL #1: 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

POLL #2: WHAT IS THE AVERAGE AGE OF A GAMER? * Entertainment Software Association. Top 10 Facts. 33

POLL #3: WHAT PERCENT OF PEOPLE OVER 50 PLAY GAMES?* * Entertainment Software Association. Top 10 Facts. 24%

GAMING MEETS DEVELOPMENTAL NEEDS OF YOUNG ADOLESCENTS o Positive social interaction with adults & peers o Structure and clear limits o Physical activity o Creative expression o Competence and achievement o Meaningful participation in families, school, communities o Opportunities for self-definition NMSA. NMSA Research Summaries. Young Adolescents Developmental Needs (1996)

WHAT DEVELOPMENTAL NEEDS ARE BEING MET?

POLL #4: WHAT % OF GAMERS ARE FEMALE? * Entertainment Software Association. Top 10 Facts. 38%

GAMING = LITERACY Environmental print signage labels maps Reading about the game instructions walkthroughs Writing about the game forums websites 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

POLL #5: HOW MANY BILLIONS DID COMPUTER & VIDEO GAME SALES GROSS IN 2006?* $7.4 * Entertainment Software Association. Top 10 Facts.

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

POLL #6: HAVE YOU EVER PLAYED A GAME RATED “M” FOR MATURE? YES NO

POLL #7: WHAT PERCENTAGE OF GAMES SOLD IN 2006 WERE RATED M?* * Entertainment Software Association. Top 10 Facts. 15%

HOW CAN LIBRARIES SERVE GAMERS? o Connect games with “traditional” materials o Think like a gamer o Become a strategy guide o Research video game culture o Support gaming o Create a gaming experience: o Game collections o 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 name o It's all about YOU o You can’t break it o 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. BlueRed Vs. Blue o Read Penny Acade or PvPPenny Acade PvP o Skim gaming magazines o Link to gaming sites o Pay attention to gaming around you o Attend GLLS2008 o Join the LibGaming Google group: libgaming

TRY SOME GAMES o Set Game o Penguin Baseball o Bejeweled o Chicktionary o Bob the Blob o Club Penguin o Runescape o Diner Dash o Snood

POLL #8: DOES YOUR LIBRARY ALLOW PATRONS TO PLAY GAMES ON PUBLIC 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 Accessed October 8, 2007.

AND … CREATE A GAMING EXPERIENCE o Programs o Collections

POLL #10: DOES YOUR LIBRARY HOST VIDEO GAME PROGRAMS? YES NO *Nicholson, Scott. (2007). The Role of Gaming in Libraries: Taking the Pulse. July Accessed October 8, 2007.

POLL #11: WHAT % OF PUBLIC LIBRARIES HOST VIDEO GAME PROGRAMS?* 13% *Nicholson, Scott. (2007). The Role of Gaming in Libraries: Taking the Pulse. July Accessed October 8, 2007.

WHAT MAKES A SUCCESSFUL GAMING PROGRAM? 1. Do your homework 2. Provide variety 3. Open up to the community 4. Spread the word 5. 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

MODEL GAMING PROGRAMS Santa Monica Public Library, CA Counterstrike LAN party After hours program 50 teens lined up around the block to play 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

POLL #12: WHAT % OF GAMERS PLAY ON HANDHELDS? * Entertainment Software Association. Top 10 Facts %

MODEL GAMING PROGRAMS Ann Arbor District Library (MI) Mario Kart, Super Smash Bros, & DDR Tournaments for all ages Regular programs Online community North Hunterdon High School (NJ) Student-run game night in the cafeteria

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

POLL #13: DOES YOUR LIBRARY CIRCULATE VIDEO GAMES?* *Nicholson, Scott. (2007). The Role of Gaming in Libraries: Taking the Pulse. July Accessed October 8, YES NO

POLL #14: WHAT % OF PUBLIC LIBRARIES CIRCULATE VIDEO GAMES?* 30% *Nicholson, Scott. (2007). The Role of Gaming in Libraries: Taking the Pulse. July Accessed October 8, 2007.

GAMING COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT 1. Magazines 2. Strategy guides 3. Nonfiction about gaming 4. 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: COLLECTIONS Rockridge Ages 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

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 Gallaway