GET YOUR GAME ON! GAMING AT THE LIBRARY Presented for NHLA by Beth Gallaway, http://informationgoddess.info May 2008

SLIDES & LINKS will be posted on my BLOG: http://infogdss.wordpress.com Beth Gallaway CONTACT: 603.247.3196 [email_address] http://informationgoddess.info http://del.icio.us/informationgoddess29

Beth Gallaway

CONTACT:

603.247.3196

[email_address]

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

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

DO YOU PLAY GAMES OF ANY KIND? YES NO

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

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

Positive social interaction with adults & peers

Structure and clear limits

Physical activity

Creative expression

Competence and achievement

Meaningful participation in families, school, communities

Opportunities for self-definition

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 signage labels maps Reading about the game instructions walkthroughs Writing about the game forums websites Chat: “ WTS, Mageweave cloth, 15g”

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

Exposing knowledge

Employing information

Expressing ideas compellingly

Ethics on the Internet

1. EXPOSING KNOWLEDGE Find information Understand and explain found information regardless of its format Evaluate information Organize information

Find information

Understand and explain found information regardless of its format

Evaluate information

Organize information

2. EMPLOYING INFORMATION Computation Measurement Analysis Application

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

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

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

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? Connect games with “traditional” materials Think like a gamer Become a strategy guide Research video game culture Support gaming Try some games! Create a gaming experience: Gaming programs Game collections

Connect games with “traditional” materials

Think like a gamer

Become a strategy guide

Research video game culture

Support gaming

Try some games!

Create a gaming experience:

Gaming programs

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?

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 Get a screen name It's all about YOU You can’t break it Everything is in BETA Fail early, fail often

Get a screen name

It's all about YOU

You can’t break it

Everything is in BETA

Fail early, fail often

BE A STRATEGY GUIDE... ...NOT A LEVEL BOSS! Show, don’t tell Make learning interactive Have a free-for-all Ask for a demo of expertise

Show, don’t tell

Make learning interactive

Have a free-for-all

Ask for a demo of expertise

RESEARCH VIDEO GAME CULTURE Watch Red Vs. Blue Read Penny Acade or PvP Skim gaming magazines Link to gaming sites Pay attention to gaming around you Attend GLLS2008 Join the LibGaming Google group: http://groups.google.com/group/ libgaming

Watch Red Vs. Blue

Read Penny Acade or PvP

Skim gaming magazines

Link to gaming sites

Pay attention to gaming around you

Attend GLLS2008

Join the LibGaming Google group: http://groups.google.com/group/ libgaming

TRY SOME GAMES Set Game Penguin Baseball Bejeweled Chicktionary Bob the Blob Club Penguin Runescape Diner Dash Snood http://del.icio.us/informationgoddess29/games

Set Game

Penguin Baseball

Bejeweled

Chicktionary

Bob the Blob

Club Penguin

Runescape

Diner Dash

Snood

http://del.icio.us/informationgoddess29/games

DOES YOUR LIBRARY ALLOW PATRONS TO PLAY GAMES ON LIBRARY COMPUTERS? YES NO

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 Programs Collections

Programs

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.

YES

NO

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? Do your homework Provide variety Open up to the community Spread the word Play

Do your homework

Provide variety

Open up to the community

Spread the word

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

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 %

Cell phone clinic

PSP Gamefest

Nintendo DS Gamefest

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

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 SCHOOL NORTH HUNTERDON, NJ Student-run game night in the cafeteria Fundraiser

Student-run game night in the cafeteria

Fundraiser

DANCE DANCE REVOLUTION, HAVERHILL PUBLIC LIBRARY HAVERHILL, 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

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 LIBRARY BENICIA, 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

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 LIBRARY ANN ARBOR, MI Tournaments for all ages Regular programs Online community SITE: http://www.aadl.org/gt

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”

“ Awesome cuz everyone gets along with each other, there’s no waiting in line or nething. Plus guitar hero is a wicked rad game.”

IN CONCLUSION… Libraries are about access to stories, and access to information – in any format. We have to stop being format snobs!

Libraries are about access to stories, and access to information – in any format.

We have to stop being format snobs!

THANK YOU! Beth Galla CONTACT: 603.247.3196 [email_address] LINKS: http://del.icio.us/informationgoddess29 SLIDES: http://infogdss.wordpress.com

Beth Galla

CONTACT:

603.247.3196

[email_address]

LINKS:

http://del.icio.us/informationgoddess29

SLIDES:

http://infogdss.wordpress.com