Video Games in Libraries

Stumbling across a library website, a casual patron might wonder about pages like this one: Dearborn Libraries, which mentions Wii gaming as an event on June 4th at the Snow Branch Library in Dearborn. The Ann Arbor District Library has been hosting game tournaments for several years¹. It seems that it is becoming more and more common to find such events at public libraries. Our abovementioned casual patron may be wondering what on earth video games are doing there.

Well, popular console and PC games are doing lots of thing in libraries! First, it can be argued that games have always been present there—they are just digital now². Libraries have supported basic tabletop games for a long time—chess and other board games, for example³. But, you say, chess has some educational value, right? True—but, so do many popular video games, in one way or another. Many different titles encourage problem solving, information seeking, multitasking, and storytelling. These are just a few benefits; the Nintendo Wii, for example, can even provide physical exercise with many of its sports titles⁴.

Another educational benefit deals with the storylines involved in many video games. They are often very complex and the character development can be amazingly involved. If a patron enjoys the rich worlds created and the journey of the protagonist in the storyline, what better way to get him or her hooked on a book series? An excellent article by Easterwood and Wesson tells us all about this idea, and they give great examples of the concept—recommending epic fantasy series to those who enjoy role-playing quest-oriented games, mysteries for strategy game players, and so on⁵.

It should also be mentioned briefly that even academic libraries have good reason to keep game collections and the consoles on which they can be played. Mainly, think about all the research that is done on the gaming culture—are certain titles too violent, etc. How is anyone to complete such research if they cannot experience the game first hand⁶?

If one looks at the games in terms of having fun for fun’s sake alone, and asks why plain entertainment is an element in libraries, there are a couple of responses. One answer is simply that the precedent has already been set by the presence of, let’s say, comedy DVDs or romance novels in libraries⁷. I read several different authors who referred to libraries as “third places,” where one goes to have some space in the world which doesn’t fall into either the “my home” or “my job” category. Libraries are also a place to interact, and it can be argued that video games are a great way for institutions to facilitate that, whether it involves grandparents sharing simple puzzle games with kids, or folks from different economic strata finding common ground and enjoying time together during a tournament⁸.

So, what are some of the challenges for librarians who wish to make video games a bigger part of the services their library offers? First, they will have to take a look at the space which is available in their building. Is there enough room to offer stations where consoles can be set up for tournaments and group gaming nights? Can they be put far enough away from folks who are doing research and who are using this “third place” as a calm haven for quiet reading⁹? Do the funds exist to add soundproof stalls or to wall off a full reading room for those who need silence?

Secondly, someone will have to take on a pretty large responsibility regarding acquisitions and collection maintenance. Games can lose their popularity quickly, and staff must always be on top of asking players about what’s current and “hot.” One also has to be careful not to pigeonhole library users and their interests based on gender or age, for example. Many girls play first-person shooters, and many elderly patrons might be interested in Wii games which involve moderate movement and activity¹⁰. Also, how does one know which consoles to buy? One author mentions that it isn’t the same as buying the latest-and-greatest, as happens with things like the switch from VHS tapes to DVDs, or as simple as the competition between VHS and Beta—it’s more complicated due to the fact that there are many more systems on the market at once. Shawn McCann’s article entitled “Systems showdown” compares three currently popular consoles for the purpose of helping librarians choose the one which is best for them based on system price, individual game price, and popularity¹¹. All of these factors must be considered.

Finally, gaming libraries must stand behind their choice to support digital game media. Check out the Frequently Asked Questions part of this ALA-backed website which is intended to help libraries interested in gaming culture (Library Gaming Toolkit) for suggestions about how librarians should respond if challenged by, say, a patron who thinks his or her taxpayer dollars should not be supporting video games. The FAQ, in making the argument for gaming, also reiterates and neatly summarizes many of the points I found in multiple journal articles and listed above.

My personal opinion is that public libraries which host video game gatherings and maintain extensive game collections are just taking the next logical step in continuing to provide the kind of learning and entertainment environment that they always have. I have concerns about noise and space, as I’m sure many other patrons might. But, necessity being the mother of invention, I feel confident that newly designed library buildings will begin to take into account alternative layouts and floor plans for those who would like to use their “third place” as somewhere to go on epic quests with their friends or perhaps play some digital tennis with their grandfathers.
__________________________________
¹Barack, L. (2005). Gaming at your library. School Library Journal, 51(7), 22.
²Adams, S.S. (2009). The Case for video games in libraries. Library Review, 58(3), doi: 10.1108/00242530910942045
³Ibid.
⁴Ibid.
⁵Easterwood, L., & Wesson, L.P. (2009). Gamers are readers. School Library Journal, 55(4), 24.
⁶Laskowski, M., & Ward, D. (2009). Building next generation video game collections in academic libraries. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 35(3), 267-273.
⁷Adams, S.S. (2009). The Case for video games in libraries. Library Review, 58(3), doi: 10.1108/00242530910942045
⁸Ibid.
⁹Ibid.
¹⁰Danforth, L. (2010). Rethinking your strategy. Library Journal, 135(3), 73.
¹¹McCann, S. (2009). Systems showdown. Library Journal, 134(7), 73.