Dale's Gaming and Library 2.0
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Gaming and Library 2.0
Contents |
[edit] Introduction
"Rather than be reined in, today's successful game designers should be recognized as modern masters of learning theory..."--Mike Snider, Cincinnati Enquirer.
According to David Ward, “ The social aspects of gaming provide an excellent opportunity for libraries to position themselves within the gaming cultures of their communities, using traditional and new types of programming to promote collections and build new types of social spaces” (2007, p. 108).
Traditionally, recreational reading met the needs of many patrons as a form of entertainment. Gaming has replaced this for many and libraries must think outside the box finding innovative ways to bring their patrons services and products reflective of their communities of interest. Ward comments, “Libraries in the near future will need to understand how game design principals, gaming communities and in-game learning methods can be used to educate the gaming generation about the structure, organization, and critical use of information. (2006, p.106).
The impacts of gaming are undeniable for libraries now and into the future. Library staff and management should understand the impacts of gaming and its role within the community and strive to meet those needs within the collection.
[edit] What is Gaming?
Gaming theory is complex and relatively recent having received significant attention in our culture. Nobel Prize–winning game theorist, John Nash, was the subject of the 1998 biography by Sylvia Nasar and the 2001 film based on an unauthorized biography entitled, A Beautiful Mind. Many games, especially the prisoner's dilemma, model scenarios in ethics. Game theory has recently drawn attention from computer scientists because of its use in artificial intelligenceand cybernetics.
From Kirriemuir and Macfarlane (2006, p. 6); a definition of a digital video game is one that;
● Provides some visual digital information or substance to one or more players
● Takes some input from the players
● Processes the input according to a set of programmed game rules
● Alters the digital information provided to the players
And for the purposes of this article, Games can be considered as programs operating on,
● hardware, known as video game consoles (examples being the SonyPlaystation series, Microsoft Xbox and Nintendo GameCube), which are operated through a television.
● mobile devices, eg. phones and dedicated gaming machines such as the Nintendo GameBoy Advance.
[edit] Gaming as a Cultural Phenomenon
The popularity of gaming has not been lost on the entertainment business as sales of video game software and computers totaled $7.4 billion in 2006, practically tripling the industry’s software sales, the number one finding of industry facts “since1996”(ESA, 2006).
Surveys of games’ use, identifies target populations to ascertain interests provide facts and research other than sales, on the gaming culture. These facts target head of households, average game player age, parents and children under age 18, measurement of parents interaction with games and children, gender, over age 50, online game use and games played on wireless. Other industry facts regarding the communities of users’ of games by the Entertainment Software Association and others (Neiburger, 2007) reveal the following.
2. 67% of American head of households engage in computer games.
3. The average game player is 33 years of age, having played for a minimum of 12 years on average.
4. In 2007, 92% of computer game purchasing and 80% of console game purchases were with buyers over age 18.
5. In 2006, 85% of the total games sold, were rated “E” for everyone, “T” for Teen, or “E10+” for everyone 10 years and up in age.
6. When purchasing games, 86% of the players, 18 and under say they have parents’ permission when they either rent or buy games, while 91% comment parents are present for purchases.
7. Of the 36% of American parents playing video games, 80% play video games with their children and 66% of these parents believe playing video games brings their families closer together.
8. Of all the gamers, 38% are women over age 18 representing 31%of the game playing population, than male children seventeen and younger at 20% of the overall population.
9. Of Americans over the age of 50, there was an increase from 15% to 24% between 1999 and 2007.
10. Almost 49%, have and play games online at least an hour or longer each week.
[edit] Why Do Libraries Offer Gaming?
The principles of Library 2.0 represent a different concept and direction for the future of libraries and their services. Changing from an increasing view of traditional libraries and practices considered outdated, and standing by to be replaced by professional commercial ventures including Amazon and Google, the libraries must adopt Library 2.0 to survive. In the vision of Library 2.0, the library must provide its services in ways that the users expect, where and whenever the user needs it (Chad & Miller, 2005). Games enhance the capability of a library to implement the principals or goals of Library 2.0 in the following ways (Chad & Miller 2005).
● The Libraries are Everywhere. The library can provide resources outside the library, utilizing technology including computers and a variety of hardware or software to enable accessibility from the patron’s point of need. Games are available on consoles including Nintendo and PS2 provided by the library, or accessible via library computers online. The use of games is a phenomenon and plays a significant role. It is with the provision of these services that the library does move beyond its own walls and in to the homes of its community of users. The cultural phenomenon of video games for all target populations is reinforced by the sales numbers and statistics (see Gaming as a Cultural Phenomenon).
● The Libraries invite participation. Library 2.0 facilitates and encourages a culture of participation, drawing upon the perspectives and contributions of library staff, technology partners and the wider community….Library 2.0 is about encouraging and enabling a library’s community of users. In addition, “Library 2.0 is about enabling a library’s community of users to participate their own views on resources they have used and new ones which they might wish to access…a library will continue to develop and deploy the rich descriptive standards of the domain, while embracing more participative approaches that encourage interaction with and the formulation of communities of interest” (Chad & Miller, 2005).
Gaming and web design users and designers, tournaments, clubs, classes, libraries, communities, software and hardware manufacturers are just some of the stakeholders benefiting from the “participatory culture” of gaming. From the educational point of view, this participatory nature may be built upon in a “constructive” fashion, whereby, the participatory nature of constructivist learning is required to impart prior knowledge and experience which is “constructed upon to enable the group to benefit from the hueristic value of the whole, comprised of the pieces. In this case, the designers mentioned must participate to construct the overall game.
Successful game design requires the participation of testers in studies to determine game usability. Another way to determine participation in the gaming culture phenomenon, is the measure and use of sales figures kept by professional associations and trade markets.
Therefore, Library 2.0 can embrace gaming and work together to bring patrons into the library and enable the Library to develop both a collection and programming participative in nature, and reflective of the library’s community of users. Gaming represents one of the many options available among wikis, blogging, podcasts and forums, for libraries to actively encourage and embrace the participatory nature of gaming in support of principals posited by Chad and Miller (2005).
● The Libraries use best of breed systems. Importantly, Library 2.0 establishes importance identifying the relationship of the library with technology as collaborative partners ensuring the development, maintenance and deliverance of valuable services. Recognizing the opportunities for the libraries into the future, Library 2.0 promotes the involvement and harnessing of technology as the “library must continually seek opportunities to push existing library services across new channels to new users , and to engage with existing in different ways that make sense to them (Chad and Miller, 2005).
[edit] Gaming for Collection, Programming and Collaboration
Collection Development. The video game phenomenon brings to the attention of library management the interest of the community and the issue of addressing those needs with library products and services including video games, equipment and social gaming events. Just as the library maintains other collections of books, magazines and periodicals, a collection of video games be developed. Librarians must know their communities and continually assess user expectations and needs so they can reach the proper balance of traditional and innovative collections and services (Johnson, 2004).In support of education, gaming collections are evolving, having unforeseen applications for many disciplines including art, history, teaching, speech, music and game design.
Programming. According to David Ward, “ The social aspects of gaming provide an excellent opportunity for libraries to position themselves within the gaming cultures of their communities, using traditional and new types of programming to promote collections and build new types of social spaces” (2007, p. 108). Game programming can directly benefit health for young adults and other, with a program called
Collaboration. Is a key tenet for participatory culture and Library 2.0, as game participants socially interact playing the game and overcoming challenging situations thus creating a pool of “distributed knowledge” (Gee, 2003), whereby all participants of the game share knowledge distributed throughout the group using game guides, walkthroughs. and the FAQ’s(frequently asked questions) area. Participants are able to be “caught up” to the rules of a new game using these guides and “cheats” to self-learn.
This concept reinforces the principle of, “enabling a library’s users to participate, contributing their own views on resources they have used and new ones to which they might want access” (Chad & Miller, 2005). This collaboration passes on collective intelligence of the group to the novice bringing skills and game abilities to higher levels quicker. This supports the belief in the strength of gaming to acquire skills through self-learning leading to application of gaming as an educational tool.
[edit] Gaming as an Educational Tool
“Game Cultures promote various types of Information Literacy, develop information seeking habits and practices (like writing), and require good, old-fashioned research skills” (Squire & Steinkuehler, 2005).
Traditional didactic methods of teaching and learning are outdated in general for gamers seeking participative, real-time decision making communities’ to thrive upon. Much like joining a book of the month club, libraries can promote games emphasizing learning, health, the bible using multimedia to bring a book to life. These games including role-playing games “is in effect a new kind of storytelling medium where users create unique stories as they advance through a game” (Ward, 2007). Game selection behavior, decision making, the decoding of images and symbols, the acquisition of gaming skills, teamwork to distribute knowledge and skills are all examples of discipline and task–specific knowledge.
Literacy…..is an important consideration for educators to understand when asking, How do gamers learn and acquire the advance literacy skills for today’s’ video games? What is literacy?, can be defined for librarians according to James Gee (2003), as advancing through games and acquiring the skills to read the game scenarios, prompts and menus, “the mind is engaged in ways that benefit other literacies as well (Ward, 2007).
Social networking involved with games as participants and other users meet online using blogs, forums and discussion boards to discuss plots, cheat codes, and frequently asked questions (FAQ's). This creates a community of knowledge passing information to new “novice” players , thus participants may transfer their knowledge, skills and abilities to other participants.
The work by James Gee (2003), identifies the many skills users acquire through gaming, including the following;
For real-world and business applications.
● Problem-Solving under Duress (Not Playing Around, 2006).
Librarians can do the following to reach out to gaming culture and better understand new “emerging digital literacy”, (Squire &Steinkuehler, 2005)&(V. Lepore, personal communication, December 11, 2007).
1. make video games available for use either in-house or checked out. The Lake City Community College Library initially began with in-house offerings only.
2. set-up work stations with games and host events.
3. Survey participants for feedback and suggestions to expand gaming and the available related services including viewing areas, game selection to include non video-games such as chess and backgammmon.
4. Librarians can become knowledgeable regarding the implications of gaming play, equipment, history and gaming theory, thereby having a better understanding of the gaming community and their information needs.
[edit] Gaming Event
An excellent example of a successful start for gaming is the library at Lake City Community College. This program is under the guidance of the reference Librarian Mrs. Vicky Lepore. Key in the delivery and implementation of gaming is the collaboration between different college departments, (V. Lepore, personal communication, December 11, 2007). Administration, Faculty, Audio-Visual, AV, Campus TV station, Technology, College Foundation, Maintenance, Student Activities and the learning lab staff, are all involved in the delivery of programming here at Lake City Community College. Listen here for the next gaming event and a picture review of previous events.
Vicky Lepore originated the idea from library professional readings and after pursuing the necessary research, funding, and administrative approval the first event was held in 2005 and considered a great success. The Lake City Community College has organized and sponsored 4 separate events here in the library wth a future one scheduled in spring 2008. Average attendance for the events averaged between 75 and 100 persons per event. By implementing suggested recommendations, the program has been improved upon resulting in a better program for the students. The students currently plan and implement the gaming events with the librarian providing guidance when its needed.
Media Component: Gaming Event Multi-Media Marketing Tool
[edit] In Conclusion - The Library Matters
Gaming and Library 2.0 go together. The principals of participative culture, collaboration, best of breed systems encourages and enables active participation in the libraries by the gaming communities. A key observation of one librarian, “is the seriousness of some gamers to compete, while others prefer not to’. The gaming culture of Library 2.0 represents the user centered approach to understanding and meeting the needs of patrons. In short, the Library Matters, the final tenet of Library 2.0.
The impacts of gaming are undeniable for libraries now and into the future. Library staff and management should understand the impacts of gaming and its role within the community and strive to meet those needs with collection development and provision of services including game programming.
[edit] References
Barack, L. (2005). Gaming at your library. School Library Journal v. 51 no.7 p. 22. [1]
Chad, K. &Miller, P.(2005). Do libraries matter? the rise of Library 2.0. Retrieved on December 8, 2007 from [2]
Doshi, A. (2006).How Gaming Could Improve Information Literacy. Computers in Libraries,26, 5 p. 14-17. [3]
ESA (Entertainment Software Association) (2006). Facts and Research: top ten Industry Facts, 2006 Retrieved on December 4, 2007 from [4]
Facts and Research: sales and genre data, 2006 Retrieved on December 4, 2007, from [5]
Facts and Research: gameplayer data, 2006 Retrieved on December 4, 2007, from [6]
Gallaway, B., & Lauzon, A. (2006). I can’t dance without arrows; getting active @ your library with video game programs. Young Adult Library Services, 4.4. [7]
Gee, J. P. (2003). What video games have to teach us about learning andLiteracy. Palgrave. Macmillan.
Hawkins, D.,T. (2006).Gaming: the next hot technology for libraries? Information Today , 23, 6. p.1, 51.[8]
Johnson, P. (2004). Fundamental of collection development. American Library Association, Chicago.Ill.
Kirriemuir, J., & McFarlane, A. (2006). Literature review in games and learning. Futurelab Series, Report 8 dated. October 26, 2006. Retrieved on December 5, 2007 from [9]
Levine, J. (2007). Getting your game on. American Libraries,38, 1. p.36.[10]
Lepore, V. (2007). Popculture; blogspot. Retrieved on December 3, 2007 from [11]
Makens, K. (2007). Gaming in libraries 2.0. Young Adult Library Services, 5, 4. p. 27. [12]
Marriott, C. (2002). Leveraging standards to enhance the library's goals and resources. Knowledge Quest ,31.2 p. 24. [13]
Maxwell, D. J. (2007).The library ABC's Game: sneaking in learning through gaming. Library Media Connection, 25 no. 4 p. 34. [14]
Needham, G. (2005). What can librarians learn from gamers. Retrieved on December 1, 2007 from [15]
Neiburger, E. (2007). Gamers...in the library? American Libraries, 38, 5. p. 58. [16]
Neiburger, E. (2007). et. al., Out of the basement: the social side of gaming. Young Adult Library Services, 5.2. p. 34. [17]
“Not Playing Around: Scientists Say Video Games Can Reshape Education.” (2006).Cnn.com
Peters, T. (2007). TechSource symposium draws gamers to chicago. American Libraries, 38 no. 8. p. 15. [18]
Schmidt, A. (2006). Are you game? School Library Journal, 52. 6 p. 52-4 [19]
Squire, K. & Steinkuehler, C. (2005). Meet the gamers. Library Journal, 130.7.WilsonWeb
Ward-Crixell, K. (2007). Gaming advocacy. School Library Journal, 53. 9. p. 36-8. [20]
Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike Creative Commons License.
[edit] Resources
[edit] Books
- Beck, John C and Mitchell Wade. Got Game: How the Gamer Generation is Reshaping Business Forever. Harvard Business School Press, 2004.
- Cassell, Justine and Henry Jenkins. From Barbie to Mortal Kombat: Gender and Computer Games. MIT Press, 1998.
- Gee, James Paul. Good Video Games + Good Learning : Collected Essays on Video Games, Learning, and Literacy. P. Lang, c2007.
- Gee, James Paul. What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy. Palgrave McMillan, 2003.
- Johnson, Steven. Everything Bad is Good For You: How Today's Pop Culture is Making Us Smarter. Riverhead, 2005.
- Neiburger, Eli. Gamers ... in the Library?! : The Why, What, and How of Videogame Tournaments for All Ages. American Library Association, 2007.
- Prensky, Marc. Don't Bother Me Mom--I'm Learning. Paragon House, 2006.
- Salen, Katie. The Ecology of Games : Connecting Youth, Games, and Learning. MIT Press, 2008. Forthcoming
- Selfe, Cynthia L. and Gail E. Hawisher. Gaming Lives in the Twenty-First Century : Literate Connections. Palgrave, 2007.
- Vorderer, Peter and Jennings Bryant, eds. Playing Video Games : Motives, Responses, and Consequences. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2006.
[edit] Journal Articles
- "A Revolution in Library Service: Gaming is More Than Just a Lure into the Library" by Kelly Czarnecki. School Library Journal, May 2007, p34.
- "Gaming and Libraries: Intersection of Services" by Jenny Levine Library Technology Reports Sep/Oct 2006, vol. 42., n. 5
- "Gaming Advocacy: New Ways Librarians Can Support Learning and Literacy" by Kit Ward-Crixell. School Library Journal, September 2007.
- "Why Gaming?" Library Technology Reports, September/October 2006, p10.
[edit] Web Sites
A great deal of info on starting a video game collections and hosting a video game day.
Partnership between MIT and University of Madison WI investigating educational games
Organization responsible for video game ratings, regulation and more.
Weekly online magazine covers industry issues and news with a personalized spin
Good collection of resources related to video games research, conferences, academic papers, etc.
Annual symposium associated with the University of Wisconsin Madison
A collection of professional research related to gaming]
Regularly features articles about games in education
Conference Website - go here to register!
This wiki was started by game researchers to help educators find information about using games in the classroom.
Many studies relate to teens, technology and gaming
The Video Game Librarian Excellent articles on game collections and libraries.
[edit] Interesting Sites to Watch
- Game On: Games in Libraries by Beth Gallaway and Jami Schwarzwalder, Kelly Czarnecki, John Scalzo, Chad Haefele and Matt Gullett.
- LibGaming Group
- Ann Arbor District Library (AADL). AXIS AADL Blog. July 6, 2005.
Blog for AADL, which publicizes and tracks their video game tournaments for adults, teens and children.
Site/blog for BPL (in Illinois) which promotes their quarterly Game Fests for teens.
- Gaming in Libraries Photos. Flickr group of photos tagged gaminginlibraries
- Animeted.org. Website featuring reviews by and for teens, and forums for teens with news and reviews by teens on Video Games, Anime and Graphic Novels.
- MBMPL. Website featuring Wii reviews and a collection policy for video gaming.
[edit] Special Articles and Interest
Update on the TFML's first gaming night
Levine, Jenny. "Gaming and Libraries: Intersection of Services" Library Technology Reports (ALA TechSource) Sep/Oct 2006, vol. 42, n. 5.
Scalzo, John. "The Video Game Librarian: Year 2006 in Review". Gaming Target, January 29, 2007.
- Book review of gaming-related titles for library purchase
Scalzo, John. The Video Game Librarian: Book 'Em". Gaming Target, July 20, 2005.
- Book review of gaming-related titles for library purchase
