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Bringing Gaming (and Gamers) to Your Library: 100 Tips and Resources

Published on Tuesday 22nd of July, 2008

By Jessica Merritt

When libraries offer gaming programs, there's often a very favorable response, but how do you go about getting started? You'll need to know which games are the best, how to attract gamers, and so much more. There are many tips, resources, and tools that will help you figure out everything you need to know, and we've profiled them here.

Tips

Follow these tips for a fun and smooth-running gaming experience in your library.

  1. Offer games that require research: Games that offer research as a main part of game play, whether it's in hard copy books, wikis, or all over the Internet, are valuable library learning tools.
  2. Use games that support curriculum: Introduce games that support a theme, such as Ticket to Ride for train travel, and the Wii's Trauma Center for medicine.
  3. Consider classic games: Bringing classic games to the library offers something most patrons can't find at home. They are often found fairly cheap or donated.
  4. Keep your collection up to date: Although expensive, this practice will ensure that your patrons keep coming back to enjoy the latest video games out there.
  5. Leave room for alternate players: If you're holding a tournament, allow alternate players because there will always be someone who cancels or is late.
  6. Offering just one game is acceptable: You don't have to house an overwhelming collection, or have tournaments for five games at once. Even just one universally-appealing game event is enough to get started.
  7. Create zones: Keep the library a quiet and productive space, while still having fun, by creating separate zones for gaming.
  8. Get parents involved: Discuss the value of gaming with parents, and you'll have an easier time getting kids to attend events. You may even have parents join in themselves.
  9. Play age-appropriate games: Make sure that the games you're playing are at a friendly level for everyone, or restrict entry for specific games.
  10. Require a library card: Make it easier for gamers to make the next step to checking out materials by requiring that they have a library card before allowing them to play library games.
  11. Use a projector screen: To encourage groups and offer something better than most players don't get at home, put video games up on a projector screen.
  12. Encourage gamers to bring their own titles: An easy way to broaden your gaming event library is by asking attendees to bring in their favorite games to share.
  13. Play the games yourself: Get a better understanding of the appeal of games by enjoying them either with your staff or alongside your patrons.
  14. Shift your funding: Find the resources to fund gaming in the library by examining low-circulating or unpopular areas in your library's collection.
  15. Invest in quality equipment: If you're going to regularly offer gaming, be sure to use equipment that can stand up to heavy use.
  16. Don't forget adults: Library games and gaming events are often directed at teens, but keep in mind that many adults love to game, too.
  17. Recruit volunteers: Many gamers in your community will be happy to help instruct, lend games, or just bring snacks to promote gaming in your library.
  18. Provide a collection as well as events: Don't just keep game play within the library's walls on specific nights-build a collection that patrons can check out, and they'll keep coming back for more.
  19. Ask gaming companies for help: Work with video game publishers to make games available for free in your library. Many will realize that game events are excellent forums for marketing their games.
  20. Use permission slips: Keep track of the group you'll be gaming with, and get a parental stamp of approval with permission slips.
  21. Position yourself as a guide: Gamers will respect you more if you present yourself as a strategy guide for the game, rather than a gatekeeper.
  22. In tournaments, allow for exhibition rounds: Increase participation by allowing players who are not advancing to the next round to play one more time just for fun.
  23. Promote other library events: While you have gamers within your doors, be sure to let them know about other events the library offers, even if they're not game related.
  24. Offer board games and video games at the same time: Running dual events will allow gamers to jump from one activity to the other and cut down on boredom.
  25. Use theft prevention measures: Video games are an appealing target for theft, so be sure to use security measures like magnetic strips both on the games and their instruction booklets.
  26. Set up a mobile gaming unit: Bring gaming to community events, and you'll be able to attract more gamers for events inside the library.
  27. Place books and media cleverly: While gamers are waiting for their turn at the game, make sure that you have plenty of appealing titles close at hand for them to pick up and take home.
  28. Add gaming strategy guides to your collection: If you add books that offer strategies and other resources to gamers, they'll get checked out.
  29. Let your staff play: Break down resistance to gaming by getting your staff involved and having fun with gaming.
  30. Play games that require collaboration: Get everyone involved when you play games that focus on collaboration and teamwork.
  31. Be prepared for opposition: Not everyone understands the appeal of gaming, particularly video games, in the library, so you will find that you'll need to defend your actions with academic discussions and statistics.
  32. Be visible: Gamers are more likely to ask library staff for help if they're already familiar with you from gaming events, so be visible and friendly.
  33. Promote library gaming within your community: Place flyers at coffee houses, comic book stores, and anywhere else potential gamers are likely to find out about your events.
  34. Ask players what they want: When building your game collection, seek input from the people that will play them.
  35. Offer an appeal: Although gaming will often be appealing in and of itself, offer perks like food, drinks, or the ability to pay off late fees by winning games.
  36. Ask for donations: Many people in your community will be willing to donate games, if only you ask.
  37. Seek out sponsorship: If you do not have the funds to create a game night or game collection, ask local video game stores to sponsor an event and loan equipment to the library.
  38. Ask for input: Before events are over, ask attendees what they thought of the event, and if they have any suggestions.
  39. Create useful resources: Put together guides for gaming, such as cheats, pointers, and high scores from your players.

Articles & Advice

Refer to these articles for advice about developing a gaming program.

  1. Games...in the Library?: School Library Journal takes a look at how games can be applied to educational libraries.
  2. Digital Downloads for Gamera: This presentation explains how you can avoid gaming theft, storage, and damage by adopting downloadable games and subscription-based game services.
  3. Libraries lure with video games: This article explains exactly how library games can improve circulation of books among teens.
  4. Gaming and Libraries: Intersection of Services: In this article, you'll learn just about everything you need to know about gaming in the library.
  5. Gaming and Libraries Update: Here you'll find even more up-to-date information on gaming activities in libraries.
  6. Game Time With Mister Raroo: 'Games in the Modern Public Library': This article has an abundance of useful information for librarians who are considering adding gaming to their library.
  7. Gaming, School Libraries and the Curriculum: Find out great ways to apply gaming to curriculum in this resource.
  8. Growing a Gaming Group: Amy Alessio and Joe Torres explain how you can put together a monthly gaming group.
  9. Tournament Games for Any Occasion: Choosing the Right Games for Your Audience: Check out this presentation to get ideas for appropriate programming.
  10. Media-gam-arama: See how one library is working to make gaming a prominent part of their mission.
  11. Talking Points about Gaming in Libraries: Use this resource when explaining why bringing games into your library is so important.
  12. Games for Teaching Information Literacy Skills: Felicia A. Smith considers how you can use games for education.
  13. What Games Have to Teach Us: This article explains how different students have learned through the use of games.
  14. Thinking Inside the Box: Games, Teens and Libraries: An attendee of the Thinking Inside the Box program offers an in-depth recap and insightful commentary on the event.
  15. Leadership's Online Labs: See how multiplayer online games are helping people to hone their leadership skills.
  16. The Role of Gaming in Libraries: Taking the Pulse: The author or Board Games With Scott writes about the way libraries are currently using video and board games.
  17. Choosing a Next-Generation Format: This librarian explains the pros and cons of three gaming consoles available today.
  18. Learning in a Virtual World: This article explains how Second Life can be used as a social and educational tool.
  19. Getting to Know the ESRB Ratings: Educate yourself about appropriate video games using this guide.
  20. Taking Play Seriously at the Public Library With Young Video Gamers: This article explores the way the New York Public Library system makes use of video gaming.
  21. Gaming without Borders: Gaming Beyond Consoles and Screens: This presentation focuses on stepping outside the video game box.
  22. Does Gaming Promote Reading?: Jenny Levine of The Shifted Librarian takes a look at whether or not video games make a difference in readership.
  23. Games for Higher Education: 2008: In this piece, Bryan Alexander examines the complexity of gaming, learning through gaming, and more.
  24. Library patrons try to dance away late fees at video game competition: Read about a library that collected canned goods and offered patrons the chance to make good on their late fees.
  25. Dewey Decimals and Dance Dance Revolution: This article explains video gaming as a "gateway drug" for libraries.
  26. How to Run a Super Smash Brothers Brawl Tournament: This advice is aimed specifically at a library tournament for Super Smash Bros. Brawl, but it's great for any tournament.
  27. Carvers Bay (SC) Branch Library: Gaming the Way to Literacy: This case study looks at how a rural library improved their service with gaming.
  28. Much Ado About Game Night: Read this article to consider the legal ramifications of hosting a game night.

Blogs & Groups

In these resources, you'll find lots of ongoing discussion about gaming in the library.

  1. LibGaming: In this Google discussion group, you'll be able to talk about game circulation, collections, online gaming, events, and so much more.
  2. ALA TechSource: ALA TechSource has loads of wonderful posts containing audio from their Gaming and Libraries Symposium
  3. Research Quest: Check out this blog to see how video games and gaming strategies can be applied to education.
  4. Library Gamer: Brian Mayer discusses developing a game library for the school library system he works for.
  5. Educational Gaming Commons: Penn State's Educational Gaming Commons is a great place to find information and resources.
  6. News About Games and Gaming: The American Library Association's blog about library gaming offers plenty of high quality information on a regular basis.

Websites

These websites are excellent resources for information about library gaming.

  1. 4Librarians: This site is full of resources for gaming librarians, including collection development, free stuff, and programming.
  2. Game Professor: The Game Professor offers a look at games for learning, social change, and more.
  3. The Education Arcade: This site from MIT and University of Madison, Wisconsin takes a look at the way games can be educational.
  4. Library Game Lab of Syracuse: Keep up with the latest from this research lab that studies nothing but library gaming.
  5. The Video Game Librarian: This blog shares news, reviews, features, resources, and more.

Books

Read through these books to get an idea of how you can make gaming work for you.

  1. Gamers...in the Library?!: This book will explain how you can bring gamers into your library.
  2. Learning by Doing: A Comprehensive Guide to Simulations, Computer Games, and Pedagogy in e-Learning and Other Educational Experiences: Learning by Doing will show you how to make educational simulation work.
  3. Gaming Lives in the Twenty-First Century: Literate Connections: This book explains the relationship between gaming and literacy development.
  4. Sex, Brains, and Video Games: A Librarian's Guide to Teens in the Twenty-first Century: Pick up this book to get into the heads of teen gamers in your library.
  5. From Barbie to Mortal Kombat: Gender and Computer Games: This book will help you to consider game programming that is appealing to both males and females.
  6. Everything Bad is Good for You: How Today's Pop Culture is Making Us Smarter: Check out this book to understand the philosophy behind gaming as a useful action.
  7. What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy: Read this book to see video games as a tool for literacy.
  8. Don't Bother Me Mom--I'm Learning: This book takes a look at how video games are an excellent tool for kids, and how this tool can be nurtured and supported.

Collections

These resources will help you determine which games and related media you should put in your collection.

  1. Gaming/Games related books: Check out this discussion to see which books are appealing to gamers.
  2. MetaCritic: Visit this meta review site to get opinions from about 100 different websites and magazines.
  3. Guilderland Public Library Games List: Take a look at this library's games list when you consider building your own collection.
  4. What They Play: This parental guide to video games is great for librarians, too.
  5. Core Collections: Find out how to build a killer collection of video games with this presentation.
  6. Gaming Book Lists: Pierce County Public Library system shares a few book lists with titles related to gaming.
  7. Wii Essentials: The Video Game Librarian recommends ten titles that you need to have in your library's Wii collection.
  8. First Console Purchase: Read this discussion to see what other librarians have to say about developing a gaming collection.
  9. What to Buy?: This discussion reveals some library gaming favorites.
  10. Game Stats: Read about opinions on games around the world on this site.
  11. Console Video Games: This resource offers game recommendations ranging from Dance Dance Revolution to MMPORPGs.
  12. Games for Adults & Older Adults: This discussion focuses on games that are appropriate for gamers outside of teenage years.
  13. SLS Game Library: School Library System lists their collection of board games appropriate for use in school libraries.
  14. Game Rankings: Game Rankings offers reviews and ratings of games from about 250 websites and magazines.

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