Get Your Game On: Video Gaming @ the Library

1. Get Your Game On: Video Gaming @ the Library Instructor: Beth Gallaway informationgoddess29@gmail.com An Infopeople Workshop Winter 2007

2. This Workshop Is Brought to You By the Infopeople Project Infopeople is a federally-funded grant project supported by the California State Library. It provides a wide variety of training to California libraries. Infopeople workshops are offered around the state and are open registration on a first-come, first-served basis. For a complete list of workshops, and for other information about the project, go to the Infopeople website at infopeople.org.

3. Workshop Overview • Defining games • Benefits of games… at the library! • Defining the gamer • Creating the gamer friendly library • Collecting games • Game programs • Let’s play some games!

4. 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

5. Game Components • Console/Playing Device • PC, Xbox, Playstation, Nintendo • Screen or Monitor • Controller • mouse, joystick, keyboard, peripheral device • Power Source • Game • CD-Rom, cartridge, digital

6. Xbox Playstation Nintendo PC Game Play Devices

7. Game Controllers • Keyboard • Mouse • Mat • Guitar • Steering Wheel • Drum • Joystick • Camera • Controllers

8. Game Screens • Monitor • Television • Projector/Screen

9. Ways to Play Video Games • At an Arcade • On a PC or Mac • On a Plug ‘n’ Play Device • On a Mobile Device • On a Handheld Device • On a Console

10. Plug ‘n’ Play • Plugs into your TV • Play begins immediately

11. PC/Mac Gaming • Computer with a hard drive • PC or Mac Platform

12. Console Gaming Devices

13. Handheld Gaming Devices • 32% of households own a handheld device that plays games

14. Mobile Gaming Devices • Mobile gaming is expected to quadruple to 11.2 billion by 2010

15. Why Games at the Library?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 • Build adolescents developmental assets • Are literary • Reinforce new literacy's

16. Gaming = literacy • Environmental print • signage • labels • maps • Reading about the game • instructions • walkthroughs • Writing about the game • forums • websites • Chat: • “WTS, Mageweave cloth, 15g”

17. 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)http://www.nmsa.org/Research/ResearchSummaries/Summary5/tabid/257/Default.aspx

18. Gaming Builds Developmental Assets of Adolescents • Support • Empowerment • Boundaries & Expectations • Constructive Use of Time • Commitment to Learning • Positive Values • Social Competencies • Positive Identity The Search Institute. http://www.search-institute.org

19. Social Competitive Wired Self-aware Always On Heroic Multi-taskers Global Collaborative Risk Takers Does This Sound Like Any Gamers You Know? Beck, John and Mitchell Wade. Got Game: How the Gamer Generation is Reshaping Business Forever. Harvard Business School Press, 2004.

20. Learning Principles in Games* • Risk –taking in a “safe” environment • Rewards practice • Use of affinity groups • Probing cycles • Situated meaning • Self-knowledge • Identity formation *** Gee, James Paul. What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy. Palgrave McMillan, 2003

21. Gaming Reinforces New Literacies • Exposing knowledge • Employing information • Expressing ideas compellingly • Ethics on the Internet Warlick, David. ”The New Literacies.” Scholastic Administrator. Mar-Apr2005 http://www.scholastic.com/administrator/marapr05/articles.asp?article=newlit

22. 1. Exposing Knowledge • Find information • Understand and explain found information regardless of its format • Evaluate information • Organize information

23. 2. Employing Information • Computation • Measurement • Analysis • Application

24. Lemonade Stand • Estimating • Basic arithmetic • Averages • Statistics

25. 3. Expressing Ideas Compellingly • Mechanics matter • Creativity & efficiency highly rated • Text, images, audio, and video are used to express ideas in many digital formats

26. Ways Gamers Express Ideas Compellingly • Fan Fiction • Machinima • Web Comics • Fan Forums • Clan Websites

27. Ethics on the Internet • Modding – recreating game content • FanFic – writing stories about characters created/owner by someone else • Machina – films/videos created through recording video game play

28. How Can Libraries Serve Gamers? • Use games to do readers advisory • Be a strategy guide • Embrace your inner technogeek • Be flexible … embrace change! • Immerse yourself in pop culture … especially video game culture • Try some games!

29. 1. Reader’s Advisory to Gamers INSTEAD OF: • What authors do you like to read? • What are the last 3 books you read and enjoyed? • What did you like about them? ASK: • What movies do you like? • What TV shows do you watch? • What games do you play?

30. Roleplaying/MMORPG Games • Games: • Everquest • Runescape • World of Warcraft • Dark Age of Camelot • Ultima • Characteristics • epic fantasy setting • good vs. evil theme • Suggest?

31. Simulations • Games: • The Sims • The Urbz • Characteristics: • Character driven • Suggest?

32. Historical Sim Games • Games: • Civilization • Caesar • Age of Empires • Oregon Trail • America’s Army • Characteristics • Simulation elements • Historical setting • Alternative history possibility • Suggest?

33. Strategy & Puzzle Games • Games: • Myst • Tetris • Bejeweled • Where in the World is Carmen San Diego? • Characteristics: • Problem to solve • Logic, math, reasoning • Suggest?

34. First Person Shooters (FPS) • Games: • Doom • Quake • Halo • Characteristics • Warfare • Strategy • Violent • Suggest?

35. Japanese/Manga tie-in • Games: • Katamari Damacy • Final Fantasy • Dragonball Z • Pokemon • Characteristics • Anime style • Japanese culture • Suggest?

36. Sports Games • Games: • Madden Football • NBA Street • Need for Speed • Tiger Woods • Golf • Characteristics • Sports theme • Competition • Suggest?

37. Superhero Games • Games: • Spider-Man • Fantastic Four • City of Heros • Characteristics • Heroes/villains setting • Good vs. evil theme • Film tie-ins • Suggest?

38. Don’t Forget Print Resources for Gamers • Magazines • Strategy guides • Nonfiction about gaming • Fiction with gaming as a plot or subplot

39. 2. Be a Strategy Guide -- Not an Information Maven • Don’t be a level boss • Show, don’t tell • Make it interactive • Get them started with a free-for-all • Ask for a demo of expertise • Be open-minded

40. 3. Embrace Your Inner Technogeek • Upgrade • Get a screen name • You can’t break it • Pilot projects • Read tech news

41. 4. Be Flexible… Embrace Change! • Change the space • Flexible furnishings • Say yes • Go meta • Customize • Change yourself

42. 5. Immerse Yourself in Pop Culture… • Pop Culture • Hot High Tech • Crossovers

43. … Especially Video Game Culture • Watch Red Vs. Blue • Read Penny Acade • Read PvP • Set a Google Alert • Subscribe to a gaming podcast or blog • Skim gaming magazines • Pay attention to gaming around you in public spaces

44. More Ways to Immerse! • Join the LibGaming Google Group • Email discussion for gaming in libraries • Game On! Video Games in Libraries blog • Blog about gaming news of interest to libraries • Join YALSA and the Teen Gaming Interest Group • YALSA interest group dedicated to gaming • Celebrate Teen Tech Week • Annual celebration of teens + technology in libraries, March 4-10, 2007

45. On the Internet On a Console 6. Try Some Games

46. Collection Management • Storage depends on: • format • staff • space • budget • Theft • start with programs • start small • Troubleshooting • replacement/repair

47. Theft • Choose secure storage • Build community • Examine circulation policies

48. Secure Storage • Kwik Cases • Locking Caps • Locking Security Straps

49. Troubleshooting • Clearly label format • Collections are self weeding collection • Games can be cleaned with rubbing alcohol • Scratches can be removed with cleaning devices for use with CDs & DVDs

50. Best Practices: Collections in CA • Rockridge Branch, Oakland Public Library • Ages 13-18 year olds • PS2 games • Limit of 2 games per patron. • No holds and no renewals. • 7 day free checkout • $1/day late fee • $50 / replacement fee • Genres: sports, adventure, racing, fighting, and shooters.