help! my library is turning into a arcade
DESCRIPTION
For ALSC National InstituteTRANSCRIPT
HELP! MY LIBRARY IS TURNING INTO AN ARCADE
Presented by Beth Gallaway for ALSC National InstituteSeptember 2008 Salt Lake City UThttp://informationgoddess.info
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 design slides courtesy of Chris Castaldi http://www.echoshard.com
GOALS
What the Player wants to achieve Main goals
Winning! Sub-Goals
Shiny things Goals Fit the GAME
Game design slides courtesy of Chris Castaldi http://www.echoshard.com
OBSTACLES
Impeding the player’s progress
Impeding the player’s path
Feeling of Accomplishment
Challenging the player
Game design slides courtesy of Chris Castaldi http://www.echoshard.com
TOOLS
Tools are what the player use to get to its goal A Sword
A Spell
A Jump
Players need to use them properly
Game design slides courtesy of Chris Castaldi http://www.echoshard.com
SECOND CHANCES
The Player’s ability to fail and try again Only once Chance in reality
Try again
Extra Lives
Health Bar
Quest for perfection
Game design slides courtesy of Chris Castaldi http://www.echoshard.com
LEARNING
Player’s Skill and Mastery of the tools they use. Player learns the rules of the game and how to rise
above them.
Spikes = DeathFire Creatures are immune to fire.
Increasing DifficultyLevels become harder and more complicated.
Game design slides courtesy of Chris Castaldi http://www.echoshard.com
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
GAMES ARE LIKE BOOKS...
THEY ARE JUST A NEW FORMAT
GAMING IS THE MEDIUM OF CHOICE FOR THE MILLENNIAL GENERATION
WHAT IS THE BIRTH YEAR SPAN OF MILLENNIALS?A. 1968-1982B. 1975-1990C. 1982-2000D. 1996-PRESENT
WHAT % OF YOUTH AGE 12-17 PLAY VIDEOGAMES?
* Pew Internet & American Life Project. “Teens Video Games & Civics.” September 2008. http://pewinternet.org/PPF/r/263/report_display.asp
97%
WHAT % OF GAMERS ARE FEMALE?
* Entertainment Software Association. Top 10 Facts. http://www.theesa.com/facts/top_10_facts.php
40%
GAMING MEETS DEVELOPMENTAL NEEDS OF YOUNG ADOLESCENTS
o Positive social interaction with adults & peers
o Structure and clear limitso Physical activityo Creative expressiono Competence and achievemento Meaningful participation in families,
school, communitieso Opportunities for self-definition
NMSA. NMSA Research Summaries. Young Adolescents Developmental Needs (1996)
WHAT DEVELOPMENTAL NEEDS ARE BEING MET?
GAMING = LITERACY Environmental print
signagelabelsmaps
Reading about the gameinstructionswalkthroughs
Writing about the gameforumswebsites
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
1. EXPOSING KNOWLEDGE
Find information
Understand and explain found information regardless of its format
Evaluate information
Organize information
2. EMPLOYING INFORMATION
Computation
Measurement
Analysis
Application
3. EXPRESSING IDEAS COMPELLINGLY
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
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
HAVE YOU EVER PLAYED A GAME RATED “M” FOR MATURE?
YES
NO
WHAT PERCENTAGE OF GAMES SOLD IN 2006 WERE RATED M?*
* Entertainment Software Association. Top 10 Facts. http://www.theesa.com/facts/top_10_facts.php
15%
HOW CAN LIBRARIES SERVE YOUNG GAMERS?
o Connect games with “traditional” materialso Think like a gamero Become a strategy guideo Research video game cultureo Support gaming o Create a gaming experience:
o Game collectionso Gaming programs
o Try some games!
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?
THINK LIKE A GAMER
o Everything is in BETA
o Get a screen nameo It's all about YOUo You can’t break ito Fail early, fail often
BE A STRATEGY GUIDE... ...NOT A LEVEL BOSS!
o Show, don’t tell.o Make it interactive.o Have a free-for-all.o Ask for a demo of
expertise
RESEARCH VIDEO GAME CULTURE
o Watch Red Vs. Blueo Read Penny Acade or PvPo Skim gaming magazineso Link to gaming siteso Pay attention to gaming around youo Attend GLLS2008o Join the LibGaming Google group:
http://groups.google.com/group/libgaming
TRY SOME GAMES
o Set Gameo Penguin Baseballo Bejeweledo Chicktionaryo Bob the Blobo Club Penguino Runescapeo Diner Dasho Snood
http://del.icio.us/informationgoddess29/games
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
o Programso Collections
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?
1. Do your homework2. Provide variety3. Open up to the community4. Spread the word5. Play
FOR PROGRAMS, CHOOSE GAMES THAT ARE:
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/index.asp
32 %36%
HANDHELD PROGRAM Cell phone clinic PSP Gamefest Nintendo DS Gamefest
MODEL GAMING PROGRAMS Velma Teague Branch, Glendale Public
LibraryRunescape LAN party 2 sessions 6-12 teens
AFTER SCHOOL ZONE Benicia Public Library, CA
Hanging out, snacks and playing games encourages
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 Gamecube
MODEL GAMING PROGRAMS
Ann Arbor District Library (MI) Mario Kart, Super Smash Bros, & DDR Tournaments for all ages Regular programs Online community
GAME DESIGN!
Ben 10 Alien Force Game Creator
http://gamecreator.cartoonnetwork.com/
DDR RECIPE FOR SUCCESS
One console ($80-$600) 2-4 dance pads ($20-$300 each) 1 game ($25-$60) 1 LCD projector ($600-1000) or TV ($100-
$2K) 1 one large screen or white wall Activity for waiters Water
“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”
WHAT % OF PUBLIC LIBRARIES CIRCULATE VIDEO GAMES?*
30%
*Nicholson, Scott. (2007). The Role of Gaming in Libraries: Taking the Pulse. July 2007. http://boardgameswithscott.com/pulse2007.pdf . Accessed October 8, 2007.
GAMING COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT
1. Magazines2. Strategy guides3. Nonfiction about gaming4. Fiction with gaming as a plot or subplot
PRIMA STRATEGY GUIDES
eGuides in PDF format
504 titles $12.99 each
COLLECTION POLICY CONSIDERATIONS
Formats Console PC Internet Subscription
Breadth & Depth Genres Styles Age ranges
Budget
COLLECTION MANAGEMENT Storage depends on:
format staff space budget
Theft start with programs start small
Issues replacement/repair resistance
BEST PRACTICES: COLLECTIONSRockridge Ages 13-18 year olds PS2 games 2 games/patron No holds/renewals 7 day free checkout $1/day late fee $50/replacement fee Genres: sports,
adventure, racing, fighting, and shooters.
Helen McGraw E, E10+ and T PS2 and PC games 14 day circ $.25/day late fee game
cost+$5/replacement fee
Genres: compilations, sports, racing games, platformers, unique and quirky titles
THANK YOU!BETH GALLAWAYINFORMATION GODDESS CONSULTANT
Links: http://www.delicious.com/informationgoddess29/alsc
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://informationgoddess.info
Phone: 603.247.3196