Munchkins, World of Warcraft, Wii bowling or good old Dungeons & Dragons and monopoly? Yesterday 11 interested, curious and knowledgeable people met at the East Greenbush Community Library to discuss the popularity and importance of gaming in our libraries.
Interested in libraries and games in the Capital District.
We had library school students, public librarians, and academic librarians discussing topics ranging from encouraging youths to visit the library via the medium of games, to enticing people not normally comfortable with games to try them out and on to building the library’s profile through gaming.
Below is a bibliography that was begun by us here at Nylink, but that has been updated based on yesterday’s discussion. Hopefully it can keep growing. Jen and I had a great time meeting everyone and due to interest we have begun a Google Group Capital District Game Theory and Practice (the below bibliography can also be viewed at the Google Group page). We look forward to future discussion.
Gaming in the Library
A bibliography
American Association of Museums, “Gaming the Future of Museums | Serious Play.” Center for the Future of Museums http://www.futureofmuseums.org/events/lecture/ (accessed May 20, 2009).
- Site features a recorded webcast of Dr. Jane McGonigal discussing gaming and museums, including results from the online forecasting game Superstruct. There is also a discussion guide and other resources.
American Library Association (ALA), “The Librarian’s Guide to Gaming :: An Online Toolkit :: A Brief History of Gaming in Libraries.” http://www.librarygamingtoolkit.org/ (accessed May 20, 2009).
- Beth Galloway, Dr. Scott Nicholson and others come together on this site to offer a History, Tools and Resources, Best Practices and a Calendar of game related events.
Danforth, Liz, “A Closer Look at the Winning Libraries – Games, Gamers, & Gaming – Blog on Library Journal.” http://www.libraryjournal.com/blog/1130000713/post/1940043994.html (accessed May 7, 2009).
- 10 libraries that won ALA/Verizon grants to incorporate gaming – and their plans.
Gallaway, Beth, “Gaming Learning and Libraries – Get Your Game On at the library.” http://gaminglearningandlibraries.ning.com/ (accessed May 20, 2009).
- From the main page:
A social network “for library workers with resources or questions about traditional, board, puzzle, tabletop, roleplaying, card and/or video games in academic, public, private, and special libraries.”
—, “Information Goddess Consulting: Presentations, News & Press.” http://infogdss.wordpress.com/ (accessed May 19, 2009).
- Blog of Beth Gallaway, a.k.a. Information Goddess Consulting. It includes many of her presentations on gaming in the library.
Harris, Christopher, “Meet the New School Board: Board Games Are Back—and They’re Exactly What Your Curriculum Needs – 5/1/2009 – School Library Journal.” http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6654565.html (accessed May 6, 2009).
Levine, Jenny, “The Shifted Librarian.” http://theshiftedlibrarian.com/ (accessed May 20, 2009).
- The blog of Jenny Levine, a librarian active in, among many other things, gaming in libraries.
“LibGaming | Google Groups,” http://groups.google.com/group/LibGaming?hl=en&pli=1 (accessed May 19, 2009).
- Includes a Gaming Etiquette section and a Video Games in Libraries-Resources section as well as a discussion forum. If you join the group you can sign up for email notification of discussion threads.
“Liz Danforth LibraryJournal.com page.,” http://www.libraryjournal.com/blogger/3814.html (accessed May 19, 2009).
- Page includes latest blog posts from Liz. From the description: “Liz Danforth, MLS, is a freelance game illustrator, scenario designer, and game developer who was inducted into the Academy of Gaming Arts and Design’s Hall of Fame in 1996.”
“Micropayment – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia,” Wikipedia: the free encyclopedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micropayment (accessed May 22, 2009).
- Micropayments in order to game were suggested as an emerging alternative to subscription based games. Some questions as to how this would be implemented in a public place such as a library were raised.
Nicholson, Scott, “Gaming in Libraries – The Course » Join Scott Nicholson to learn about Gaming in Libraries.” http://www.gamesinlibraries.org/course/ (accessed May 20, 2009).
- Online course on gaming in libraries over YouTube in the month of June 09.
—, “Library Game Lab of Syracuse.” http://gamelab.syr.edu/ (accessed May 20, 2009).
- Site with blog discussing gaming in libraries. There are also a lot of links to Prof. Nicholson’s (who is extremely active in the library gaming world) articles and presentations.
School Library System of Genesee Valley BOCES, “Swift6 | School Library System Game Library.” http://sls.gvboces.org/gaming/ (accessed May 20, 2009).
- From home page:
“The School Library System of Genesee Valley BOCES has developed a collection of games appropriate for use in school libraries. While these are not ‘educational games’ all of the games are linked to New York State curriculum standards including math, ELA, and social studies standards.”
“Scratch | Home | imagine, program, share,” http://scratch.mit.edu/ (accessed May 19, 2009).
- From the About page: “Scratch is a new programming language that makes it easy to create your own interactive stories, animations, games, music, and art — and share your creations on the web.”
Squire, Kurt, and Constance Steinkuehler, “Meet the Gamers – 4/15/2005 – Library Journal.” Library Journal http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA516033.html (accessed May 20, 2009).
- From the article:
“In the past, librarians have often been perceived as gatekeepers, arbiters of access to information. The digital cultures now emerging (with the help of technologies such as games) suggest that the days for such an institutional role are numbered.”
Sutton, Lynn, and H. David “Giz” Womack, “ACRL | Got game?” ACRL: Association of Colleges & Research Libraries http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/acrl/publications/crlnews/2006/mar/gotgame.cfm (accessed May 20, 2009).
- Overview of a game night tried at Wake Forest University library to introduce the library early in the semester to possible non-users through a gaming event.
Van Eck, Richard, “Digital Game-Based Learning: It’s Not Just the Digital Natives Who Are Restless (EDUCAUSE Review) | EDUCAUSE.” EDUCAUSE Review http://www.educause.edu/EDUCAUSE+Review/EDUCAUSEReviewMagazineVolume41/DigitalGameBasedLearningItsNot/158041 (accessed May 20, 2009).
- Now that digital game-based learning (DGBL) is more accepted, how do proponents move forward? Article reviews theories and practices around DGBL.
Games:
“Dungeons & Dragons Roleplaying Game Official Home Page,” Dungeons & Dragons http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/welcome (accessed May 22, 2009).
“German-style board game – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia,” Wikipedia: the free encyclopedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German-style_board_game (accessed May 22, 2009).
- Suggested at the 5/21/09 brown bag as an alternative for some of the more complex and involved board and online games. Potentially entry level games for people not as comfortable with gaming.
“Munchkin,” Munchkin http://www.worldofmunchkin.com/game/ (accessed May 22, 2009).
“RuneScape – the massive online adventure game by Jagex Ltd.,” RuneScape http://www.runescape.com/ (accessed May 22, 2009).
“World of Warcraft Community Site,” World of Warcraft Community Site http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/index.xml (accessed May 22, 2009).
Funding:
“Stewarts Shops – How Do We Help?,” Stewart’s Shops http://www.stewartsshops.com/ContentManager/index.cfm?Step=Display&ContentID=190 (accessed May 22, 2009).
Capital District shops:
“Flights of Fantasy New/Used Books, Games, & Accessories,” Flights of Fantasy: the only place for all of your reading & gaming needs! http://www.fof.net/ (accessed May 22, 2009).
“Zombie Planet,” Zombie Planet: Roleplaying, card games, comics, miniatures http://www.zombie-planet.com/ (accessed May 22, 2009).
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