Game On
Having just returned (and I mean literally just through the door) from the ALA Techsource Gaming, Learning, and Libraries Symposium in Chicago, I was very excited by the vibe put forth by the many librarians in attendance. Being a gamer myself, I truly enjoyed seeing how two things that I truly enjoy doing could finally be brought together towards a positive goal. Gaming should be welcomed in our libraries in whatever form best suits the needs of the users. Whether this is through a gaming tournament in a public library or a collection of video games at a university library, the truth is that gaming is a huge part of our modern culture.
Having watched several eras of librarians play the same games at the open gaming night on Sunday, and then watching random travelers in the airport playing games on their cell phones or portable gaming devices; I further realized the amazing impact the act of gaming has on our lives. For libraries and other educational entities to not take notice and begin to speak to these audiences, would be like deciding that recycling isn’t textbook worthy, because it very well could be a fad.
So let’s lift our controllers, dice, squirt guns, or whatever your means of gaming; on high and give gaming the recognition it deserves.
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hi john, i stumbled upon your blog from somewhere else (can’t remember where) and read it and then finally realized, wait i know that guy from reference class. random. anyway. keep writing, i enjoy reading your blog.
I lift my coral pink Nintendo DS Lite (best handheld gaming system EVER!) in support of this post and further support of gaming by academic and public libraries. It certainly is a subject of interest in areas of cultural studies, and social and cultural history as it has become firmly established as middlebrow culture over the last couple of decades.
Thanks for the support on both accounts. The stigma that has been applied to gaming is not warranted, nor should those who hate certain games be able to influence the overarching feelings on “gaming.” I mean not everyone likes brussel sprouts, but vegetables are still pretty good for us; last time I checked.
A agree. There is allot of hate out there for some of the old style gaming, and honestly i enjoy much of it more than the amazing graphics
players make the game single player or multi