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Gaming in LibrariesSara Ajifu

LIS 672: Technology for Libraries and Information Centers

Instr: Luz M. Quiroga11/11/09

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Overview• Definition• How Gaming affects Libraries

– 5 Aspects of Gaming

• Real life Application

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Definition • Digital/video game (Kirriemuir and

McFarlane, 2006):– Provides some visual digital information or

substance to one or more players– Takes some input from the players– Processes the input according to a set of

programmed game rules– Alters the digital information provided to the

players

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5 Aspects of Gaming that Affect Libraries (Chad & Miller, 2005)

1. Gaming as a Cultural Phenomenon

2. Gaming as a Place3. Gaming as an Educational Tool4. Gaming as a Designed Interface5. Gaming as a Tool for

Collaboration

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Cultural Phenomenon

• Average game player 33 years old, playing for 12 years (ESA Facts and Research, 2006)

• Women make up 38% of overall game population

• Women over 18 represent a larger portion of game playing population than boys under 17 (30% vs. 23%)

• Females over 25 make up largest block of PC game players (46.2%) [Nielson, 2009]

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A “Third Place”

• A place apart from work or home where you can form social relationships

• Collaborative, advertising, educational, outreach space

• Proxy for real world• There.com, Whyville,

Habbo Hotel

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Educational Tool

• Simulators of real world situations and environments

• James Gee (2003)- gaming as a new literacy

• “Meld learning and identity”

• Learn through doing• Discovery with

minimal assistance

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Designed Interface

• Tools and rules that are intuitive and evident what actions need to be done

• Feedback is essential

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Collaboration

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Considerations

• Hardware• Software• Space• Maintenance

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Hardware• Xbox 360• Play Station 3• Xbox• Play Station 2 • GameCube• Wii• DDR• Nintendo DS• PC

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Games

• How to choose which are best for patrons

• Shorter shelf life than books

• Where to purchase from

• Loan period• PC vs. console

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World of Warcraft (WoW)

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PC Games

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More Games

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Ann Arbor District Library

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Baltimore County Public Library

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Carnegie Mellon’s Library Arcade

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Come Out and Play

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Questions?Questions?