Last year, a classmate turned me on to Library Link of the Day. It is what it sounds like -- a link each day to an article, video or other Internet content that is library-related, and it has really kept me connected to a variety of interesting stories in our field. Just yesterday was a link to the conference presentation of a colleague from UW-Milwaukee at the AISTI Ninth Annual Mini-Conference. It is a 48-page document, but if you have the opportunity to peruse Consoles, Clickers and Chat: Tools for the Library of Today, you will find it fascinating. For those who choose not to take a look, I'll paraphrase a couple of interesting points.
John Hubbard discusses the coveted "younger" patron demographic, that group which is technologically savvy, yet reluctant to partake of library services, feeling they are not relevant, needed or offered. Hubbard says, "We don’t need to have the same technological tastes as our patrons, no sooner than we need to dress like them or listen to their music, but it is important to understand where we are in relation to our patron base so that we can meet the most user needs." (2) In talking about who our potential patrons might be, he shows a picture of hundreds of people waiting in line for the release of the video game Grand Theft Auto IV which made more than $500 million its opening weekend outpacing all but fifty movies in history. That's a lot of folks out there gaming. Are we reaching them, meeting their needs, bringing them through our doors?
To further demonstrate the popularity of gaming, Hubbard shows several virtual events including weddings and funerals where peoples' online selves (avatars) participate as though in real life. Two popular sites are World of Warcraft which has "over 10 million users worldwide and a GDP larger than that of many countries" (5) and Second Life. These online communities are so realistic that several libraries, including the Library of Congress have placed content within these virtual worlds. LOC has created an interface that allows users of the virtual community to access their digitized collections. Hubbard goes so far as to say that [Second Life] "is not even what I would call a video game per se so much as a community that happens to be on the Internet. Once you accept that it’s not a game with any set objectives, there are some very interesting applications of Second Life, such as the sharing of library collections..." (7). Wow! I find this fascinating!
Hubbard goes on to argue in favor of technology that enhances patron use of the library including offering video games, clickers and gaming consoles. His arguments are compelling, his evidence both empirical and anecdotal, and his tips practical. If you are looking to take on your local library board in favor of gaming, this would be an invaluable resource.
Frankly, I have mixed feelings about gaming at the library, but I mostly fall on the side of offering it in some form. Hubbard offers great advice about what that can look like in a library setting which will in turn help keep us relevant and cutting edge.
No comments:
Post a Comment