If you've been paying any attention to our newsletters, social media, podcasts or just about any other platform you've surely seen updates about the recent renovations and remodels at libraries around the district. We're pretty proud of them! And we're happy to say that the response to newly updated spaces has been overwhelmingly positive. But when it comes to the refreshed teen areas we have had a few folks ask, "What's up with the big TVs?"
It's a fair question because even though some of our libraries have had TVs in the teen area for many years they are newer additions in others. The original purpose was to display a constant stream of CSPAN-2, but we found that teens don't especially care for that ambiance.
I jest. The TVs are obviously for video games.
Although I am objectively the best Mario Kart player of all time and a Legend of Zelda completionist, I don't really call myself a gamer. Apart from an interest in a handful of mostly Nintendo games it's just never been a major hobby of mine. So I'm not necessarily the best person to opine on gaming in libraries. But I am an ✨information professional✨ so I did my research and collected some firsthand reports from my amazing colleagues around the district to help explain the value of games and gaming to public libraries, and to us here at TRL.
I won't spend a ton of time on the big picture because gaming in libraries is nothing new. The Ann Arbor District Library in Michigan was experimenting with gaming programs as early as 2004 (source) and within a few years interest in gaming was widespread in the public library world (source). At this point we have literal decades of popular and scholarly articles exploring the opportunities and challenges of gaming in libraries, and you can take a look at some of those in the suggested reading at the end of this blog.
A potentially unsurprising theme that emerges in the writing around games in public libraries is that gaming can help us invite teens and tweens who may not otherwise take an interest in the library to connect with each other and discover all that the library has to offer. Creating appealing spaces and programs for this group of notoriously library-hesitant users is a core part of our current Strategic Plan because we know that young patrons become lifelong library users. Games and gaming programs are perhaps self-evidently appealing to teens and tweens, but it's worth pointing out that teens tell us this themselves. One teen patron recently shared that Olympia's In Be-tween Game Day program "helps me feel a part of the community and play withe people my age. It's helped me realize my love of writing and how I want to be an author, and how I hope one day my books will be on your shelf."
The value of games as a gateway to more "traditional" library resources is important to recognize, but stopping there can risk overshadowing the fact that games themselves have inherent value. As illustrated above, games encourage socialization and teamwork, and reinforce intellectual development through problem solving. One of our Anywhere Library Specialists noted that "we've come a long way from seeing video games as a frivolous time waster and brain rotter. Early on, the argument could be made for cognitive development like hand-eye coordination and problem solving (think Pong, Tetris, Super Mario, etc.). But with the variety of games out today, different features have shown to be helpful in cognitive, emotional, and social development, as well. Things like teamwork, creativity, and personal identity have become more and more involved." Another one of our librarians who has spent years working with teens noted that "the reality is video games are a huge part of teen culture...I've seen teens in the spaces where there isn't a TV and they will mostly sit on their phones and ignore each other if they've never met. But I've seen teens meet new friends in the teen spaces because they opted to play video games together. Video games are the great bridge that teens can use to get to know each other."
In other cases, games can even promote physical activity. Consider the interactive game projector at the Shelton library about which a staff member said, "I've seen folks of all ages playing on it! I love seeing the red-faced, out-of-breath kiddos who burned lots of energy by stomping on aliens because it means they can engage in pretty intense active play without running around the library. "
It can be easy to overlook if it doesn't apply to you, but there are many households in our library district that are without access to various kinds of technology. Equitable access to library resources is a core value for TRL, and multiple staff I spoke with highlighted the valuable role the library plays by providing teens in rural and underserved areas access to video games in the same way that we offer computer and internet access. Regarding teen programming, one staff member said, "Even when programming isn't centered around video games, conversation at teen programs can turn to discussing favorite games. Having video games available at the library allows for those who might not have access to video games at home, a chance to engage with peers socially."
One of the posts below from the American Library Association's Games and Gaming Roundtable sums things up nicely: "Libraries have a mission to provide a variety of materials in a variety of formats. Board games, card games, and video games are stories and information presented in newer formats. Libraries are about access to stories and information in many forms of media, not specifically books." And just like books, not all video games are going to appeal to everyone. However, if the core question is whether videogames as a medium belong in the library the answer is a resounding yes.
Now, if anyone would like to get their heart broken on Koopa Troopa Beach, I'm taking reservations. 🏎️
Further Reading
Gaming in the Library (University of Missouri)
Games in Schools and Libraries
Why Have Games in Libraries? - ALA Games & Gaming Roundtable
Responsible Innovation in Technology for Children (UNICEF)
Literacy & Gaming in the Library (Illinois Library Association)
