Guest Blogger Sue Scott’s Thoughts on Why Gaming Belongs in Libraries
I promised that I'd occasionally bring in other voices, and today I'm doing just that. Sue Scott has some straightforward and succinct points to make about why libraries and gaming go together like peanut butter and chocolate. (My words, not hers.) I did a bit of that earlier, but here she names names, names games, and makes it all so crystal clear. Thank you, Sue, for sharing your ideas here. Game on! -- Liz

[Sue Scott, MLS, Technology Librarian, Marlboro Free Library, New York, has been gaming since 1991. Her favorite games are World of Warcraft, Fallout 3, and all things Final Fantasy.]

1. The PC game franchises Warhammer Online, World of Warcraft, and StarCraft are all based on rich Tolkien-like fantasy worlds, with lots of lore and story as well as elements of strategy and economy. Books (graphic novels and fiction) based on the back story can supplement the gaming experience.

2. Sports games like Madden NFL engage kids in a sport they might not otherwise play. They can be a head coach, player, or team, and they can learn the intricacies of play calling and strategy. ESPN and Fox Sports are actually using a modified version of the game in their analysis segments.

3. Public libraries try to include games that have an educational component to them, but at the end of the day, don’t some people just want to relax or escape?

4. Every time my library’s Wii Bowling league for seniors meets, I put out magazines and local newspapers for them; during teen video game programs, I put out gaming magazines and strategy guides. Games can draw patrons of all ages to other holdings in the library.

5. Many games today feature creative modding tools (e.g., PS3’s LittleBigPlanet and the PC games Neverwinter Nights and Half Life 2). Creating a game requires knowledge of art, storytelling, programming, physics, and math, and many other subjects, and such tools are useful for young adults interested in videogame development as a career. (Indeed, many universities now provide classes in game development and the history of videogames.)

6. In tough economic times, parents are thrilled to check out a $60 game instead of purchasing it.

7. Guitar Hero and Rock Band have introduced a whole new generation to classic rock and heavy metal. By having events in the library, you can enable the many kids who might not otherwise be able to afford the equipment to experience these party games. Who knows if one of those underprivileged kids will be the next Jimi Hendrix—or at least be inspired to study an instrument? [Not a stretch of the imagination -- Liz]

8. As the digital divide widens, consider that many wouldn't get to experience all the media the world has to offer without libraries making that media available to them. 

9. Families are gaming in bigger numbers than ever before, and who wouldn’t support a family activity? The Wii offers several multiplayer game options for a fun-family game night at your library. 

10. Many games have a historical element to them. Rome: Total War, for example, has been by the History Channel to recreate famous historical battles, and Spore delves into evolution.

11. The scores in many videogames are original masterpieces, by such composers as Clint Bajakian (Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic) and the incomparable Nobuo Uematsu (Final Fantasy). 

12. Videogames can allow you to live out your dreams. Within the Zelda Universe, parents and children can look forward to a swashbuckling adventure that includes clever puzzles and mysteries to solve. Racing games such as Burnout allow total customization of racecars and re-creations of existing cities. And Assassin's Creed and Fallout 3 contain painstaking recreations of Jerusalem and a post-apocalyptic Washington, DC.