Hi all:
My name is Darlene McPeek and I just joined Games RT. It is great to have found you here on ALA. I work at UNT Media Library as the Graduate Library Assistant to Diane Robson. It is an exciting time to be in librarianship. With the entrance of gaming as a viable medium, libraries can bring in and attract students and others who might not otherwise step into a library. That is one of the important things about games. The other important aspect to remember in terms of learning is that the more fun you are having, the more you are learning. Fun opens up the brain to new creativity. For this reason, gaming is vital and relevant in libraries, even as it is still breaking down barriers in the minds of other librarians. However, gaming librarians know that this will be overcome, in time, hopefully sooner than later, for the benefit of students everywhere. :)
Further, the idea of games as an artistic medium is fasincating to me! I grew up as a cartoonist and love that medium. Games are another way for technology to communicate culture and I like the way that some developers are bringing in literature, history and culture into game programming.
I am looking forward to the new vistas of gaming and to see what happens in this area. We are in a prime position to effect change and I am glad this group is here to do just that.
Getting involved is key, of course. I hope to do that, too! This is a new group, so we need to do what we can to roll the ball together. When we all work together, amazing things can happen!
Best wishes, and "see you" at IGD 2012~
Darlene McPeek
Graduate Library Assistant
UNT Media Library in Denton, Texas
peacefultrees@hotmail.com