GAMERT (Gaming) Round Table

Hi,

I'm working on selecting some new board games. The collection at NLPL is three years old. Some locations use it a lot. I'm using the following SQL to get information from a Horizon database to help select locations and types of games for those locations.

I am looking at locations with board games that have circulated five or more times since the start of 2019. The report shows the location, the sum of the circs for all items at that location for each board game, and the board games title.

This has allowed me to identify which locations have good circulation, so I can add items to their collections, and it has identified other locations that I will replace on my list with locations that do not have collections yet, in hopes that I find more locations that like board games. When looking at the titles, I am distinguishing between traditional and non-traditional games. Traditional being games like checkers, Connect 5, etc. Within each location I am categorizing them as either in favor of traditional collections, non-traditional, or a mix. Are there other categories I should be considering? I take this information and use it to identify games to add to the possible selection list for the year.

Here is the SQL I am using (I forgot one important part in my initial posting. The collection code. At NLPL its ttg)

SELECT i.location, l.name, SUM(i.n_ckos) AS n_ckos, ti.title
FROM item AS i
INNER JOIN location AS l
    ON i.location = l.location
INNER JOIN title_inverted AS ti
    ON i.bib# = ti.bib#
WHERE AND i.collection = 'ttg'
AND i.n_ckos >= 5
AND i.last_cko_date >= DATEDIFF(dd, 'jan 1 1970', 'jan 1 2019')
GROUP BY i.location, l.name, ti.title

------------------------------
Liam Whalen
Systems Librarian
Newfoundland & Labrador Public Libraries
------------------------------

Is "AS" for "Adult" collection? If not, does the collection distinguish between Children's, Teen, and/or Adult? There might be variation between those age groupings within the same library location that you might want to consider. 

Depending on how granular you want to go, you could look at things like the min and max player counts for games. If you have games that are only for 2 players, do those go out more than 3+ player games? What about games that are for 5+ players, do you have people looking for games that will support larger groups?

There are other things you *could* look at, but it really depends on how much information is already in the database and how much you want to consider when adding titles. You could determine which publishers are popular, which mechanisms are popular (maybe your community is obsessed with deck builders but tile placement rarely goes out, etc.).

The possibilities are endless! But what will be useful?

------------------------------
Rebecca Strang
Children's Services Librarian
Naperville Public Library

www.ToPlayIsHuman.com
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: Mar 09, 2021 03:19 PM
From: Liam Whalen
Subject: Selection Report

Hi,

I'm working on selecting some new board games. The collection at NLPL is three years old. Some locations use it a lot. I'm using the following SQL to get information from a Horizon database to help select locations and types of games for those locations.

I am looking at locations with board games that have circulated five or more times since the start of 2019. The report shows the location, the sum of the circs for all items at that location for each board game, and the board games title.

This has allowed me to identify which locations have good circulation, so I can add items to their collections, and it has identified other locations that I will replace on my list with locations that do not have collections yet, in hopes that I find more locations that like board games. When looking at the titles, I am distinguishing between traditional and non-traditional games. Traditional being games like checkers, Connect 5, etc. Within each location I am categorizing them as either in favor of traditional collections, non-traditional, or a mix. Are there other categories I should be considering? I take this information and use it to identify games to add to the possible selection list for the year.

Here is the SQL I am using (I forgot one important part in my initial posting. The collection code. At NLPL its ttg)

SELECT i.location, l.name, SUM(i.n_ckos) AS n_ckos, ti.title
FROM item AS i
INNER JOIN location AS l
    ON i.location = l.location
INNER JOIN title_inverted AS ti
    ON i.bib# = ti.bib#
WHERE AND i.collection = 'ttg'
AND i.n_ckos >= 5
AND i.last_cko_date >= DATEDIFF(dd, 'jan 1 1970', 'jan 1 2019')
GROUP BY i.location, l.name, ti.title

------------------------------
Liam Whalen
Systems Librarian
Newfoundland & Labrador Public Libraries
------------------------------

AS is a part of the SQL code used to alias a table name (location) to the alias l.

I have been grouping the purchases as adult or children. I will take a look at the records and see what information is contained there.

Thank you for suggesting number of players. I will need to review our catalog to see what other details are available.

Endless board game fun at the library would be useful,

------------------------------
Liam Whalen
Systems Librarian
Newfoundland & Labrador Public Libraries
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: Mar 11, 2021 11:44 AM
From: Rebecca Strang
Subject: Selection Report

Is "AS" for "Adult" collection? If not, does the collection distinguish between Children's, Teen, and/or Adult? There might be variation between those age groupings within the same library location that you might want to consider.

Depending on how granular you want to go, you could look at things like the min and max player counts for games. If you have games that are only for 2 players, do those go out more than 3+ player games? What about games that are for 5+ players, do you have people looking for games that will support larger groups?

There are other things you *could* look at, but it really depends on how much information is already in the database and how much you want to consider when adding titles. You could determine which publishers are popular, which mechanisms are popular (maybe your community is obsessed with deck builders but tile placement rarely goes out, etc.).

The possibilities are endless! But what will be useful?

------------------------------
Rebecca Strang
Children's Services Librarian
Naperville Public Library

www.ToPlayIsHuman.com

Original Message:
Sent: Mar 09, 2021 03:19 PM
From: Liam Whalen
Subject: Selection Report

Hi,

I'm working on selecting some new board games. The collection at NLPL is three years old. Some locations use it a lot. I'm using the following SQL to get information from a Horizon database to help select locations and types of games for those locations.

I am looking at locations with board games that have circulated five or more times since the start of 2019. The report shows the location, the sum of the circs for all items at that location for each board game, and the board games title.

This has allowed me to identify which locations have good circulation, so I can add items to their collections, and it has identified other locations that I will replace on my list with locations that do not have collections yet, in hopes that I find more locations that like board games. When looking at the titles, I am distinguishing between traditional and non-traditional games. Traditional being games like checkers, Connect 5, etc. Within each location I am categorizing them as either in favor of traditional collections, non-traditional, or a mix. Are there other categories I should be considering? I take this information and use it to identify games to add to the possible selection list for the year.

Here is the SQL I am using (I forgot one important part in my initial posting. The collection code. At NLPL its ttg)

SELECT i.location, l.name, SUM(i.n_ckos) AS n_ckos, ti.title
FROM item AS i
INNER JOIN location AS l
    ON i.location = l.location
INNER JOIN title_inverted AS ti
    ON i.bib# = ti.bib#
WHERE AND i.collection = 'ttg'
AND i.n_ckos >= 5
AND i.last_cko_date >= DATEDIFF(dd, 'jan 1 1970', 'jan 1 2019')
GROUP BY i.location, l.name, ti.title

------------------------------
Liam Whalen
Systems Librarian
Newfoundland & Labrador Public Libraries
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 3/11/2021 12:44:00 PM
From: Rebecca Strang
Subject: RE: Selection Report

Is "AS" for "Adult" collection? If not, does the collection distinguish between Children's, Teen, and/or Adult? There might be variation between those age groupings within the same library location that you might want to consider. 

Depending on how granular you want to go, you could look at things like the min and max player counts for games. If you have games that are only for 2 players, do those go out more than 3+ player games? What about games that are for 5+ players, do you have people looking for games that will support larger groups?

There are other things you *could* look at, but it really depends on how much information is already in the database and how much you want to consider when adding titles. You could determine which publishers are popular, which mechanisms are popular (maybe your community is obsessed with deck builders but tile placement rarely goes out, etc.).

The possibilities are endless! But what will be useful?

------------------------------
Rebecca Strang
Children's Services Librarian
Naperville Public Library

www.ToPlayIsHuman.com
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: Mar 09, 2021 03:19 PM
From: Liam Whalen
Subject: Selection Report

Hi,

I'm working on selecting some new board games. The collection at NLPL is three years old. Some locations use it a lot. I'm using the following SQL to get information from a Horizon database to help select locations and types of games for those locations.

I am looking at locations with board games that have circulated five or more times since the start of 2019. The report shows the location, the sum of the circs for all items at that location for each board game, and the board games title.

This has allowed me to identify which locations have good circulation, so I can add items to their collections, and it has identified other locations that I will replace on my list with locations that do not have collections yet, in hopes that I find more locations that like board games. When looking at the titles, I am distinguishing between traditional and non-traditional games. Traditional being games like checkers, Connect 5, etc. Within each location I am categorizing them as either in favor of traditional collections, non-traditional, or a mix. Are there other categories I should be considering? I take this information and use it to identify games to add to the possible selection list for the year.

Here is the SQL I am using (I forgot one important part in my initial posting. The collection code. At NLPL its ttg)

SELECT i.location, l.name, SUM(i.n_ckos) AS n_ckos, ti.title
FROM item AS i
INNER JOIN location AS l
    ON i.location = l.location
INNER JOIN title_inverted AS ti
    ON i.bib# = ti.bib#
WHERE AND i.collection = 'ttg'
AND i.n_ckos >= 5
AND i.last_cko_date >= DATEDIFF(dd, 'jan 1 1970', 'jan 1 2019')
GROUP BY i.location, l.name, ti.title

------------------------------
Liam Whalen
Systems Librarian
Newfoundland & Labrador Public Libraries
------------------------------