GAMERT (Gaming) Round Table

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last person joined: 2 days ago 

The mission of the Games and Gaming Round Table is to provide the following:
  • A forum for the exchange of ideas and concerns surrounding games in libraries;
  • Resources to the library community to support the building and maintaining of library game collections;
  • A force for initiating and supporting game programming in libraries;
  • Create an awareness of, and need for, the support of the value of gaming and play in libraries, schools, and related learning communities.
  • Create an awareness of the value of games and gaming in library outreach and community engagement plans.
  • A professional and social forum for networking among librarians and non-librarians interested in games and gaming.

  • 1.  Gaming Panel

    Posted Mar 21, 2011 05:45 PM

    Hi all --

    I'm trying to save our Gaming Room.  I'm interested in anyone (all you great gaming librarians and experts!) to join us for a Q&A session (15-20 minutes) via Skype for a panel discussion regarding Gaming & Learning.

    Background: Our library (academic) has a gaming room open to students.  We have video games and board games and lots of first shooter video games that are very popular.  Lots of people in the library (employees) disapprove and are looking to close it by using excuses like budget cuts, bad library image due to violence in first person shooter games, etc.   Therefore we want to have a discussion panel/workshop/session and invite everyone on campus to attend so we can bring awareness to the postive aspect of gaming.

    Date: Tentative for now but focusing on 4/7/11 (Thursday) or 4/8/11 (Friday) at 12:00-1:30pm P.S.T.

    In the Panel/workshop/session I want to focus on

    -- Learning and Gaming, Facts/Myths about Gaming & Violence. 25 minutes

    -- Students (Gamers) and Gaming -- why they play, their views or perspective on gaming, violence in games and learning. 30 minutes

    -- Q&A 20-25 minutes

    Please if you're interested email me: vangv@csufresno.edu

    Thank you so much for your assistance in advance and if you can think of anything else I can do (proactively and positively)... I'll appreciated very much.



  • 2.  RE: Gaming Panel

    Posted Mar 22, 2011 07:36 AM

    One of the problems you may have in keeping the game room is that you aren't focusing on the desired outcomes for the gaming room.

    Many library gaming programs struggle because they focus first on the gaming activity, instead of starting with the desired outcomes.   If library gaming programs starts with "first-person shooters are cool, so we should have those," then it will be a problem to justify the gaming.

    Deciding on the difference that gaming should make in the library (that falls in line with the library mission), then developing the gaming programs to make that difference, and then assessing the programs to demonstrate the difference the program made makes it a justifiable gaming program.

     

    So, the questions I would ask:

     - What differences in the lives of the users does the gaming room make, and how does that fit within the goals and mission of the library?

    - How do the choices made in developing the gaming room lead toward making those differences, and why are those choices the best way to make those differences?

     - Can you assess the users to see if these differences are being made?

    If you have this data, then it is much easier to argue why the gaming room should exist.