Get Your Game on: Libraries, Learning and Games

Wednesday March 24, 8:30-Noon

Eli Neiburger, Associate Director, IT & Product Development, Ann Arbor District Library, Ann Arbor, MI

Aaron Schmidt, Digital Initiatives Librarian, District of Columbia Public Library, Washington, D.C.

In public markets, videogames sell more than DVDs or music. Market shares: 34% books, 28% videogames.

Most popular games are not violent: Super paper Mario, Pokemon, Wii Sports

Kids brains will work better than ours because of the higher rate of visual information they receive at an earlier age.

Video games require advanced literacy; knowledge is acquired through text. Example: information on different Pokemon

Phylomon.org = live animal version of a Pokemon game

Social Problem solving: closer to science, engineering

What gamers learn:
*Comprehension--learn to read when you need it, right away & apply it immediately
*Memory & knowledge--keeping track of 500 Pokemon
*Abstract reasoning
*Spatial reasoning
*Hierarchical knowledge systems
*Research skills
*Perserverance--learning is rewarded by moving onto a harder task. It's a safe environment in which to experiment, try, fail, and try again.
*Success requires risk
*Delay gratification--sometimes a setback is what you need
*Interface literacy
*3D manipulation
*Take care of your data
*Hacking & ethics
built in cheats are like an "easter egg" reward
external devices are hacking--frowned upon
*Global information community devoted to every game--give what you get
*Direct job skills
Study of surgeons who played Super Monkey Ball: 37% fewer surgical mistakes; 27% faster

Search Institute's 40 developmental assets: videogame event at the library covers 27 of these assets!

Hardware:
Consoles chosen because of exclusivity of games for each console

Sony:
*PS3 = $299 = Sony loses money on this right now; higher tech; Netflix interaction = Playstation network where you can watch movie trailers; interactive network = PS3s generally don't play PS2s
*PS2 = most hooked up to TV sets; PS2 still viable but ten years old
*PSP = handheld = can interact with PS3
*PSP GO (?) = no removable devices; download games

Nintendo
*Nintendo DS = 1 in 50 people own this = will play Game Boy Advance games
*DSI = has camera/memory = $129 = "child's first camera"
*DS Lite = $99/110
Trauma Center under the knife--practice surgery
Hotel Dusk--interactive e-book
Cooking mama
Brain age
*DS XL = twice the size = senior market = in Japan now; coming out in US
*Wii = very easy for beginners to learn how to play (Wii Play)

Microsoft
*XBOX360 = $200 "XY BOX" - no appeal to women
Halo, Halo II = first person shooter games w/alien theme

Circulating Games
split audience/budget--buying games for Wii, XBox 360, PS3--problems of loss; can't make everyone happy

Circulating games is not the most important library mission, in presenters' opinion
Gaming Librarian - online game column - collection development resources

Suggestion from attendee for rental collection--helps support game budget--about $1 for a week

You can reach more patrons with one gaming event than with a circulating game collection, according to the presenters

$5000-100000 for game collection--anemic collection
Same amount of $ would be better spent on EVENTS

Ratings
ESRP
C--children's
E--everyone
E10+--10 and over
T--teen
M-mature--17+ (Grand Theft Auto)
A--adult
RP--? NC17 equivalent

Most Wii games are E (3 games rated M)
Target games of a particular rating to a particular audience--assist with board acceptance

Need to build competitive community of kids who will come to play games no matter how "passe" the game and/or console might be

Have other things for kids to do besides the central game
Jenga!

How to convince reluctant staff/board members:
Games are content just as a book is
Narratives build on previous experiences
Cinematic elements to games
Have them TRY it!
Tie to educational/cultural/entertainment mission statement

Tournament events prizes
Big prize: Ipod, or Wii
Monthly: $20,30,40 gift cards
3 tournaments, once a month
Plus some other events when kids are out of school
2 adults to run event--have a gamer involved in the gaming--don't attempt to run an event on a game you know nothing about. Do an open play event; identify kids who always show up & harness their energy
$50 RV televisions--set up multiple stations
Tournament event broadcast--local access TV--color commentary on gaming

Tournament play = create structured activity = adds value to open play

http://wiki.gtsystem.org
set up tournaments software
can create "skin" to match library's own web page

Tournaments:
Rock Band (rules)Beatles, Green Day versions upcoming/Guitar Hero (sucks)/Rock Revolution--high score tourney; sign up as a 3 or 4 player band with a name--Each band plays song of their choice at difficulty of their choice twice--then highest scores win
Don't enforce level: teens would rather not looks stupid than win
Simultaneous DDR tourney going on; turn in best scores
Top 4 scores at end of night--3 hours is minimum

MarioKart all ages tournament--brackets, 1, 2, 3, adult, team, kid winner
Skill is required; process what's on the screen & make decisions--huge with little kids
Up to 6 Wiis in the same match with 6 TVs--12 kids---online also (if allowed; complex)
SmashKart-Smash & Mario Kart--4 hours

Pokemon Battle Revolution on Wii, house DS, then kids bring their own DS--3 hours
House Pokemon--people have to play to get Pokemon
Level 50 all--changes everyone's level to the same one for purposes of the match

SmashKart--Smash Bros & MarioKart--ages 13+
Super Smash Bros Brawl-single player and team tournaments
Mario Kart Wii single player and team tournaments
Items ON allows weaker players some success

Final Championships

National Gaming Day Saturday November 13, 2010--play against other libraries

eli@aadl.org
@ulotrichous