Download I Love Libraries Web badges for your site.

National Gaming Day @ your library

On November 15, 2008, libraries across the country will participate in the largest, simultaneous national video game tournament ever held! Kids will be able to compete against players at other libraries and see their scores in real-time online while playing at their local library.

But gaming in libraries isn’t just about video games. Hasbro is donating a copy of its game Pictureka! to every public library branch in the U.S. so that we can set a record for the most number of people playing a board game on the same day! Top Trumps and Wizards of the Coast are also donating games. The goals of this event are to:

• Raise awareness about the use of games as a library program;
• Expose people to a new type of board game;
• Establish connections between local board game groups and the library.

View the map to see if your library is participating in National Gaming Day.

Why is the American Library Association promoting gaming in libraries?

1. Aren’t libraries about books and reading?

In the 21st century, libraries are about much more than books! In fact, libraries work very hard to provide patrons of all ages with a rich and current menu of CDs and DVDs, as well as electronic and online resources. Video game resources and programs at the library actually complement these existing services. Featuring this new gaming media helps the library expand its reach while meeting community expectations.

2. Aren’t video games just a passing fad?

Actually, video games have been popular for more than 30 years. In fact, three generations have grown up with video games - Generation Xers, Generation Y, and Millennials. It’s not only the digital natives who are playing video games. The average age of today’s gamer is 35-years old, and Baby Boomers and Seniors are playing them more than ever before! Libraries across the country are offering family gaming nights that bring the generations together for a gaming experience they can’t share anywhere else.

3. Why should kids play video games at the library?

Lots of kids play video games at home – alone, with siblings, or with friends. The library is a safe and non-commercialized space. At the library, kids socialize with their friends and play video games while surrounded by books, librarians, and knowledge. Video gaming at the library encourages young patrons to interact with diverse peers, share their expertise with others (including adults), and develop new strategies for gaming and learning.

4. How do librarians choose video games that are appropriate for our kids?

The Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB) has established criteria for rating video games. In 2007, 85% of the video games sold were rated “EC” (Early Childhood), “E” (Everyone), “E10+” (Everyone 10 and older), or “T” (Teens ages 13 and older).

These games are available to libraries and are considered “family friendly.” In addition to using the ESRB to guide game selection, librarians do extensive research about the recommended games and play them before they are introduced to kids. Games recommended for use in libraries often have a more social component that brings people together around the content, making the whole experience more fun when played with others.

5. What do kids learn when they play games at the library?

Video games give kids a chance to practice reading, writing, and computing in the library’s safe environment. Popular video games, the ones that kids really like to play, are immediately engaging and make them work hard to succeed and ‘level up’. While playing these games, kids are constantly developing new strategies, predicting possible outcomes, managing multiple resources, reading and deciphering maps, tracking complex statistics, and adapting to increasingly difficult levels within the game. They learn a range of media literacies beyond basic reading that give them models for navigating our information-rich world.

Additional Resources:

- Libraries Got Game (PDF)
- Libraries Lure with Video Games
- Why Games Belong in Libraries
- For librarians: Learn How to participate in National Gaming Day & check out the National Gaming Day 2008 Toolkit

Have more questions about National Gaming Day @ your library? Fill out the Contact Us form, and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can!

To Board Game Groups:

Go to your local library with this information and find out if they’re participating in National Gaming Day @ your library on Saturday, November 15th. If the library’s staff isn’t aware of it, offer to host a board game event or provide staff support to help. The goal is to have many copies of Pictureka played on the same day and to have some documentation of the event. In addition, your library may need help learning about and implementing other great modern board games to play after the Pictureka event ends. Your participation in this one-day activity can lead to future board game events at the library as well.

Board Game groups with questions should contact Scott Nicholson at scott@scottnicholson.com.

More Gaming Information

Find a participating library near you