Internet Librarian: Tuesday: Teach Me More! Fun & Gaming in Libraries

Teach me More! Fun & Gaming in Libraries
Chad Boeninger, Reference & Instruction Technology Coordinator, Ohio University Libraries
Randy Christensen, Associate Professor Library Media, Southern Utah University Library

Interactive session demonstrates educational gaming as a way to add interest and excitement to library instructions.


Comments in Parentheses my thoughts, not speakers
Have you got a Game Plan?: Adapting Library Services to the Needs of Gamers
Chad Boeninger - Library Voice (Chad's Blog)

Chad: One of the reasons I love librarianship is that we look at new tools and how to apply them to libraries.

Theoretical component: How can we take some of the elements of these things to libraries to make them more fascinating.

Games Encourage Exploration
Video from Lego Star Wars Game: Encourages exploration of the suroundings in the game.

Games allow Immersion in Varieties
Video from Resident Evil 4: Options to make a lot of decisions, an RPG element. Player has control over their own game play experience.
Video from Bully

Games encourage learning while doing
Video from God of War (Rated M): Gaming encourages learning while doing. We learn things and apply them immediately. We learn five or six different buttons within the first 20 minutes of game play. As game play progresses, we have to adapt those skills to progress.

As Libraries we encourage exploration, immersion, and learning while doing.

Libraries encourage learning while doing:
Quote from The Kids are All Right,

"Games are sometimes fiendishly, sometimes maddeningly, hard" - Everything is Bad is Good For You

Libraries encourage Exploration:
Libraries have always been places to explore information: How can we encourage more exploration in libraries?

We need new nomenclature.
We need consistent interfaces: Gamers use the same controlers

Immersion in Libraries:
Make facilities more inviting to users in a learning/information commons
Wireless connectivity allows users to go to the spaces they prefer
Movable furniture & Coffee shops
Customizable Interfaces: My EbscoHost, etc

Learning While Doing:
Must incorporate hands-on experiences: Immediate application of content
Must be relevant and timely

Point of need help: Instant help: screencap & Meebos connected to databases.

Allow them to help themselves through sitemaps: FAQs: etc


Randy Christensen
Libraries doing Information Literacy on the Internet: Austin Community College
University of North Carolina - Greensborough