Video Games in the Library?

Sarah Wethern -- School Library Journal, 12/16/2009

In Colorado, as in other parts of the country, video game collections are hot. Although the John C. Fremont Library District in Florence, CO circulates everything from the Gamecube to the Nintendo DS, most of our library systems stick to the three most popular video game consoles—the Wii, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 2 (PS2). (At the moment, PS2 is more popular than its more recently released sibling, PS3, but if the latter’s prize plunges, things may change.)

If you’re thinking of creating a video game collection, you may be worried about theft. Although it’s a valid concern, several libraries say that video games aren’t any more at risk than DVDs. (Since video games are often circulating and rarely on the shelf, they may actually be in less danger of disappearing than DVDs.) In fact, when it comes to maintaining video game collections, the biggest challenge confronting many libraries isn’t theft—it’s replacing worn out or scratched items. Still, just to be on the safe side, some libraries, including the Bemis Public Library in Littleton, CO, and the Laramie County Library in Wyoming, have created displays with empty video game cases, which means that patrons must bring the cases to the circulation desk to receive the games.

How do most libraries purchase their video games? It varies. Some of the bigger systems like Pikes Peak Library District in Colorado Springs and the Douglas County Libraries purchase video games from vendors such as Baker & Taylor. Smaller libraries, many with just one location, are more willing to buy used video games from local game stores or even accept patrons’ donations. While these low-budget options may result in more work, they’re a great way for smaller libraries to increase their video game collections without emptying their wallets.Word spreads quickly about circulating video game collections. While one library marketed the service with posters, most said the best advertisement of the new collection was the fact that there were hardly any games on the shelf. Video games in libraries seem to promote themselves.
Gaming in libraries has grown to epic proportions and it’s bound to get bigger. So why not take the next step and circulate your video games? Your teens will be glad you did.—Sarah Wethern, teen librarian, Pueblo (CO) City-County Library District

Morris Award Finalists Announced

True to its name, the William C. Morris YA Debut Award honors young adult books written by first-time authors. Started in 2009, the award aims to promote titles that appeal to a wide range of teens. The five finalists for the 2010 award are Ash by Malinda Lo, Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl, The Everafter by Amy Huntley, Flash Burnout by L. K. Madigan, and hold still by Nina LaCour. To learn more about the award (and to get a free customizable bookmark), visit the Young Adult Library Services Association’s Web site. And be sure to stay tuned: the winner will be announced on Monday, January 18, 2010, at the American Library Association’s midwinter meeting in Boston.

• Wikipedia Co-Founder Launches Web Site for PreK-12

Larry Sanger, co-founder of Wikipedia, has launched a new Web site designed to gather and organize educational videos for students ages 3 to 18. The site, WatchKnow.org, currently features more than 11,000 videos across 2,000 categories on subjects such as math, science, and history. The nonprofit site features new software that allows wiki-style collaboration among users. "Think of it as YouTube meets Wikipedia, filtering out everything but quality educational videos," Sanger said. (From AASL Hotlinks, 12/09)

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