Having trouble getting a gaming program  in your library?  Here’s a few hints on how you can talk your library administration into seeing things your way.  Stay tuned to 8BitLibrary in the near future for another installment of this series where we tackle the task of getting a circulating video game collection in your library.

1. Cost. Gaming doesn’t come cheap, that’s for sure.  Instead of taking this angle, I recommend directly acknowledging that “yes, while the initial investment is high, the return is priceless.”  Emphasize how your library will be reaching out to a new population of user and how through this program those users will be more likely to attend other library events and use the library for their media needs. If you plan on running gaming programs, compare the cost of the console and games to the cost of hiring performers and you will find that after 1 or 2 game programs, the cost will be the same or less than the cost of hiring outside performers for programs.

2. Attendance. There’s a stereotype out there that all that gamers want to do is sit in front of their TV and play games all day.  There’s also the one that describes gamers as not the most social people in the world.

These stereotypes couldn’t be further from the truth.

Gamers are social people.  The recent rise in online gaming (specifically home systems such as XBox 360, Wii, and PS3) shows that we all want to be connected to one another.  Why not give this audience a place to play video games in public?

Attendance at gaming events will most likely start slow, but as word gets out to your community the gamers will come.  Program attendance will rise and with that comes another reward: increased circulation and library usage.  Gamers are not one dimensional beings that only like to play games.  They read, watch movies, and like all of us, have questions that need to be answered.  They will become users of your library.  Better yet, they will become HUGE supporters of your library.  They will tell others how cool the library is and how much neat stuff it has to offer.  Word of mouth works.  You will see it in action after you initiate a gaming program.

3. Media and the “New” Literacy. This one’s simple.  Libraries deal with information. Gaming is a new information media (just as books/films/music/language are all informational media) and as such libraries should be involved. Gaming allows the library to remain relevant in the 21st Century. We have an ever expanding link about gaming and literacy here, and JP has written a post about it here.

Have any questions?  Comments?  Want to share your success stories?  Please feel free to comment on this post or email justinthelibrarian at gmail dot com for further information.