Christy Branston
From game studies to bibliographic gaming: Libraries tap into the video game culture
University of Waterloo
take digital game world throw blender add information research skills sift word educational maybe maybe new effective way teach students bibliographic instruction video game industry momentously grows one dominant forms digital entertainment moving geeky adolescence mature entertainment juggernaut reaching audiences young old academic community begins pay heed reality recent academic focus game studies actually return educational examination video games began 1980s personal computers prepackaged games began spread reexamination educational gaming spawned video game ubiquity well commercial success gaming industry also significant evidence suggesting enhanced problemsolving skills knowledge become unpredicted byproducts welldeveloped stories games subsequently innovative game studies courses programs popping university curricula campuses programs communication studies media studies english computer science incorporating elements game studies programs new programs formed shyly avoiding video game label others university wisconsinmadisons groundbreaking games learning society program boldly proclaim focus games game studies becoming widespread area research information science also looking ways incorporating area field integration appropriately accomplished 2003 poll 69 teenagers reported spend time playing video games week 25 polled reported playing least 11 hours per week gallup poll 2003 educators librarians need aware kinds statistics want know users truth librarians information scientists already paying attention video game phenomenon either conscious strategic planning programming fulfilling user requests information fly reference desk video game sales continue grow gaming becomes permanent pastime teenagers public libraries particular realizing need reexamine scope collections services looking gaming medium fresh perspective new approaches include developing collections video games developing providing special gaining programs hosting gaming tournaments otherwise known lan parties gaming community offering gaming advisory services similar traditional readers advisory services provided hard core reader seeking recommendations wellread librarians see papers gallaway gullett neiburger reading course legitimate concerns surrounding decision support support video games new medium libraries including expense supporting various gaming platforms however many arguments moving video game realm seem little dj vu mirroring arguments collection film nonbook media libraries librarians fought collect films music aware original arguments supporting new collections insisted alternative mediums would draw people library expose book collection proved accurate perhaps good thing new types collections invite new types users library becomes multifaceted place music lovers necessarily readers mandate insist course video game appreciation yet reached acceptance level music appreciation nonetheless new technologies way people use libraries changing collections services offered libraries consequently changing evolving stay relevant meet needs public along staying abreast latest greatest video games important information specialists aware technologies work video game industry library collection purposes adding video games quite straight forward purchasing music film dvd several platforms gaming consoles consider purchasing games deciding one support could difficult costly decision planning strategy key library successful collection endeavors along public interest supporting video games game playing libraries librarians information scientists also analyzing video games learning theory perspective particularly academic library community bibliographic instruction plays important role within curriculum lifelong learning flow information digital age changing way publishing takes place impact research techniques new mediums tools learned assimilated scholarly research process well people begin take real virtual identities online virtual societal rules formed rules physical world always appropriate sufficient one area recently identified something particular online world specific video games involves development virtual economies nonexistent fictional items used gameplay bought sold ebay steinkuehler 2005 incredibly virtual game currencies work real world economic anomaly alone seems indicate importance paying attention influence video games society power video games teach cannot denied scholars field game studies well aware peripheral accidental learning goes behind scenes child teenager adult engages interactive video game harnessing power creating recipe success difficult remember failure recent past educators espoused glories edutainment watch industry failed leave ground given idea use games teach new concept go road one reason generation younger people use technology prensky 2001 born bred using games trained visual learners preference active learning intolerance purely passive learning traditional lecturestyle teaching potential building video game incorporate knowledge information appealing educators librarians aptitude technology interest promoting active learning training modules find idea incorporating library instruction video game attractive one way get beyond boredom students often associate library instruction past educational video games struggled prove effectiveness many reasons edutainment bust occurred shortly first wave excitement using video games teach companies simply could sustain compete huge commercial gaming companies intelligence complexity video games grows fierce interest desire analyze learning results game play interest success commercial gaming market encourage educational community look ways incorporate technology teaching order reach learners innovative ways avoiding past mistakes way succeed continue strive apply gaming teaching one way take focus learning model educational games commercial games unexpected learning seems happen successful commercial games whose prime goal entertain also current developers gaming products tools need aware reasons behind past failure edutainment developers take focus learning objectives drop educational adjective description games simply adopt marshall mcluhan adage trust medium message concept undoubtedly raise concerns among educators know well good teaching begins clear learning objectives also administrators often demand method madness innovative teaching especially lot money devoted new potentially risky endeavors concerns understandable cant simply dismiss powerful learning goes students interact complex games full rich stories complicated instructions interfaces considering social skills developed communication goes outside game environment fan communities need try new approaches want successful applying games education build games focus much objectives players motivated play especially objectives game center learning particular skills knowledge rather engaging player complete immersion game world complete immersion best measure success educational game game matter librarians stand apart educators bibliographic instruction many academic institutions already located periphery curriculum librarians business bibliographic instruction freedom experience trying new things reaching audiences getting buyin administrators learners always struggle ideal situation would incorporate information literacy research skills game teaches information literacy many librarians aware support argument bibliographic instruction successful point need merging idea gamebased learning library instruction flies face point need theory need compete instead two teaching approaches compliment another way avoid failure development games eye educating players particular concepts involve players design development games constantly test players throughout every stage development getting feedback users everything storyboarding graphical interfaces usability testing important tool especially one involving interface design educational video game testing also important course whether game playable may result ultimate success commercial developers game players tell good game one lose complete track time playing wasted efforts greatest fear educators librarians involved game development likelihood pedagogy game flaw failed game inability find intrinsic fun factor magical ingredient motivates people play user needs find game fun addicting order successful accomplishing successful game going prove difficult task educational game developer fact game studies programs becoming popular help endeavor well trained students undoubtedly dedicated gamers help us succeed fact next wave commercial video game development moving player design game players actually build games want play borland 2006 assist us usability testing gamers become articulate find certain games fun another benefit video game learning tool player go pace games built adapt players skill level make truly interactive games players get immediate feedback gaming becomes popular players begin progress building mode eventually tap students skills get buyin learning games seeking help building games involving players development important developers also interest games gamebased learning developers need passionate teaching reaching students different level one necessarily measurable traditional ways finding ways measure game design effectiveness next difficult task educators game developers understanding common learning patterns important instance people begin new game first reading manual cover cover players prefer learn basic moves game begin exploration learning completely interactive immersive unknown discovery factor learning playing game big part appeal thrown new environment learning survive half fun imagine students viewed learning use library light learning navigate around new world video game need fear discovery fun borrow techniques video games libraries might able push past intimidating reputations another reason video game potentially excellent framework teach information literacy skills fact many game players often partake secondary research assist game play secondary material supporting game play vast many current scholars game studies taking close look skills players develop seeking information ethnographic analysis communities formed around particular games secondary literature goes beyond simple strategies game cheats much fanwritten fiction literature completely extraneous conceived original game designers steinkuehler 2005 another interesting phenomenon involves websites devoted classic video games nostalgic programmers players developed software support original games 70s 80s software enables 30something child grew playing games original pcs emulate experience child finding game literature could excellent search topic librarians use order interest students teaching basic research skills topic meaningful fun skills players learn independent gaming research completely transferable academic world proliferation game studies programs campuses creates potential librarians information scientists tap groups already developing evaluating games librarians may aptitude desire learn new skills many creating good teaching tool fun effective prime concern making use resources already available key wonderful aspect gaming community natural inclination share knowledge also new thrust userdriven games encourage proliferation free support material software many open source tools available game development similarly librarians interested using games teach would benefit sharing templates game engines easily adapted libraries know users gaming lets tap skills interests use games teach lets add interesting gamingrelated programs public libraries order encourage information literacy help libraries evolve way need next phase information age