April 15, 2008
Debut of Games in Libraries Podcast!
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Introducing… the very first episode of … Games in Libraries!
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Games in Libraries is a new podcast about, well, games, gaming, and gamers in libraries, produced and hosted by Scott Nicholson, associate professor at Syracuse’s School of Information Studies (and LIS program director) and chief scientist at Library GameLab of Syracuse. Current contributers include Kelly Czarnecki, Technology Education Librarian at Imaginon in NC; Beth Gallaway, independent library trainer/consultant at Information Goddess Consulting in NH; Christopher Harris, coordinator of school libraries in Genesee Valley BOCES in NY and Eli Neiburger, gamer, dad, and Manager of Information Access & Systems at Ann Arbor District Library.
Episode 0 is an introduction to the contributors, and will evolve as new contributors are added.
Episode 1 contains:
- A justification of using games in school libraries by Christopher Harris
- A reminder to apply for an ALA Presidential Citation for Gaming at YOUR library by Beth Gallaway
- An update about gaming tournaments at Imaginon by Kelly Czarnecki
- A review of the board game Pandemic by Scott Nicholson
- A response to the editorial Orc Holocaust by Beth Gallaway
- A review of Super Smash Brothers Brawl for the Wii by Eli Neiburger
- A plug for Gaming @ your library day, being celebrated this FRIDAY, April 18, with simultaneous play of Ticket to Ride
Give a listen at www.gamesinlibraries.org/, or subscribe at feeds.feedburner.com/GamesInLibraries
New contributors welcome! Contact Scott Nicholson for more information
What did you think of episodes 0 & 1?
Hi Scott and the Gaming in Libraries Gang,
I really enjoyed your first podcast, keep up the good work.
My name is Carl and I’m a professional librarian working in Derbyshire specialising in working with children and teenagers.
I love playing games of all kinds – really not fussy – but it seems to me that the market on this side of the Atlantic is both static and fragmented.
We have kids playing Games Workshop miniatures games and adults playing historical minis and occasionally board games. Although Games Workshop have been really successful in reaching out to first schools and then libraries many of their players will only play the Warhammers or LOTR, “’cos, y’know it’s the Workshop hobby innit?” No, it’s boardgames and it’s wargames and it’s roleplaying.
Outside of work I belong to a games club which plays mostly minis (I play a WWII games called Flames of War, most play GW games) and even there it’s really difficult to get them interested in board games. They play Settlers and Talisman occasionally so I’m trying to tempt them with Dungeoneer and the old GW party/card game Chaos Marauders without much success.
I am introducing games to some of my existing reading groups. We have Book Chase and I’m considering buying Once Upon a Time and Apples to Apples to play with these groups.
I’m also going to the National Youth Libraries Group conference this year (roughly analogous to ALA conference I guess but for those who work with children and young people) to talk about a project where a group of young people will design a serious (video)game to advertise libraries which will be programmed by members of the Computing Department at a local university. Because it’s a 3 day residential conference while I’m there I’m going to try to organise an informal game or two in the bar to introduce some people to the joys of gaming and to show them the possibilities for their library service.
So I would really appreciate any suggestions for games that reading groups of different ages might enjoy and can also be played in the fairly confined space of a bar!
I’m also hoping to take my Wii for a bit of open gaming during the weekend.
It’s nice to be able to put a voice to some very familiar names, Beth and Eli particularly, Scott’s voice is very familiar from On Board Games and Board Games with Scott although that’s not a bad thing! Ra!
Anyway, sorry to ramble so much. Looking forward to the next podcast.
Carl.
Comment by Carl Cross — April 29, 2008 @ 9:16 am