News about Games and Gaming

Listen up at http://www.gamesinlibraries.org/

In the aftermath of the open gaming night at ALA, Scott Nicholson, Christopher Harris, Brian Mayer, Beth Gallaway, Paul Waelchli and Jenny Levine chatted and shared anecdotes about the evening’s events, which included:

Wits and Wagers

Ingenious

Can’t Stop

TransAmerica

Hamsterrolle

Rock Band

Mario Kart

Dance Dance Revolution

Boom Blocks

Some questions raised:

• How do you keep people moving between activities?
• What will ALA Open Gaming look like night year?
• What one piece of advice can you give to someone interested in getting involved in this games and gaming movement?
• How do you deal with food in gaming programs?

I covered the winners of the ALA Gaming Citation, which I blogged about a few weeks ago.

Some of the resources mentioned in the podcast:

• Alignment of AASL standards
• Free Rice
• Darfur is Dying
• ALA Gaming resource wiki
• Developmental Assets
• National Gaming Day
• Pictureka
• 2007 Gaming Survey (complete by July 31, 2008)
• Game Maker Academy, Wilmette Public Library
• Gaming Initiative, UIUC

What did you think of episode 3? We’d love to hear your comments!Want to contribute to Games in Libraries podcast? We’d love to hear about your gaming stories–successes AND flops!–as well as game reviews and other topics. Send MP3 files 5-10 minutes in length to Scott Nicholson by August 1 2008.

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Listen up at http://www.gamesinlibraries.org.

In the wake of this week’s Games for Change conference in NYC, Kelly Czarnecki talks about the Serious Games initiative, especially in terms of partnerships with libraries like NYPL, and a recent post on the ACRL blog by Michelle Boule. Check out Immune Attack, or the 3-D modeling software, Maya.

Jason Puckett reviews the Wii version of Lego Star Wars, touching on the gameplay aspects and applauding the humor and attention to detail of the fun series based on Lucus’s films. Lego Indiana Jones came out Tuesday June 3.

What’s the deal with game ratings? Beth Gallaway provides an overview of the Entertainment Software Ratings Board process and ratings.

In the school library segment, Chris Harris explains how librarians in his district align AASL’s educational standards with games and recommends Settlers of Catan and Puerto Rico, in particular.

Eli Neiburger delivers a WiiWare Roundup concerning content that can be downloaded from the Wii Shop Channel directly to your Wii console. Titles mentioned include:

• Pop
• Defend Your Castle
• LostWinds
• Critter Roundup
• Star Soldier R
• Family Table Tennis
• Dr. Mario Online
• Wii Fit

Wondering if a gaming program at the library constitutes public performance? Scott Nicholson discusses the hot topic of the week, Public Performance of Games in Libraries and the precedent setting 1996 case of ALLEN v. ACADEMIC GAMES LEAGUE OF AMERICA 89 F.3d 614 (9th Cir. 1996).

Jenny Levine gives an ALA update that incorporates information about ALA Gaming Blog, the ALA Gaming Resources Wiki and ALA’s I Love Libraries initiative, then names of the Gaming, Learning & Libraries Sympoisum’s keynote speakers, and information about gaming events at ALA-Anaheim. This year will features a Gaming Pavilion in the exhibit hall, a Gaming Member Interest Group (MIG) meetup, and a Gaming Night (Friday June 27 from 7:30-10:30 at the Hilton).

What did you think of episode 3? We’d love to hear your comments!

Want to contribute to Games in Libraries podcast? We’d love to hear about your gaming stories–successes AND flops!–as well as game reviews and other topics. Send MP3 files 5-10 minutes in length to Scott Nicholson.

Comments(1)

Listen up at http://www.gamesinlibraries.org.

Kelly Czarnecki talks about the documentary Second Skin, and plugs the Association of Virtual World’s Blue Book Guide to Virtual Worlds, that includes over 200 virtual worlds.

Eli Neiburger talks about the new Mario Kart for Wii, sharing a little history of kart games, and the new features of the Wii version of the game, including the coolness factor of the controllers and some information about the Mario Kart channel on the Wii.

Beth Gallaway gives an overview of Grand Theft Childhood, by Lawrence Kutner and Cheryl Olson; Kutner will be a speaker at the GLLS in November.

Scott Nicholson discusses selecting games at the library as being no different than other collections: we need to apply policies, concepts and use mindfulness in game selection. Also, he shares the idea of creating a gaming experience (part of the research he’s doing over at the Gamelab) and how that may drive programming and collection decisions.

Lastly, registration opened this week for Games, Learning and Libraries 2008, at the DoubleTree in Oak Brook (just outside of Chicago IL) November 2-4, 2008. The conference is limited to 350 participants–register early! Call for presenters and other details are posted on the ALA Techsource website.

Want to contribute? We’d love to hear about your gaming stories–successes AND flops!–as well as game reviews and other topics. Send MP3 files 5-10 minutes in length to Scott Nicholson.

What did you think of the episode?

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<drum roll>

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?

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