I’ve likely posted the last regular update to The Video Game Librarian, but if you have any questions about video games and libraries, I’d be glad to answer them. Click the “Continue Reading” link to find the Contact Form. Continue reading
Category Archives: VGL Original
Video Game Librarian’s Favorite Games of 2018
Every year, I feel I’m slowly drifting further and further away from gaming’s EPIC titles. I absolutely appreciate the artistry and craft behind games like Red Dead Redemption 2, God of War, Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, and Far Cry 5, but I find myself having no trouble passing them over (though I’ll eventually get around to Spider-Man).
I still found a lot of fun new titles to love in 2018, and you can see what they are after the “Continue Reading” link. Continue reading
Video Game Librarian’s Favorite Games of 2017
2017 was an absolutely incredible year for video games, and after helping put together the “Golden Pixel Awards” at Warp Zoned, I thought I’d share also some of my favorites from the past year right here.
Some of the picks, like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Odyssey, won’t be too surprising, but maybe some of them will… Continue reading
Running a Game Convention at Your Library
Game conventions come in all shapes and sizes… from small local shows all the way up to the sprawling PAX expos held every year in Seattle, Boston, San Antonio, and Philadelphia. In a bid to move beyond “Game Nights,” many public libraries are now in the business of running their own game conventions.
Believe it or not, this task isn’t as hard as you might think. Especially because there’s no one way to organize a game convention at your library, and there’s actually many different approaches you can try…
- Partner with a local game shop to host demonstrations of new games.
- Recruit local game developers to show off their latest projects.
- Ask for volunteers in your community willing to share their game knowledge.
- Some combination of all three!
- Or something else I haven’t thought of!
But the best way to get ideas for your game convention might be to reach out to librarians who have done it in the past.
List of Library-Organized Game Conventions
Here’s a small selection of libraries who have organized their own game convention. If you’d like your convention added to the list, please let me know…Comicopolis
Location: Lockport Branch of White Oak Library in Lockport, Illinois
Links: Convention Website | Contact PageRochester Game Festival
Location: Irondequoit Public Library in Rochester, New York
Links: Convention Website | Contact PageOctaCon
Location: Bethpage Public Library in Bethpage, New York
Links: Convention Website | Contact PageShushCon
Location: Waccamaw Neck Branch of Georgetown County Library in Pawleys Island, South Carolina
Links: Convention Website | Contact Page
Pokemon Go and Your Library
Unlike a traditional Pokemon game, Pokemon Go asks players to use the GPS function on their smartphone (iOS or Android) to find Pokemon out in the real world. In addition to searching for Pokemon that appear randomly on the map, players can also use Pokemon Go to find “PokeStops” and “Pokemon Gyms” in their quest to become an accomplished Trainer. It’s easy to think of Pokemon Go as an app that’s very similar to geocaching with a virtual prize at the end, but this gameplay description from The Pokemon Company is very helpful… Continue reading
How to Build a Quality Circulating Game Collection in 5 Minutes
Minute 1… Choose Your Platforms
Dozens of video game platforms have been released since the 1970s, though only a handful are active at a time. Personally, I think supporting as many platforms as possible is the best course of action, but that’s not always possible. If you are forced to limit the number of platforms in your collection, the best way to choose is to go directly to your patrons and ask them what platforms they’d like to see on the library shelves.
Minute 2… Visit Metacritic
Metacritic is a review aggreagator that averages together hundreds of reviews to produce a “Metascore” for every game. While not perfect, the “Metascore” is a reasonable approximation of the overall critical consensus for every game. So point your mouse here and get to it: Metacritic.
Minute 3… Make a List of the Top 10 Titles on Each Platform You Chose
Metacritic also provides a list of the top-ranked titles on each platform broken down further into a “games released in the past 90 days” list and an “all time” list. Cruising down each list and pulling out the top ten for every platform you want to collect. This process will give you a wide selection of games that covers multiple genres and player preferences. Basically, you’re picking a little something for everything.
Minute 4… Order the Games on Your List
You’ve picked your games, so it’s time to do it, hit that “Buy” button.
Minute 5… Bask in a Job Well Done
Obviously, there’s more to building a game collection than all this. But this process will give you a good base collection that you can then supplement in the future with additional titles. Like the ones I select every week as “The Video Game Librarian Pick of the Week.”
Get to Know the ESRB Ratings
Regardless of what some people think, not all video games are appropriate for players of all ages. Some games are actually designed solely for adults and children should most definitely NOT be playing them. So when choosing a video game (or helping a patron choose a game), it’s important to check the ESRB rating of the game to determine if it is age-appropriate for the person who will be playing it.
ESRB ratings work very similar to the MPAA ratings given to movies. In fact, the ESRB originally approached the MPAA about sharing the familiar G, PG, PG-13, R, and NC-17 ratings, but the MPAA said no. Instead, games are rated by a panel of full-time ESRB raters who judge video footage of games supplied by publishers or developers that is supposed to include a general overview of the game including the storyline and any hidden areas.
The ESRB rating will appear on the front cover of every game and on the back cover along with additional “Content Descriptors” that describe events that will occur in a game. The rating of any game (along with more information on the ESRB as an organization, the complete rating process, and details of enforcement) can be found online at ESRB.org.
Below, you’ll find a quick rundown of each rating. Continue reading
Welcome to The Video Game Librarian
The Video Game Librarian is a site for librarians that offers resources and tips on how games can be integrated into your library.
You’ll find programming ideas and stories about what other librarians are doing with games, an overview of the latest game-related books to help your patrons dive deeper into the history of games, updates on professional conferences, and collection development strategies, as well as a weekly roundup of news about the latest game releases.
If you’ve ever wanted to know how the ESRB works, how to build a core collection, or how to put on a game tournament… you’ve definitely come to the right place.
Want to know more about the Video Game Librarian? Take a look at the About Page.