Pedantry aside. My point was that people wouldn't pay for it if they could just borrow it.harhol said:
Do video games belong in public libraries?
- Thread starter Librarian Mike
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Actually, just he other week I was there. There are books, crappy movies, and crappy cds. No video games.Librarian Mike said:
Libraries aren't necessarily the austere temples alot of people make them out to be. They're cultural repositories and they reflect popular culture to varying degrees. i used to check out nintendo power all the time at my elementary school library. My local library has anime and harry potter and twilight, so carrying popular titles like Halo doesn't bother me either.
That said, my college library had a game collection too, but it was non-circulating and reserved for students in game studies courses; the obvious reason being that otherwise every bored college student on campus would rush for them and you'd never be able to find the title you wanted. so, as long as the library is prepared to handle the logistical issues (like theft) that come along with lending games, i think it's a wonderful idea.
That said, my college library had a game collection too, but it was non-circulating and reserved for students in game studies courses; the obvious reason being that otherwise every bored college student on campus would rush for them and you'd never be able to find the title you wanted. so, as long as the library is prepared to handle the logistical issues (like theft) that come along with lending games, i think it's a wonderful idea.
I suppose you could have a place for games in libraries... I wanted to say that they're just the same as manga or comix, but then I thought that they aren't cause... well... they're printed and games are burnt so... I don't think it is something of great importance. Maybe those PH47 l3w7 people would have a bloody reason to be there in the first place, and get hit over the head with a dictionary and start spelling properly next time they go online.
And god said let there be Gamefly, And it was good. Killing the Blockbuster of yor...TsunamiWombat said:
But I think that Games like Gears of War are the reason people dont go to libraries. I think it is a good way for kids to go to the library and I think you should definitly stock up on GOOD, EDUCATIONAL, FUN, GAMES. Sorry for the Caps I just needed you to read it.
How did you land that job though?
We offer games in the library system that I work at and it's turned out rather well. We get the E-T stuff, but we get em for all the latest systems. At one branch, you can even check out a PS2 to use in the teen area. We often have gaming events, etc. And to respond to those "libraries are only for books" nonsense, libraries have materials for education AND entertainment. So this does includes movies, cds, e-books, and games. Like cobra_ky said, libraries reflect the interests of the popular culture. For more info, there's a book out there called "Gamers in the Library?" by Eli Neiburger. Check out our library's site. You'll find more than just tomes of knowledge. http://www.slcl.org/
Libraries are living things...they can change and adapt with the community. Do some research at the American Library Association (http://ala.org/) or the branch of ALA just dealing with Youth Services (http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/yalsa/yalsa.cfm)
Had to put my two cents in here, being a youth service librarian myself. You ask about games in the library undermining the point of libraries being centers of information, and I just found information for you about the subject. Huh.
Libraries are living things...they can change and adapt with the community. Do some research at the American Library Association (http://ala.org/) or the branch of ALA just dealing with Youth Services (http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/yalsa/yalsa.cfm)
Had to put my two cents in here, being a youth service librarian myself. You ask about games in the library undermining the point of libraries being centers of information, and I just found information for you about the subject. Huh.
You're confusing plot for storyline. Plot is what drives the storyline. The plot is not why X is doing y to z. The plot is the locomotive that moves that cargo of character development, storyline, and extremely violent blood explosion extraordinaires around the tracks that are the game. Halo has a wonderful plot. It's a great plot. The problem is that it's pulling along a medicore cargo. The thing about Bungie's style of storytelling is that it's similar to Vavle's. There's tons of detail that needs to be found. You've got to dig around and figure things out, bring them up for other people to discuss as well. The problem with Halo is that they never quite got around to sticking in terminals or the minor details for some reason, preferring to leave them in books and for the obsessives to find hidden away in some dingy little corner, or to be out in plain sight and spark debate that's been going for into eight years.Raven28256 said:
If you're unfamiliar with Marathon, I'd suggest you'd look it up. Bungie released it free along with it's source before they were gobbled up by MS, and you can find it at source.bungie.org, and you can find all of the terminals and recorded debate at marathon.bungie.org/story, the MSP. Likewise, you can find the HSP at Halo.bungie.org by clicking on the 'story' link on the left sidebar.
Also, yes, bad stories far outnumber good stories because the majority of games are more about the gameplay and violence then the story.
And Micheal Bay Explsions!, Explosions by Micheal Bay!, and MICHEALBAYSPOLSIONS! would make an excellent trilogy. Bwak!
Also, I have nothing against films or the like being library. Note the use of the word 'film' over 'movie'. I have nothing against something like Citizen Kane or the other more complex films in public libraries. Hell, Citizen Kane better damn well be in there, because it's pretty much the film for learning about film-making. Likewise, Saving Private Ryan deserves to be in it for it's accurate depiction of one of the most important moments in history, as does When Harry Met Sally (The Romantic Comedy), as well as Blade Runner (great example of Neo-noir) and quite a few other non-complex films. However, Call of Duty and Medal of honor don't, like Die Hard and Robocop don't deserve to either. Okay, one could make a case for Robocop's loss of identity themes and corporate take over themes, though it's probably not the best example.
No they shouldn't. Are people today so weak minded that the only reason they go into a library is for a video game? Is that what has become of the race that invented the computer and the silicon chip? Of the authors that wrote such classics as A Christmas Carol and Little Women? The only reason the gamer would be looking at the books would be for a strategy guide. Do we want to be telling stories to our grandchildren about how in 2009 we had to go to a library just to get video games? I don't want to live in an America like that.
Libraries are for books. Kids play enough video games already. They do not NEED anymore encouragement to play games elsewhere.
We need to get kinds to read through books. Widen their minds, encourage them to explore. I do not want to end up with kids who pick up a book and say `how do you turn it on`
We need to get kinds to read through books. Widen their minds, encourage them to explore. I do not want to end up with kids who pick up a book and say `how do you turn it on`
My local library shut down because the council are a bunch of twats, i'm not bothered with what it is now, the upstairs of the library is where muslims go to learn about there religon, but the Muslims said that we could still use the room on the ground floor(which is the floor they used anyway) but the council gave up on it. So i've not been to a library for 4years.
Oh boy, another frothy mouthed Halo hater who has over-simplified the plot to make some kind of point.Raven28256 said:
at my library you have to pay to rent the games for 2 weeks, its about £10 and if its late by more than 3 days you have to buy the game off them.
to answer the OP, no
to answer the OP, no
