Question of the Day, November 6, 2010
- Thread starter The Escapist Staff
- Start date
It seems many of the posters don't actually know what the British Library is. Most "standard" public libraries in the UK stock videogames, DVDs and music as well as books and comic books, the British library is mainly used by academics for access to otherwise difficult to get hold of manuscripts or books, not by the general public for reading material to borrow. As far as I understand it you can't actually "borrow" anything from the library, although it is possible to request access to media and you will be able to read (or listen to) whatever you require within the reading rooms of the library itself (although you must apply for a readers pass to do so). Depending on copyright you may be able to make copies of anything that you actually require to use outside of the library and in many cases you can request copies are sent to you (or at least the library at the University you are conducting you research or studying at). The British library receives a free copy of every item published in the UK and currently has around 14 million books in it's collection. At the moment the reason I don't think video games should be stocked there, is the fact that as electronic media they really require their own central storage, which can be used to easily distribute them, holding them somewhere which you need to go to to use them strikes me as slightly farcical.
Video games: yes. Every video game: hell no. Some games are artistic and creative and cultural and fantastic pieces of gaming literature. Other games are Cooking Mama. I think, so long as games of the former are kept within the British Library, that'd be fine. We can have our Half-Lives, and Dragon Ages, and Doom enshrined, guaranteed to go down in history, or at least be kept someplace where if someone felt like remembering them, they could, and all those less than artistic mass production games can be left as a single sentence in a textbook somewhere acknowledging they existed before letting them drift off into the seas of obscurity.
Libraries are for the storage of literature, just like how an art museum houses paintings and sculptures. Besides, we have Blockbuster and Gamfly if we want to just check a game out for a bit.
Now I wonder if you can actually borrow games at my local library. I know that they've set up a couple of 360s that you can play on, but I don't know if you can actually borrow any games.
OT: Why not? Libraries already carry CDs and the likes. Why not games?
Even the argument that games aren't art, and are only for fun doesn't cut it here, since there are plenty of books that are made for entertainment purposes only.
OT: Why not? Libraries already carry CDs and the likes. Why not games?
Even the argument that games aren't art, and are only for fun doesn't cut it here, since there are plenty of books that are made for entertainment purposes only.
Remember, libraries aren't only for people to rent stuff out from, they also (mainly the big ones) server as a house of records.
So my answer is a resounding yes.
So my answer is a resounding yes.
You pretty much summed up what I was going to say exactly...DancePuppets said:
The British Library is a fantastic resource when it comes to research papers and fining old manuscripts but using it for Digital media seems a bit pointless to me -_-
Having said that, the historical aspects of game development would do well to be documented and I can't think of a better place than The British Library.
I can see why Libraries would want to stock video games but personally, I don't think they should rent out the games. The odds of a game coming back damaged or, not coming back at all is far greater than the same thing happening to say, the latest Diary of a Wimpy Kid. I know many larger libraries have halls of records and, areas in which the material are meant to stay without being checked out. I'd put the games there.
I wish I could go to my local library and rent NiGHTs for the Saturn. SINCE YOU CAN'T GET THAT GAME ANYWHERE FUCKING ELSE!!! GODDAMIT!
an interesting question, unfortunately it seems half the responses are bases on the fact that they could get free use from the games at the library.
the point was said that library's carry movies and music, i don't know about your library but mine only cares moves that are adapted from books like Macbeth and such and the music is hte classic type of Bach and other's.
so while i voted no, i would vote yes if the games are related to books in the library or are educational games, no your copy of halo or assassins creed do not fit that category.
the point was said that library's carry movies and music, i don't know about your library but mine only cares moves that are adapted from books like Macbeth and such and the music is hte classic type of Bach and other's.
so while i voted no, i would vote yes if the games are related to books in the library or are educational games, no your copy of halo or assassins creed do not fit that category.
I really want to say yes, but videogames still have a bit left before they can be considered as culturally important as Tolstoy, Shakespeare or Faulkner. If you look at the top rated games of today you'll see what I mean. (I would never in my life put Halo 3 in the "important" box of culture)