Question of the Day, November 6, 2010

Wes1180

Wes1180
Jul 25, 2009
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They have films and whatnot, though I believe those cost and I think games would too if they do it, so it'd be like a rental place.
 

theSovietConnection

Survivor, VDNKh Station
Jan 14, 2009
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DancePuppets said:
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.
Based on this information, I'd have to say that no, video games as yet do not have a place in the British Library. That's not to say they'll never have a place, but at the moment, I don't believe the medium has evolved to the standard of the other works in the Library.
 

cssm3

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Mar 20, 2010
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Shoggoth2588 said:
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.
Have you seen how these books look after they come back? (some are just nasty)

But that also why such thing get checked upon return. If not noted before hand patron are responsible for any damages to the items. My library will even charge if the case is broken.
 

The Blue Mongoose

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Jul 12, 2008
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Question: What's the difference between borrowing a game and pirating it? You're getting to enjoy all of its content for free, the developer gets no money...

Also, how would they get around DRM for PC games?

I have a free membership to my library, I can borrow all the DVDs, books, comics etc I want... But I feel awkward doing so if I don't later buy the book/DVD/comic... Mostly because of all the fuss about piracy...
 

Misterian

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Oct 3, 2009
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In a way, it wouldn't be the first time games were in the library, believe it or not.

I remember when the local library in my hometown of Spokane, I think, 12 years ago, used to let people barrow educational PC games, or PC games that target a very young audience.

Do titles like Disney's Hunchback of Notre Dame: Interactive Storybook, or the Reader Rabbit series, or JumpStart? or Even PC games of The Magic School Bus?

If you do, those the sort of PC games my local library used to carry, I forgot why they don't have them on the shelf anymore.
 

Swaki

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Apr 15, 2009
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MorteSphere said:
Swaki said:
MorteSphere said:
Not exactly now, but sooner or later, they should.

Right now, people who play games aren't looking for an artistic experience. This is the subculture that gave billions to Microsoft for the Halo games, remember.
and michael bay keep making billions, Dan Brown is one of the most celebrated writers of our time and the bible is the all time best seller, musical talent has taken a back seat to image.

we should just shut down the libraries.
And yet there are still far more great movies than there are great games, and great books.
well, books (at least with a alphabet, you could argue that the first time someone put some mud on a moveable surface they where trying to write a book) had a 5000 years head start, and while writing a great book is no easy feat its cheap and all it requires is a story in your heart, films only got a hundred years, but they are over the speed bump and is now a respect media, with many countries giving funds to young film producers, but even then i would still say there are a way more great games and even enjoyable games than there are films.
 

MuffinOrBust

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Nov 13, 2009
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My local library has a few old PS2 games in a very secluded part of the building, as if the people running the library are ashamed of it. At least games are there.

Replicant
 

Trikeen

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Feb 17, 2009
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A library is a place for books. It's not that i dont believe video games to be culturally significant enough to be in a library- i just dont think that a reading library is the proper place for them.
 

MorteSphere

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Jul 8, 2009
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Swaki said:
MorteSphere said:
Swaki said:
MorteSphere said:
Not exactly now, but sooner or later, they should.

Right now, people who play games aren't looking for an artistic experience. This is the subculture that gave billions to Microsoft for the Halo games, remember.
and michael bay keep making billions, Dan Brown is one of the most celebrated writers of our time and the bible is the all time best seller, musical talent has taken a back seat to image.

we should just shut down the libraries.
And yet there are still far more great movies than there are great games, and great books.
well, books (at least with a alphabet, you could argue that the first time someone put some mud on a moveable surface they where trying to write a book) had a 5000 years head start, and while writing a great book is no easy feat its cheap and all it requires is a story in your heart, films only got a hundred years, but they are over the speed bump and is now a respect media, with many countries giving funds to young film producers, but even then i would still say there are a way more great games and even enjoyable games than there are films.
MorteSphere said:
Not exactly now, but sooner or later, they should.