Mississippi Library Adding Video Games To Inventory
Posted by David Savage at 9:15 AM Nov 30, 2009
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Library Director Carol Hewlett says:
"To enhance the new teen gaming programs, the library system will soon have more than 50 different video-game titles available for circulation at all eight branch libraries. Games can provide learning and enrichment in the medium most attractive to today's children and teens. It's a natural step forward for public libraries."
People can check out two games at a time for up to one week (I'm guessing you can't extend that time due to the limited availability and demand for the games). The library system is hoping to use the games to expose children and teens to literature that can't be missed once you enter a library.
Most games they are carrying will be ESRB rated "E", but many are rated "T" (they can't expect to lure in teenage gamers with Mario).
Hopefully the branches will be keeping data on whether or not their patrons are checking out books with their games or just coming in to take advantage of free games. Or maybe it was their plan to have people only check out games and have them forget about having to return them and cashing in on the late fees. That's it! Oh those sly librarians.
Comments
3 months and those will all be filed under 'missing'; Otherwise known as "I'll steal it and go to another library. Wait a minute...I'm an A.D.D. inhabited console sucking teen, why am I even AT the library?"
Posted 11/30/2009 at 04:05:59 PMThe Dutch have had computer games in their library for at least 10 years. No problems here.
Posted 11/30/2009 at 05:19:38 PMI hope they start doing that here in Los Angeles as well. It's like GameFly, but a lot cheaper, if not free.
Posted 11/30/2009 at 05:49:28 PMthe UC santa cruz library has video games too. i think they might also check out systems also.
Posted 11/30/2009 at 06:52:46 PMGood, its about time!
RT
Posted 11/30/2009 at 07:07:23 PMwww.web-anonymity.de.tc
We've been checking out video games for 6 months here at this unnamed, anonymous library somewhere in Alaska. They are very popular (Xbox 360, then Wii, than PS3 when ordered by popularity). People can check out 2 for 2 weeks. We don't limit checkouts based on rating and only a couple parents have dragged their kid back in and told us the subject matter was inappropiate. I love telling them that they are responsible for what their kid checks out. Anyway, we are purchasing a second wave of games (the last 6 months of notable releases) bringing us up to a few hundred games. All is going well for now. Oh, we don't check out systems.
Posted 11/30/2009 at 07:22:21 PMVery popular at the Brown County, WI (that's Green Bay) libraries as well, where I work. Not always the best selection, and usually kind of slow to get new games, but we have a pretty good range of games for all three current consoles as well as all three last-gen consoles. A service that, as a cash-strapped gamer, I definitely appreciate.
@ Chris: You'd be surprised how few of the games actually go missing--probably no worse than the rate of missing DVDs or CDs. The bigger problem is wear and tear, but I've never personally taken home something be scratched so badly it couldn't be played. Also, I think you underestimate the number of teens at the library, either dragged there by well-meaning parents (and who, therefore, are excited to see games) or stocking up on anime/manga.
Posted 11/30/2009 at 09:59:57 PM$13,000 to buy FIFTY video games? They should have just gotten a few gamefly accounts...
Posted 12/01/2009 at 01:56:08 PMLearn to read, it's between all eight branch libraries.
Posted 12/01/2009 at 03:09:00 PMYes, they will probably have bought multiple copies, especially of the most popular titles like Madden, FPS's, first-party Wii games (you can see two copies of Mario Kart just in the above photo), etc. Maybe not 8 of each, but enough to rotate the copies between the branches occasionally so that everyone gets a chance at them.
Posted 12/01/2009 at 03:39:51 PM