More Video Games on Library Shelves 33
Joystiq has the link to an update on a previous story we ran covering the efforts of a gentleman to add video games to library circulation stock. Since then, the program has really taken off, and Gaming Target has an update on how the project is going. From the article: "Circulation numbers have been brisk. With two week loan periods and late charges of only 25 cents a day, people are jumping at the chance to check out games, any game. I don't know why it's surprising, but people (adults and children, but mostly children) will pull stuff off the shelf and check it out without even looking at what game it is they're getting out."
No Arguments over ESRB (Score:4, Insightful)
If there was ever a good argument for keeping the original game in storage and loaning a single playable duplicate of that game (disc media, anyway), this would be it. Rental stores, too. You could replace a stolen copy (and report it), and the sale of older items (destroying the copies) would fetch a better price.
Re:The only hope for today's youth ... (Score:3, Insightful)
I believe that playing games is far superior to watching television. Rather than sit in front of the idiot box to be entertained, I believe its better for the mind to interact with your entertainment, to have some thought (or at least reflexes?) put into your form of entertainment.
Now as for reading, I believe that this is superior to games and television. I'm not being elitist. I have friends who haven't voluntarily read a book in their life. The result? Their ability to read, write, and speak has been crippled. They can't spell even moderately complex words. They read at the speed and comprehension level of someone 1/2 their age. When they speak, they don't make use of some our our language's more interesting adjectives, verbs, etc. It really is unfortunate. Say what you want, I still think that reading helps all these things immensely.