College Librarians Urged To Play Video Games

An anonymous reader writes "At meeting of college librarians, experts tell them they need to start thinking the way video game producers think and provide library services that will make sense to those who play computer games. 'In an era when most students would have to go to a museum to see an old-fashioned card catalog, there's no doubt that libraries have embraced technology. But speakers said that there was a larger split between students -- who are "digital natives," in one popular way of classifying people based on their experience with technology -- and librarians, who are more likely to be "digital immigrants." They may have learned the language, but it's a second language.'"

Just the opposite

[Excelcia]

But speakers said that there was a larger split between students -- who are "digital natives," in one popular way of classifying people based on their experience with technology -- and librarians, who are more likely to be "digital immigrants." They may have learned the language, but it's a second language.'

In my experience, it's just the opposite. The librarians are more likely to be English natives, and the students are more likely to approach English as an immigrant. They may have grown up with the language, but it's still like a second language.

WoW Decimal System

[DarthTeufel]

100 - Uncommon Loot
200 - Rare Loot
300 - Epic Loot
400 - Instances
500 - World Zones
600 - Creatures of Azeroth
700 - Biographies of Alliance and Horde Leaders
800 - History of Azeroth
900 - Addictions

Oh, yeah.

[khasim]

A digital native would never read an instruction manual with a new game before simply trying the game out, Gee said.

And that is different from anyone else ... how?

Haven't us guys ALWAYS been accused of skipping the instructions? Be it stereo or bicycle or whatever.

Apparently everything old is now new.

Re:Oh, yeah.

[mulvane]

I broke down one time when putting up a crib for my first born and used the instructions. My god that thing was a woman's invention if I EVER saw one. I was glad when we transferred and I could plausibly lose the damnable thing. I still cringe at the thought though. I was so weak! I feel like a lesser man! They need to have a "I used the instructions anonymous' support group or something.

Conan the Librarian

[everphilski]

"Don't you know the Dewey Decimal System?"

sigh. Gotta pull out that UHF DVD and watch it sometime...

Plenty like a video game!

[porcupine8]

My university's main library feels plenty like a video game. In particular, it feels like you're trying to navigate the bowels of some weird starship, with lots of circular rooms with books arranged in spoke-like shelves and no signs telling you where the exits are. I get the same feeling of disorientation and slight nausea that I sometimes do trying to navigate 3D games.

(Bonus points if you can identify the major US university I'm referring to.)

"think like a game designer would"

[Speare]

> librarian, where is "war and peace"?
The librarian coos, "Oh, that's a lovely book. I can point you directly to the shelf where it belongs. It's in the basement, near the new Ancient Egypt exhibits."
> north
You are in a twisty maze of Paleology stacks, all alike. > north
You are in a twisty maze of Bolivian Studies stacks, all alike. There is a staircase leading down. > down
I don't understand you.
> go down the stairs
It is dark. You might be eaten by a grue.
> light light I don't understand you.
> turn on flashlight
You are in a twisty maze of Egyptian stacks, all alike. An archway leads east between two papier mache sphynxes.
> east
A janitor yells at you, "Hey! You can't go in there! The exhibit's closed until Monday. But if you fetch me a bottle of whiskey I stashed in the Astronomy stacks on the third floor, I'll let you in."
> ...

Remember the old "King's Quest" games?

[khasim]

It just means you have to walk around for a bit.

Yeah, just like in the old King's Quest games. Or just about anything from Sierra's old line.

If you're looking for history books, it'll say "HISTORY" on the shelves.

Again, just like the old games. If you're looking for the "armourer", you look for the shop with the say saying "armourer".

Not to mention they ignore the obvious solution of walking up to said librarian and asking "Excuse me, could you tell me where the history section is?" And then they tell you, and all is well.

It's like a trip down Memory Lane. :)

Just like in the old games. You walk up to EVERY person you see and you talk to them.

The ONLY difference (and this is a BIG one, folks) is that you do NOT pick up everything you find and put it in your pack to see if you can use it later. Aside from that minor point, using the library is EXACTLY like the old video games.

iPhone

[mevets]

How does this relate to the iPhone? I think it will change the way people use libraries.

Secret code for 30 free books

[Junior J. Junior III]

Up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A (Start)

Press select before you press start, and you can get 30 free books for your friend, too.