Game Librarian's Trial Meets Success

Via Kotaku, the news that the Game Librarian's trial last year ended in sucess. From the article: "Seventy-seven PlayStation 2 titles have been added to the collection so far with at least a dozen still awaiting processing. Sadly, Culdcept, one of the games purchased in the initial batch of games at the end of 2004, is still on that list. It's a little short of the 100 game target I had thought was reasonable back when I started, but 77 seems like a pretty respectable number." We've previously discussed this gent's work to get videogames into his library.

PS2 Games?

[TubeSteak]

Rent and Rip...

Same problem with Library DVD collections.

Kudos to him for taking the initiative though.

Re:PS2 Games?

[Qzukk]

That makes it different from netflix how? Other than that the library charges less for its membership and has fewer titles?

Re:

[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Re:PS2 Games?

[galdosdi]

Except for one thing. It's not a problem at all for the librarian-- what do they care if the games, CDs, or DVDs get copied? That's Sony's loss, not the library's. Copy away.

Interesting tactic

[mendaliv]

I've gotta say, I think this is an awesome tactic to get kids back into the library. I know they won't be playing the games there, but they actually have to go in, take out the game, and leave the place.

Here's what I'd suggest to hook the kids:

1. Keep it up with the games, expand to other systems.
2. Start getting DVDs of popular anime in stock, strategically place that near the games.
3. Start stocking manga for said anime.

Yeah, not everyone likes anime and manga, but it's a thought. Maybe for the other video game freak kids, stock up on Sci-Fi and Tom Clancy.

Re:Interesting tactic

[DerekLyons]

I've gotta say, I think this is an awesome tactic to get kids back into the library. I know they won't be playing the games there, but they actually have to go in, take out the game, and leave the place.

If the goal was to get kids back into the library - yes this would be an awesome tactic.

But is the goal to get kids back into the library, or to produce increased circulation numbers so the library looks good when budget time comes? Is the goal to provide a resource to the community, or to make the librar

Re:Interesting tactic

[sockdoll]

Libraries are like doctors. Their role is to give us what we need - not what we want. If we seek reasons why our society is providing fewer engineers, fewer critical thinkers, fewer educated people - one significant piece of the puzzle can be found in the attitude of the Game Librarian.

Libraries' roles vary from community to community, based on their charters or mission statements. It's pretty clear what your opinion is about what you want them to be, but that opinion isn't worth much unless you make it

Re:Interesting tactic

[makohund]

In terms of "public library" your view of what they "should be" is a good one in my opinion, but also a bit narrow.

I have some points to add to it:

The whole of the world's knowledge and wisdom is not contained soley in the realm of non-fiction. Fiction can be quite intellectually stimulating. Some can be considered art.

A library is not only a repository of knowledge, but of culture. Art, myths, legends, stories, fables, and so on (all fiction and presented in various formats from books to DVD to games) r

Optical media

[ClamIAm]

I think the biggest problem with having optical discs in a library is you get people who just want to play the game or watch the movie, and don't really care how they treat the disc. Is it really so hard to make a little carrier for the discs, ones that you could even replace if they break?

Re:Optical media

[NMThor]

This comes to mind: http://www.dskin.net/ [dskin.net]

This is new?

[NATIK]

I don't know about other countries, but in Denmark we have been able to borrow tons of games from the libraries for many years, they have every game you can think of on all platforms (excluding games like WoW, EQ and the like for opvious reasons). So refering to my subject, is this new?

KC, MO library voted best video store in town

[greyfeld]

I must say that I have found the libraries of the greater Kansas City area to be some of the best sources for optical media entertainment. The Kansas City, Missouri public library [kclibrary.org] system was recently rated [pitch.com] the best video store in the area by a local alternative newspaper. While the KC library does charge $1 to non-Friends-of-the-Library members for feature films, you can borrow TV, music video and documentary DVD and VHS at no charge for three weeks. The best part is that I can look at their whole cataog

No CULDCEPT?!?! What a shame!!

[ClioCJS]

I mean, who would have ever thought of crossing Monopoly with Magic: The Gathering??

Who would have ever thought it was fun?

I highly recommend this game!