What do you think about video games in public libraries?
By blognchick
@blognchick (26)
United States
November 1, 2009 9:22pm CST
I personally think it's a great idea! Video games, even ones you wouldn't expect, are educational. They sharpen cognative thinking skills and problem solving skills. Most players don't even realize this is happening due to the entertainment value they are gaining from it.
In Halo you learn through trial and error when you need to be stealthy and when to just charge in to take our targets to achieve your objectives. In Grand Theft Auto you learn cause and effect (if I kill people the cops come, I kill cops more and higher level cops come but if I am careful I can much more easily complete my tasks).
Games even teach map reading and navigational skills. I am not 100% positive but I think the basis of our car GPS systems came from video games. They work very similarly in some video games and the games were out before Garmin or TomTom were introduced.
Libraries are all about education and entertainment. Some may not agree on the entertainment part but it that were true there would not be any fiction books in the library. Most libraries even carry DVDs, some have BlueRay as well.
Libraries aren't the "stuffy research facilities with ladies in glasses shooshing you constantly" like they are percieved. Many are very up-beat and try to keep up with public demand. My local library actually has 7 patron computers for serving the internet. It doesn't matter whether you are doing research for a term paper, job hunting, checking your Facebook or leveling up on Runescape. They are there for education and entertainment purposes like I said.
Now, you've heard my side. What are your thoughts?
2 people like this
12 responses
@jambi462 (4576)
• United States
2 Nov 09
I think that would be pretty cool if the library started to also carry video games. Video games are like the ultimate form of entertainment because they are like either a book that you can virtually interact with or a movie that you have a part in controlling. There are some games out there that have a lot of really realistic new features such as gaining good or bad karma for actions you do during the games story.
1 person likes this
@syndrix (475)
• Malaysia
2 Nov 09
I think it is also good to have a video games in your school library in this way can generate cash and prolong the life span of your school library. Your librarian is very creative, but the negative effect of these is to the students and users who utilizes it. Most school even outside of their school campuses they don't allow having video games in the school perimeter this is to avoid that students will not be tempted to play such games.
@getbrowser (1708)
• China
2 Nov 09
I don't think it is a good idea to put games and libraries together.
In fact, I have never seen a video games in public libraries. If the government or other departments put video games and libraries together. I won't accept such a reality and I guess there will be many people stand the opposite to this plan.
Libraries are all about education and knowledge, not for fun. Yes,I don't agree on the entertainment part because people can find some other places for entertament instead of in the libraries.
@blognchick (26)
• United States
3 Nov 09
Based on your opinion, there should not be any fiction books in libraries. Everyone should pay $20+ for books they want to read by James Patterson, Karen Kingsbury, Stephen King, Dan Brown, etc. If they can't afford it too bad, no fun for you. Of course, you'd also have to remove the most of the children's section as well. "See Spot run" isn't non-fiction so sorry Little Billy try reading this medical manual instead, its educational.
@ladym33 (10979)
• United States
10 Nov 09
Our library is great, they have a great DVD section, and they have video games there. They only let you take out one per library card, but we have 4 cards in the family so we can get 4 at a time. I think it is great. My son goes there every week and gets new games to try out. It saves me a lot of money because he is no longer constantly begging me to buy new games. He gets to try them out for free and gets to keep them a week and half the time he finds he did not like a game that he thought he wanted really badly, so we don't waste money on games he does not like.
@gmatthews (154)
• United States
2 Nov 09
I do not think this is a good idea. I agree that some video games can be quite educational and the Wii in particular is great for kids with Aspergers and similar disabilities. I do not feel that video games have a place in a library. Libraries are for reading, studying, and quiet time. Most people that go to libraries are going because it is quiet. Not to mention that yes video games are great, but so aren't books. By putting video games in a library you are taking away from the importance of reading. Kids that go to the library are going to pick the video game over the books and what is that teaching our youth. We need to encourage reading not discourage it.
@blognchick (26)
• United States
2 Nov 09
Actually, it increases library usage. Teens are more apt to "while I'm here" check out a book. Also, many libraries carry books about game design, gaming careers and more. The games are not played in the middle of the library out in the open where it would disturb everyone, but in a separate room that is usually rented out to various groups such as PTO, Girl/Boy Scouts, or for other meetings.
@usemyname (640)
• Philippines
3 Nov 09
It's a perfect idea for people who are "allergic" even to the mere thought of going to the library. It would revolutionized the way people think about the library. They wouldn't think of it as a boring place but rather an entertaining place for learning. But, I have one problem with this though. What about the sounds created by the video, wouldn't it be disturbing to other people who are silently studying and reading in the library? If headphones or any other means would be implemented to keep the audio of the game from disturbing other library people, then this won't pose a problem. But, there are those people who sometimes get carried away with the game that they themselves make a lot of noise or cause any ruckus in the surrounding environment. How would you deal with the likes of people like that? I'm not against you with this but I think it's very hard to concentrate if there's a disturbance within your vicinity.
@okaneholic (21)
• Philippines
2 Nov 09
sounds like a hardcore gamer! that's cool!
I think it depends on the kinds of games, like in NDS there's this game that teaches how to speak and write Japanese, there was also this game that teaches how to cook. I should say that learning while having fun, using games is really a good idea.
But, I can't imagine someone screaming and enjoying a game wholeheartedly in a public library with some really serious guys/gals. I don't think it fits. Just giving my opinion, I think it's still better to have fun in a place where the atmosphere isn't that stiff...
@blognchick (26)
• United States
2 Nov 09
Our library has a "meeting room" they use for gaming events so they don't distrub the other library users. They do get pretty loud and love to rock out with Guitar Hero 4.
@lynnemg (4529)
• United States
2 Nov 09
I think that offering video games would be a good idea, but not having them played in the library. If libraries offered video games to check out as they do books and movies, I am sure there would be a huge response. I know that my kids would want to borrow some themselves. I imagine that the main concern would be that people would not return them and that would end up costing libraries too much.
I do not think that libraries should allow video gaming in the building though because libraries are supposed to be a quiet, peaceful place to go to read, research and study. Introducing gaming into the picture would add distraction that people go to the librsry to get away from.
@vinju4u (1)
• India
2 Nov 09
I think that having video games in public libraries is not a good idea as it will disturb the people who come to study or read.A Person who plays has a chance of bringing the other person who is doing his work in library.Few people might get refreshed by playing video games but it also kills a lot of valuble time.
@xinguang800 (68)
• China
2 Nov 09
I do not think it a good idea to play video games in public libraries. now the young people becaome more and more in her/him surrounding, they do not think about for others. Some people do what they want to do and joy themselves. It maybe losts the good manners,it become the focus of social concern.
@nadhneelu123 (45)
• India
2 Nov 09
I think this is not correct idea, because video games for enjoyment purpose.
But library is a peaceful place, we can sit there and improve our knowledge
in a good and peaceful manner. That atmosphere is very pleasent. But in your
idea introducing video games in library, that disturbs our peacefulness.
some youngsters sit there and they can play games. It give troubles to others.
In our culture, Library is for improving our knowledge in various fields.
Library is not emusement park. Libraries develops our subject knowledge.
Video games shatter our valuable time.
@free_man (7330)
• United States
2 Nov 09
Hello Bognchick and welcome to my lot. I don't know about libraries in your area but we live in a place where they roll up the sidewalks after dusk (not really) a little hick town. Most of the teens out here work everyday on their families farms and don't get to play video games much. These kids are taught the value of a dollar early in life and know if they want things they have to work hard to get what they want. I think video games are a great teaching tool but then I am from LA and it was cool to teach your children about video games back when my kids was growing up. I think they can learn from some video games and wish we had a library around here that you would find kids in but alas we don't. I think it would be a great thing to have as long as the kids played in a separate place and would keep quite and not disturb the other people in the library. At least that way parents would know where their children are at all times.
@paleorainy (630)
• Italy
2 Nov 09
I think it's great. :D More people will have access to them and even if they aren't particularly educating, they'll improve your computer skills.
I think some of the older people may not agree, but I do!
