r u game? game night @ perkins library

Nebraska Library Commission/at conventions

American Library Association/at conventions and ALA National Gaming Day (November 13, 2010) http://ngd.ala.org/

Omaha Public Library’s Board Silly Other libraries/colleagues Research on “millenials”

2 Wii Gaming Systems› One Borrowed from Republican Valley

Library System› Second, mine, personally

Wii Games› Classic Games (come with system)› Dance Dance Revolution 3 (mine)› Cabela’s Big Game Hunter (mine)› B.Y.O.G. … and they did!

Board Games› Chutes & Ladders› Monopoly› Candy Land

Card Games› Slamwich› Rook› Playing cards (pitch, anyone?)

“Other” Games› Fact or Crap› Apples to Apples› In a Pickle› Jenga› Connect 4x4› Banagrams

One TV—the bigger the better—per Wii.

LCD Projectors/Screens if TVs aren’t feasible.

Long extension cords & surge suppressors.

Buckets of batteries (AA). Space for spectators. Food (more on that later).

Total saturation on campus: > Fliers in every building and dorm. > Fliers prominently placed in library. > HC Announcements (emailed). > Notified all HC media entities (TV,

newspaper, radio, website). > Word of mouth. > Facebook library group page/invitation. > Getting student assistant buy-in

(roomies) > Coercion (fraternity, son + roomie + girlf

PRESIDENT DUDLEY!

“Freestyle” Gaming was successful; no ref needed.

Homemade snacks trumped store-bought. (Caramel Bugle recipe to highest bidder?)

Approximately 50 students, faculty, staff. Played range of games (some surprising). Starts out slow, but 30-60 participants

each event. Volunteers and staff need to mingle, even

though they are sought after opponents.

[ insert word of mouth buzz about game night here ]

[insert discussion with Dean of Students here]

[ insert elation at the “money tree:” finally producing fruit for us here ].

Apples to Apples

Bananagrams

Connect 4 x 4

Cranium

Fact or Crap

Jenga

Giant Chess

Puzzle

Wii: Mario Party

Just Dance

Most popular game

Second version came out October 12…must get hands on it ASAP!

DJ Hero

Nertz

In number of participants (depending on night of week, time of semester, other activities)

More Wii games, including: Lego Star Wars, Mario Party 8, Scene It

Outside games: Bocce, Croquet More board games: College Days,

Cranium, Hometown USA: Hastings, More “other” games: Quidditch card

game, Spoons, Toss Up!

Noise. Monopolization. Theft or misuse of games and

equipment. Mess from snacks. Be prepared to answer “WHY?”—

expect reactions, questions, comments from your user community.

Batteries: rechargeable v. regular Day of Week/Time/Time Span (conflicts,

too long/short) Games: borrowed, bought, BYOG. Freestyle v. Refereed. Other?

Relaxation and recreation for all. Positive energy in and for the library. Library as “more than just books” (multiple

types of literacy); work-play balance. Connections between students and library

staff, students and other students. Increased traffic/pulling patrons in. Sheer fun of it. Doesn’t require bucketloads of money or

time to pull off successfully.

Strategically use for: freshman orientation/back to school; stress-reliever before finals week, etc.

Insight into millennial life; giving them insights into our personalities.

To brand the library as a real-life social networking place; a relevant place to students.

Inevitable introduction to library’s spaces, resources, etc.

Use of other services/resources while attending gaming night.

Good will generated toward library.

Continue to add games to our collection. Continue to hold game nights at least

twice per semester. Seek partners, such as PEER ED groups

or Student Association. Listen to our students. Try hosting tournaments (Bowling, Golf,

etc.) KEEP ON HAVING FUN!

To get someone to challenge me to Twister...seriously!

To get “this guy” to take a ten minute study break to join in the fun.

Try hosting an event on 2010’s National Gaming Day (Nov. 13, www.ngd.ala.org)

Try an intergenerational game night. Start with a survey (formal or informal)

—would your users be interested in a game night?

Incorporate library instruction into a game event.

Start small, grow from there.

“All the world’s a game…and all the men and women are merely players.”

Then, if this be true, let’s play on!