Gaming Question
CHRISTY MCCREADY
Hi all
I am not new to gaming but new to offering gaming in libraries so please excuse my ignorance.
Currently our library system does not offer gaming programs but it looks like that may be changing. One of our branches would like to purchase a playstation unit and I am wondering about where this purchase is going to lead us. Most of the responses I have had from other libraries suggest that these programs are very well received by the youth in their communities.
What I need to know now is the details. What kinds of programs are being offered, the amount of hours that would go into preparing (for example) a DDR, Guitar Hero, or perhaps a Runescape program and any difficulties you have encountered?
I hear a lot about the pros of gaming in libraries but I need to hear about any of the cons as well.
Please feel free to email me directly!
Thanks!
Christy
Christy McCready
Teen Services Librarian
Kitchener Public Library
85 Queen Street North
Kitchener, Ontario N2H 2H1
Phone: 519-743-0271 ext. 277
Email: christy....@kpl.org
Web: www.kpl.org
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Cathy Kyle
Christy,
We offer DDR or Guitar Hero on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of the month. I give the teens the choice of which they'd like to do.
It takes about 5 minutes to set up the playstation and pads. The teens are really good about taking turns. I do suggest having card games and magazines out.
The only problem we have is with body odor. The room is not terribly big and we have a lot of middle school boys who have not discovered the joys of personal hygiene, and between stinky feet, stinky clothes and stinky armpits, sometimes I'm ready to pass out! We do have an emergency exit that I open, but that still doesn't help much.
I would like to do a Runescape program, a hand-held game program, or get a bunch of playstations together and have more things going on at once except:
1) we don't have enough computers to do a Runescape tournament
2) no one comes when I do the handheld game thing
3) we don't have enough tvs to do the playstation thing, and I don't know how many parents would let their kids bring their playstations
Hope that helps!
<:3)~~~~~~~~
Cathy Kyle - Youth Services Librarian - ck...@libraryweb.org
Parma Public Library - 7 West Ave. Hilton NY 14468
585-392-8350 ext 104 (fax) 585-392-9870
http://gnforlibrarians.wordpress.com/
http://parmateens.wordpress.com/
http://parmakids.wordpress.com/
http://bluecover.wordpress.com/
<:3)~~~~~~~~
"You see, I don't believe that libraries should be drab places
where people sit in silence, and that's been the main reason
for our
policy of employing wild animals as librarians." -
Monty Python
"If you feed them, they will come." - Amy Krahn,
YA librarian Goddess
Matt Roach
I am so excited that other libraries are getting
into gaming! Here at Steele Creek Library we do at
least one gaming program a month. We have two
projectors, and I usually set one up with my Nintendo
Wii or Xbox and another with my Playstation 2. The
Playstation 2 almost always is dominated by Guitar
Hero 2 and DDR, both of which are excellent, active
multiplayer games.
The two different gaming machines gives more teens
the opportunity to play and they can even bring their
own games. My only rules for that is that they have
to be multiplayer and that they can't be rated M.
I have been doing gaming in the library for over a
year, and have had very little problems. It does get
a bit loud at times, but I like to think that just
means that they are having a good time and will want
to come back. I have heard Runescape can be difficult
because the game has a maximum number of people that
can log-in on one IP Address. The console video game
programs are rather easy to set up, but that also
depends on your set-up. Feel free to contact me with
any further questions.
Sincerely,
Matt Roach
Teen Librarian
Steele Creek Library
Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County
www.myspace.com/steelecreeklibrary
Megan Johnson
Christy,
We do 4 systems and four projectors. It takes 2 of us roughly an hour to set it all up, we have to make the line queues and such. We use 2 PS2s and 2 Gamecubes. On one PS2 we have DDR and Karaoke Revolution, which we switch each hour (our program is once a month for 3 hours.) One PS2 is dedicated to Guitar Hero 2. One Gamecube is dedicated to Super Smash Bros. One Gamecube we have a few games to switch from, MarioKart, Naruto Clash of Ninja, Kirby Air Ride or any other 4 player game rated T or below that we have on hand.
One difficulty we have had is the popularity of the program.
-- Need for more equipment -- The line for Super Smash Bros gets quite long. The longest was 24 waiting. We have used two copies from time to time to alleviate the wait times, but now the players are lobbying the library for a 5th projector.
-- Staff Time -- The reason we hosting a game day once a month is also due to popularity. We started it every other month. I’d do it even more if we had the staff to cover it, but it takes a whole afternoon, and not many other librarians feel confident enough to want to run one.
-- Room availability – This is a big program so it requires a big room. I have to use the big room in the library, and I have to share it with all the programs, so once a month is all we do for now, but because of this once a month program, the room is unavailable for other things.
-- Scheduling -- I am not available to work 1 weekend a month on the Reference Desk. Saturdays are always hard to fill and my department head relies on salaried staff to cover blank spots. (We rotate every other Saturday here) Because of these game days, it has put some stress on the weekend schedule. I am lucky enough to have a wonderful volunteer who comes and helps out, and we use one shelver for the afternoon as well.
It is very noisy, so keep that in mind.
You can have some problems with problem patrons (like line cutting, rough housing, etc) but I believe these patrons would cause trouble in general anyway.
These are the only cons I can think of right off hand. I think they are well worth it though, we have over 100 visitors each game day and the gamers do check things out while they are here. It also makes them realize the library has things for the gaming demographic. You know, we aren’t just all about the story times, author talks, and lectures, we have programs for them too. J
Megan Johnson
Teen Services Librarian
Rochester Hills Public Library
500 Olde Towne Road
Rochester, MI 48307
Phone: 248-650-5683
Fax: 248-650-7131
Diane
large screen TV at the branch that we use for story hours and used
last summer and during Christmas vacation week for DDR and during the
February school vacation week for alternating DDR and Guitar Hero2.
For Teen Tech week we hosted an after hours gaming night with board
games, online games at our 13 internet stations, and wanted to set up
both DDR and Guitar Hero. Used the laptop projector from our main
library for Guitar Hero (since DDR requires more space) but had
difficulties with the wires and having the console facing the young
people. Am interested in how a projector can be used and what kind of
projector may be needed.
I've been on this list for awhile but only lurking. Am a branch
manager of a 4100 sq. foot building without a community room and a
very open setup. We host our gaming in our children's section of the
building. I'm proud to say that our young people have been fantastic!
They self monitor the noise and their turns. Our gaming programs have
been the least stressful on staff of any programs and the most
rewarding as well. The DDR game and Xbox were purchased by myself and
our Assistant City Librarian. The PS2 and Guitar Hero were purchased
with nickel and dime donations from library patrons. I also have to
mention that I am a novice to gaming :)
Diane Kurtz
Branch Librarian
Old Mill Green Branch
Bridgeport, CT
http://www.flickr.com/photos/46882611@N00/sets/ for photos of our
events
> > Cathy Kyle - Youth Services Librarian - c...@libraryweb.org
> > Parma Public Library - 7 West Ave. Hilton NY 14468
> > 585-392-8350 ext 104 (fax) 585-392-9870
> >http://gnforlibrarians.wordpress.com/
> >http://parmateens.wordpress.com/
> >http://parmakids.wordpress.com/
>
> >http://bluecover.wordpress.com/
> > <:3)~~~~~~~~
> > "You see, I don't believe that libraries should be drab places
>
> > where people sit in silence, and that's been the main reason
>
> > for our policy of employing wild animals as librarians." - Monty Python
> > "If you feed them, they will come." - Amy Krahn, YA librarian Goddess- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -
Jeremy L
My credentials for giving some advice are as follows. I am a First semester library school student. I have worked as a page supervisor in a library for quite a number of years. One of my responsibilities was to be a movie projectionist using a projector. I have also been an avid gamer for years.
So here is my direct experience with a projector setup. It had been an absolute joy to be able to use the projector for movies itself. I don't forsee connecting up a PS2 or Wii being a particularly big problem. The setup we have at my library is the projector and DVD player preset up on a mobile cart. So all I do it wheel it in bring down the screen and it is then easy as pie to use. I would actually recommend some pre-setup cart, so all you do is wheel it into the room plug it in and your off.
Now as for selecting a projector, I would just recommend using www.cnet.com for reviews on how to get the best projector for your budget. Other than that I have no knowledge of what brands or types of projectors are currently on the market.
Hope this helps somewhat.
-Jeremy Lauber
Deb Hiett
I use a Dukane LCD projector connected to the PS2 and it works great!
There are only a couple of cables to hook up and they are color coded -
very easy to use!
The LCD projector was expensive, an older model we've had for a while,
and the replacement bulbs are also very expensive (I have not needed to
replace the bulb as of yet). Perhaps the prices of the LCD projector
have come down ??? I don't really know, something you will have to check on.
Hope this helps.
Deb
Duffin, Rachael (CR)
R. Duffin
Youth Librarian
Douglas County Libraries
Phillip S. Miller Library
100 S. Wilcox Street
Castle Rock CO 80104
Map
Phone: (303)791-READ
Email: rdu...@dclibraries.org
Web: www.DouglasCountyLibraries.org
Neal Starkey
console on a table below the screen. Barring that in a larger room you can set
up the projector and console on a low table several feet back from the screen
with the players even further back.
The main consideration here is that the projector and console are low enough to
be below the sightlines and far enough back to create a large image.
The area from the console forward essentially becomes a no-man's land so you do
need a decent sized room.
If you are short on space, you may be able to put the players to the side and
just a little back of the projector and console.
neal
just thinking about it, game nights won't fly at my library right now.
Megan Johnson
your projector has an S video input, then you will need to get an S
video cable to connect to your game system. You can see more info on
hooking up game systems to projectors here:
http://www.animeted.org/4librarians/video-games/Video-games-setup.htm
We don't have the console face the kids, but you do have to reverse the
controllers if you do that. It's difficult to explain this but I have a
little diagram that I show people to help them understand the controller
thing.
http://www.animeted.org/images/4librarians/game-setup.jpg
Consoles are made to be facing the user, as they typically go near the
TV, but that isn't always ideal for a projector set up. For us is the
controller cable length and AV cart design that make it easier for us to
point the console at the wall.
Our basic setup is a projector, speakers and Game system on a rolling AV
cart. (Soon I'll be adding some photos of these setups to the website
above.) We find a good chunk of blank wall (fortunately all our walls
are white) and just project onto it. You can do this in most any sized
room. In my home, we have it setup in a 12x10 spare bedroom and the
projector throws a nice sized "screen."
As far as projectors go, I really like our Optoma EP739. It's very
flexible and has a very nice image quality. It works very well for
gaming because it's a DLP projector, so fast moving images that games
use don't cause tracers. This can happen on LCD projectors. This
projector runs about $800 now, so it's pricier than some, but our home
projector lasted 3000 hours before we had to replace the bulb. The one
at work gets much less use, it'll likely last us for 5 years at least.
I also like cnet for reviews in general for technology, however their
reviews are higher quality (more in depth reviews), and they tend to run
a little behind on the current trends for projectors in particular. They
also don't review as many projectors, I'm sure due to the amount of time
they put into each review. For more reviews, you could try
http://projectorcentral.com/ . Their reviews aren't as great, but they
do quantity, so you are likely to find something about a particular
projector you may be eyeing.
Megan Johnson
Teen Services Librarian
Rochester Hills Public Library
500 Olde Towne Road
Rochester, MI 48307
Phone: 248-650-5683
Fax: 248-650-7131
-----Original Message-----
From: LibG...@googlegroups.com [mailto:LibG...@googlegroups.com] On
Beth Gallaway
which systems at
http://www.libsuccess.org/index.php?title=Gaming_Resources
Scroll down to Digital Projectors and add your make & model to the list.
Thanks!
Beth
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