idea for promotion of IF
Urbatain
to share.
I think it could a great idea to donate IF works to public libraries
all around the world. Here at Spain, at last in my local library theres
a magazine where people could put their poetry, prosa and such works.
Maybe there's a way (I don't know yet) of donate books, films or
whatever product you have. But I don't know if I could doante a work
that has no "legal-well-known-ISBN-serial-numer-all-around-the-world".
So it could be interesting to share our IF works with the libraries,
the better in the global system using the IF serial number provided by
the Babel "system". If libraries could access directly to If archive,
or Babel data base, like any librarian could use the ISBN online.
But the most useful way of promotion is to share IF works from the low
spheres, starting from local, and going up. Because of that magazines.
Here at Málaga we have one for the public library.
Maybe we could share the works in diskettes and allow the libraries to
share them, or in cd-rom, etc.
Another idea is that I want to donate an old 386 and a monitor to my
local library running adventures, but I don't know if the authority
will be glad about it.
So, what do you think? Ah! I forget, the question is: Babel will have a
online service to contact the Babel databases?
And another one, how could I repackage an old game of mine with a new
babel serial number, like Galatea has done?
See you.
El Clérigo Urbatain.
James Mitchelhill
> I've read Babel V7 recently and I have an idea, and a question I want
> to share.
>
> I think it could a great idea to donate IF works to public libraries
> all around the world.
<snip>
I was looking into this a while ago and asked one of my librarian friends
what the best way to go about it would be.
In order to get some real backing from the library, you'll need to prepare
a presentation that shows how IF will help them meet their objectives. Such
objectives (at least in the UK) are set at the national level, but also at
local levels and aren't too difficult to find. Designing nice looking
informational leaflets will probably score you points as well. Donating
computers may or may not be necessary depending on the resources of the
libraries you're targetting.
Done professionally, the libraries will be happy to have something new,
unusual and interesting, but it'll require a fair amount of work to
convince them.
--
James Mitchelhill
ja...@disorderfeed.net
http://disorderfeed.net
ChicagoDave
> I think it could a great idea to donate IF works to public libraries
> all around the world.
I think this is an excellent idea. I have already spoken to my local
library and they're very interested in Interactive Fiction. It will
take some time to engage the staff and educate them on the medium, but
there was absolutely a ton of enthusiasm in my initial discussions with
them.
I think the first step is to build relationships with librarians and
then work on getting the software installed. Then you can volunteer
your time, helping kids learn about IF. This is the process I've
already started and plan to continue.
David C.
Default User
> > Urbatain wrote:
> > I think it could a great idea to donate IF works to public libraries
> > all around the world.
>
> I think this is an excellent idea. I have already spoken to my local
> library and they're very interested in Interactive Fiction. It will
> take some time to engage the staff and educate them on the medium, but
> there was absolutely a ton of enthusiasm in my initial discussions
> with them.
What form would this take? Games on disk, available for checkout?
Hosted on the library computers? Both? Neither?
Brian
--
If televison's a babysitter, the Internet is a drunk librarian who
won't shut up.
-- Dorothy Gambrell (http://catandgirl.com)
ChicagoDave
> What form would this take? Games on disk, available for checkout?
> Hosted on the library computers? Both? Neither?
I discussed putting games on their in-house computers and then also
integrating Inform 7 lessons into middle-school writing classes that
they teach at the library. I haven't followed up yet. It's on the list
of things to do.
David C.
Default User
The only downside I see right off is the relatively brief time patrons
are normally allowed to use library computers, barring special programs
of course.
ColCommunism
is that it's physically decentralized - somebody in Africa can get the
same stuff as somebody in Antarctica. If you start publishing all your
stuff in brick-and-mortar libraries, then perhaps a thousand people at
best will complete your game in twenty years.
For promoting IF, it's not half-bad. Once the library session is up,
perhaps, links to the IF Archive could be given and such. Not too bad
an idea at all.
Urbatain
Default User wrote:
>
> What form would this take? Games on disk, available for checkout?
> Hosted on the library computers? Both? Neither?
>
I've talked with my local librarian and he said that only already
"published" works could be donated (at least here in Spain). So how we
could "really" publish our works of IF with the babel system? Maybe
this must be another side discussion.
With that probelm solved, libraries then will could borrow IF on disks
or CDs (if donated).
>From now maybe we only could make references in local magazines or
maybe "ezines" in another countries.
I wanna, by the time, when I have more friendly relationship with my
local librarian to donate a 386 with IF running, really I wanna put old
machines running in whatever event we could fit, like Whom The Telling
Changed made but in more firendly enviroments.
See you.
Urbatain.
Nathan
> If you start publishing all your stuff in brick-and-mortar libraries, then
> perhaps a thousand people at best will complete your game in
> twenty years.
A thousand people? Wouldn't that be substantial progress?
Urbatain
Default User wrote:
> The only downside I see right off is the relatively brief time patrons
> are normally allowed to use library computers, barring special programs
> of course.
>
An user allways could download whatever work she likes.
Urbatain
La Costa del Sol, and another one try it in their town, and another in
another, and so on... this idea will fall useless by the time.
I'm thinking in use the web of SPAC (Sociedad para la Preservación de
las Aventuras Conversacionales) and have a record of this kind of ideas
for promotion of IF. It's just the time of change Preservation for
Promotion in the spanish e-zine. Allow a space in her web for report
the wins and failures of such projects. With all saved this will not be
useless and maybe more people could join the idea.
Something like this.
Promotion of IF in England (link)
Promotion of IF in USA (link)
Promotion of IF in Spanish talking countries:
Projects in Spain.
Málaga:
-Promoting in public libraries (Urbatain:
contact info).
-Promotion in blind communities (Urbatain:
contact info).
etc
etc
Something like this. Here you could do the same (I'm not begging to the
SPAG editor to make this, but someone could colaborate with SPAG and
use her name for the cause, and mantaine a subarea in SPAG. In this
section could fit something like Whom the Telling Changed in Slamdance
competition, or the efforts of Nick Monfort in academic, Worlds Faire
Mystery sold in Chicago, etc, etc. Where we could gather all usefull
information of projects that could help in promoting IF around the
world.
Default User
What do you mean? Use the library to test games? I didn't get the
impression that was what the OP was talking about.
Urbatain
> > > The only downside I see right off is the relatively brief time
> > > patrons are normally allowed to use library computers, barring
> > > special programs of course.
> > >
> What do you mean? Use the library to test games? I didn't get the
> impression that was what the OP was talking about.
>
No at all, if the time for use a computer in a public library is a
short period (an hour or so, like in Spain, if someone comes and
requires the computer, you must leave it if an hour has pass)... so the
motivation is not people play the games in the library, the ultimate
goal is the people could get the games and bring them to their homes to
play or read.
That's all.
Urbatain.