<![CDATA[Kotaku: Library]]> http://cache.kotaku.com/assets/base/img/thumbs140x140/kotaku.com.png <![CDATA[Kotaku: Library]]> http://kotaku.com/tag/library http://kotaku.com/tag/library <![CDATA[The British Library, Preserving Books And...Video Games?]]> The British Library, which catalogues every book published in the UK for posterity's sake, is keen to start keeping copies of old video games, too. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5682355&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Guy Busted for Stealing WiFi at NYC Library — to Play Halo]]> In a public library, a dude sitting at a monitor with his hands in his lap, covered by a newspaper, implicitly means bad things. Fear not, he's only sneaked in an Xbox to steal the free WiFi and play Halo. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5346357&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Libraries Got Game]]> There are, perhaps, few more disconsonant scenes than of the austere silence of the library and the boisterous play of video games, but a growing movement is starting to put the two under one roof. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5327555&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Librarians Explain: Why Video Games At the Library]]> Why exactly should libraries carry video games? Or music or movies for that matter? Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of free gaming, but I can't help but question the increasing multimedia nature of libraries. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5164768&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[The Arcade Flyer Archive Liquidating Collection]]> A few months back I mentioned that The Arcade Flyer Archive, an amazing collection of vintage and new arcade flyers, would be liquidating their collection. They've already been through one portion of the sale which we unfortunately missed out on. But never fear, there's still plenty more to be had. The flyers cover Arcade Video Games, Pinball machines and other types of arcade amusement machines. Everything you need to know about the sale including the list of available flyers, prices and shipping can be found at coinopvideogames.com. These guys have put a ton of hard work into cataloging this amazing collection so help support them by buying a few flyers. They're going cheap! More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=357372&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Board Games > Video Games?]]> While youth centers, libraries and even some churches are implementing video games as a way to entice youngsters into their folds, some groups are taking a different gaming tact: board games. Robert Fix, the director of board games for Metro Detroit Gamers, is trying to stir up interest amongst Detroit's youth by offering board game nights at local libraries. But, can actual human interaction on a board compete with the rich, in depth worlds a video game can offer? More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=344254&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Library Tricks Kids Into Reading By Promising Wiis]]> In an effort to get the kids to read books, Cape Coral, Florida libraries are bringing in Wiis, in a classic bait and switch scam that will get the youth hooked on "learning." The lure of Nintendo software will probably be more successful than clubbing them on the head and transporting them to the library via gunny sack, think local parents. "If each kid plays for 15 minutes, the rest of the kids are going to be waiting and they're going be talking. They're going to be picking up books," said a concerned parent of a four-hour-a-day gamer. These poor kids. They'll be choosing their own adventures in no time, enjoying the works of R.L. Stein and J.K. Rowling and dozens of other child-friendly, initials-only authors like a bunch of book addicts. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=339307&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Library Offers Halo 2 Competition, People Freak]]> To attract a teenage readership, an Illinois library has planned a Halo 2 competition for this weekend. Minors can come and participate as long as they've had a permission slip signed by an adult. But to the National Institute on Media and the Family, that's just not enough. President David Walsh claims:
...it borders on irresponsibility for a public library to sponsor an activity for kids as young as 12 that the industry itself has said is for adults.
And while the permission slip doesn't specify the game is rated M, how many books in that library—perfectly accessible to children—hold the same level of violence, maturity or societal subversion without any designation? Ah, nevermind. Books like that are better off banned, anyway. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=281757&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Libraries: Not Just For Books Anymore]]>
The Library: a bastion of books, silence, nerds, old people, the homeless and now, video games. A children's librarian once told me that the only reason kids come to the library after school anymore is to use the computers to play online games. He spends more time signing kids up for computers and making sure the kids aren't gambling than he actually helps people with books. So, I was interested to see this article on Bits, Bytes, Pixels and Sprites about how some libraries are using video games to lure people through their doors. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=230217&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Want to Learn More about Mario Kart? Visit Your Library!]]> King County, Washington is taking the startling step of putting video games in libraries. Not to check out — we all know they'd never come back — but to actually play in the library on GameCubes, Nintendo DSes, Xboxes, and Xbox 360s. Apparently the idea is that once lured in by promises of E- to T-rated gaming pleasures, the kids might suddenly realize that they're surrounded by books and decide to read one. Also, one librarian is quoted as saying "To succeed in a game, players need to read manuals and understand the rules." Read manuals? Like open them up? Then what are the in-game tutorials for? More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=164458&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Video Game Librarian's Year in Review]]> The thriving video game library we've written about before still seems to be doing pretty well according to the Librarian himself, John Scalzo. In his look back at the library's first year of stocking video games, he's pretty pleased. They ended up with 77 games, just shy if his 100 game goal for the year. The ten most circulated games are after the jump. More »
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