But no one can play video games at the Eagle Mountain Library from 2 to 5 pm on weekdays, apparently because they were taking up too many terminals and/or bandwidth by playing video games. After all, a library is for like, lookin' things up and stuff. "There were students and adults who needed to use computers for research that were having to wait too long and, you know, getting frustrated by that," said a librarian. So, it's back to surfing porn I guess.

Eagle Mountain is about an hour south of Salt Lake, 45 minutes west of the Orem/Provo/American Fork corridor. Here's what shocked me: the median age of Eagle Mountain's residents is 13. That's median. Holy Toledo, is this Kid Nation? Guys, if you form that kind of constituency, you need to get one of yourselves elected to mayor, so you can pass laws mandating video game play. And go-karts on public streets. And candy for breakfast.

Utah County Library Issues Partial Gaming Ban [KSL-TV]

1. Aren’t libraries about books and reading?

In the 21st century, libraries are about much more than books! In fact, libraries work very hard to provide patrons of all ages with a rich and current menu of CDs and DVDs, as well as electronic and online resources. Video game resources and programs at the library actually complement these existing services. Featuring this new gaming media helps the library expand its reach while meeting community expectations.

2. Aren’t video games just a passing fad?

Actually, video games have been popular for more than 30 years. In fact, three generations have grown up with video games - Generation Xers, Generation Y, and Millennials. It’s not only the digital natives who are playing video games. The average age of today’s gamer is 35-years old, and Baby Boomers and Seniors are playing them more than ever before! Libraries across the country are offering family gaming nights that bring the generations together for a gaming experience they can’t share anywhere else.

3. Why should kids play video games at the library?

Lots of kids play video games at home – alone, with siblings, or with friends. The library is a safe and non-commercialized space. At the library, kids socialize with their friends and play video games while surrounded by books, librarians, and knowledge. Video gaming at the library encourages young patrons to interact with diverse peers, share their expertise with others (including adults), and develop new strategies for gaming and learning.

There's several more bits of promotional material, and while I think this move to get games into public libraries is of questionable efficacy in terms of getting them to read books, it's interesting watching gaming move into a really public space (and targeted at kids, no less) in a concerted manner.

National Gaming Day @ Your Library [I Love Libraries via GameSetWatch]

I'm not all that clear on how Guitar Hero is going to promote literacy. When you think about it, the very concept of Guitar Hero is about dumbing-down an activity so every one can do it, which would make it the literary equivalent of a McDonald's picture menu, but it sure does give News-4's reporter an excellent chance to stand on camera with a guitar controller. Hit the jump for the video report, condemned there due to its auto-starting nature.

I think overall the answer to the question, at least in regards to the games they are playing, is not really, but I think we should all lie and make it seem like the children are smarter just so we can stop by our local libraries and play Guitar Hero in the future.

Do video games make kids smarter? [KVOA News 4 via Game Politics]

...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.

So how are we going to mesaure actual gaming services in the library (not just collections or supporting materials)? Do we use the same outcomes we do for other groups that meet in the library? We use attendance figures for so much - programs, knitting group members that gather in the meeting room, kids and parents attending storytime, people who attend movies we show, and the like. Even in academic libraries it's still about the door count, the number of books checked out, the number of times a database is used, the number of times reserves are checked out, and the number of reference questions asked.

An interesting question. Obviously, games have almost no literacy value... but neither do knitting clubs that meet in a library, or DVD rentals, or any of the many other activities that happen in libraries.

The question actually seems to be "In the days of Amazon, how do we get people to come INTO libraries?" Jenny points out that everything is measured by door count, which sounds a lot like the business of blogs. Things are ultimately justified not really by how literate they are, but how many people it brings in the door.

The larger question seems to be, "Can libraries afford gaming?" Rooms in your local library filled with consoles and games would, perhaps, be rather cheap to upkeep, but PC gaming would have to keep up with a constant upgrade cycle.

Still, if you equate libraries with the preservation of culture in all forms of medium, and not by literacy, it makes sense. Though I don't really want to have to deal with some 14 year old smacktalking loudly into his Counterstrike mic while I'm trying to puzzle out Ulysses. Florian Eckhardt

How Do We Measure Gaming? [Shifted Librarian, via Game Set Watch]