Tag: game

While Nintendo is still dancing all the way to the bank from last Christmas’s amazingly successful sales of Wii Game Systems– they’ve decided to add another waltz to the dance cards: Wii Fit.

It’s a predictable idea and I’m surprised it’s taken this long to roll out exercise activities for a system already said to get people off their seats and actively engaging with the game. (Controllers through the TVs while bowling anyone?) Part of me wonders though what will make this that much different from other fitness DVDs that are collecting dust in many of our homes. Will holding a controller in our hands make us better at exercise or more engaged in our hula hoop routines?

A single summer’s addiction to Sonic the Hedgehog aside (fueled by pots of coffee and instant chocolate pudding), I’ve never been much of one for video games. In college I was somewhat fascinated with Harvest Moon, but never actually mastered the controller well enough to understand just how it was that one wooed a wife and petted the cows. [Though, if that was available as a PC game, I might consider it.] And, though I’d watch the guys play while I was hanging out with them, I could not understand the fascination with Grand Theft Auto Vice City that overran my friend Romeo’s fraternity.

Gamespot has a thoughtful review, suggesting it as a good place to keep track of one’s exercise goals rather than as the sole source of where one exercises. For people already very actively engaged with their Wii’s, this may be a very beneficial chance to add healthy and needed exercise in their lives. I have a hard time with the idea of selling this to the teens I see gaming in my library, though, and most of the people I’ve met who are very concerned with their exercise levels are actively tracking using free or paid sites online.

The program will probably go over well and I’d be interested to see all it can do, but for now I will express reserve that it will motivate the nation to get fit.

To read a lot of library professional literature, or to read just about any positive news story about libraries of the moment, there is currently a huge focus on teens. The stories proclaim that nurturing teens means cultivating future patrons and support. So libraries cater and plan to the best of their abilities to get teens into the library- to stuff them full of snacks and play video games.

Before certain bloggers jump down my throat, I’ll say up front I’m not ‘against’ gaming. This shouldn’t be taken as an anti-gaming diatribe to be used as an excuse to tell me that I’m not “with the movement of the future.” We have gaming, I’ve helped with gaming, I can understand it and appreciate its value without finding it particularly interesting. I can also do readers advisory for genres I find utterly tedious. But a lot of teens don’t game and are getting passed over in this rush to grab the gamers. (I’m also not against snacks but it’s occasionally frustrating to know one of the only ways we’ll get teens in the door is to have food.)

It raises the question: what happens once they turn 18 or 21? What happens when at 25, they’ve moved beyond high school or college and are ready for something different? Are libraries stepping up?

Consider your adult programming: Are your adult services librarians reaching out with as much enthusiasm to patrons in their 20s and 30s as your YA librarians are to the teens? Are you as aggressive about meeting the needs of new home owners or independent business starters, those newly independent from parental homes, adults who have newly relocated to your area, or just people who are looking for others with whom they share a common literary interest? Is the majority of your adult programming done at times inconvenient to working adults or is it very limited in its appeal? I know, we can’t be all things to all people, but I’ve encountered libraries where it seemed they weren’t being anything to anyone of those age groups beyond a repository of materials.

There’s a weird break that I’ve come across in library public programming: tons of stuff for kids, an increasing level of programs for teens, and then–seniors. While these are all valuable age groups to consider and program for, that cuts out about 35-40 years of people, many of whom are active library users and who are tax payers supporting public libraries.

Certainly with the increasing focus on gaming you could offer gaming programs for adults. But while the number of gaming adults is increasing, there are many adults who–like me–aren’t interested in a library program based around a Wii or an RPG. I hear rumors of libraries making a concerted effort to reach out to adults with appropriate computer classes, programs on cooking or home buying, and business development assistance. I recently heard of one librarian who took a strong group of “aged out teens” and developed an adult version of their popular manga/anime club. I hope that’s a growing trend.

I worry that some libraries run the risk of over-cultivating the teens. Is the concern being raised that we could potentially fall flat on our faces if teens feel they’ve outgrown us once they’ve left high school? Our teen librarians are working like crazy to keep them involved, what is happening to make them care beyond their 19th birthday?

One side note–it’s broader than libraries. There’s a trend to write and read more young adult and teen literature. While in many ways this is admirable, bringing out new writers and new voices and a wealth of enjoyable books–we’re also seeing backlash of adults finding it unacceptable that other adults aren’t reading “adult” books. If the good books are in teen though…

I’m pleased to see such a growth of outreach to teens. As much as I laud preschool storytime, it’s wonderful to plan programs for youth old enough to have a “craft” with small pieces and hot glue. I’m glad there are librarians with enthusiasm and drive that are pouring their passion into making their libraries a teen-friendly place. I love and read a lot of the new literature coming out for young adults.

But I’ve grown weary of the magazine covers celebrating all things teen gamer. I’d like to hear about more things that worked to engage those just post-collegiate or ideas that we can use for our teen programming that may translate better into adult programs. Younger adults too are seeking their identity. Why not make the library a part of it?

Have you stumbled upon Flight of the Hamsters yet? It’s the Yarn Harlot’s fault. She has the knitblogging world all tied to their screens now–trying to chuck hamsters.

My high score so far: 357.

Son of a Motherless Hamster and their addicting games….