Libraries will have video games

Oh, Christ...you've gotta be fuckin' *kidding* me.

I clicked on the link, thinking "oh man I bet the Newport library will have video games soon, so they can get rid of *all* the books there between videos and music!"

Little did I know that the actual fucking article is about the very same shitting library that is half a block from my house.

Oh boy. And you thought a trip to the Campbell County Newport branch was a trip in people watching before (unofficial motto: more books than sleeves)?

This is actually an interesting coincidence. I was at my biweekly tattoo session recently and my artist was telling me about a local gamestop where a woman had been arrested for borrowing DVDs from the library and trading them into GS stores. This is a brilliant reaction to that.

Sometimes I just hate you, Newport. Sometimes I really hate you.
 
[quote name='mykevermin']

This is actually an interesting coincidence. I was at my biweekly tattoo session recently and my artist was telling me about a local gamestop where a woman had been arrested for borrowing DVDs from the library and trading them into GS stores. This is a brilliant reaction to that.

Sometimes I just hate you, Newport. Sometimes I really hate you.[/quote]

when i was working once i called the cops when this lady came in trying to sell us a bunch of dvds from the library. i called because she had tons of stolen credit cards (an officer came in the day before to let us know) but it was one more charge i suppose, havent seen her since.
 
'"We won't be collecting the violent games with the harsh language," said Anderson.'

While I knew something like this would be a policy, this phrase made me laugh out loud. Only the violent games with acceptable language, then?
 
Can someone please explain to me the logic in libraries carrying games, DVDs, and CDs? I can only assume it's to get people in there since the actual books aren't appealing enough. More patrons = more funding

I'm right, aren't I?
 
[quote name='Rusty Ghia']More patrons = more funding

I'm right, aren't I?[/QUOTE]

Yes. It's easy for a politician to call for funding cuts on libraries with low rates of membership and membership activity. If all they have are (ewww!) books, then the number and activity of members drops precipitously.
 
[quote name='Jek Porkins']'"We won't be collecting the violent games with the harsh language," said Anderson.'[/quote]
Good thing they don't carry violent books either.
 
Why games? They'll end up ending the program after most of the games get stolen, or scuffed beyond fixing.

Also last time I went to my library everyone was there for the internet, and computers, and dvds.
 
The orange county library system(Florida) currently already carries ps2, xbox, 360, gamecube, and DS games. Generally it's pretty slim pickings, but they pretty much always have new release sports titles(virtua tennis 3 on release day) and when I was there today they had shadow of the colossus.

There are also boatloads of copies of viva. I think they ordered a bunch more because they recently installed 360s in all the branches and are having "game nights" with ddr for teens.

Then again they also offer home delivery of dvds and whatnot, so not such a stretch considering how advanced they are compared to some areas.
 
[quote name='SpecTrE3353']This is not a new idea. I used to rent Sega Genesis games from my local library like 10 years ago.[/QUOTE]

No one said it was...
 
I wish my local library did this but that won't be happening any time soon. You aren't even allowed to play games on the computers
 
[quote name='Rusty Ghia']Can someone please explain to me the logic in libraries carrying games, DVDs, and CDs? I can only assume it's to get people in there since the actual books aren't appealing enough. More patrons = more funding

I'm right, aren't I?[/quote]

yeap. you're right... definitely trying to get people to go to the library. i love reading, but just hate to go to the library. the local library sucks balls, got crappy selection on anything. Did save me money on lots new releases though... Okay, digressed, yes, i saw the flyer says "You can now borrow upto 10 dvds! Tell your friends."

With next gen games? Man, the local library gonna be flooded with adults (who act like kids).
 
p.s. library dvds suck, and most likely the games will suck too. By that i mean, selection and cleaness of the discs. Some of the dvd discs were so freaking dirty and scratched up that i was afraid to pop into my player...
 
The reason for libraries carrying multimedia is twofold:

1) Patrons: As someone mentioned, Patrons aren't coming to libraries for books anymore. Not for the most part. DVDs and other media are a way to get younger patrons in, and to get them using the libraries.

2) Research & Archiving: Multimedia is also the future. Libraries, in theory, are repositories of knowledge. As such, books alone aren't enough to fully understand or appreciate many topics. Music, Videos/Movies, and other means of media are needed to full experience a topic. Also, research in media has allowed us in media studies fields to examine these other forms of media in the same light as a book or research article, that is, they've gained legitimacy as usable materials in research. As such, just as libraries keep records of old local newspapers on microfilm, DVDs and VHS are being kept now for archiving purposes.

I work in a library, and I can say that our media section is one of the smallest parts of the library (in terms of staffing and material) but also is one of the most heavily trafficed
 
The library back home has been carrying DVD's and music CD's for quite some time now. I believe they have mentioned starting a game section as well. Wouldn't really expect too much quality or quantity, as they don't have the greatest selection of movies and music.
 
A friend of mine keeps telling me about various libraries up in Baltimore that carry games.

Actually, someone earlier made a good point. There are some terribly violent books and VERY sexual books in the library that anyone can pick up freely. It's insane. Just because the books don't have any sounds or pictures related to them and that they are just words on pages, they can get away with anything.
 
[quote name='Punk_Raven']A friend of mine keeps telling me about various libraries up in Baltimore that carry games.

Actually, someone earlier made a good point. There are some terribly violent books and VERY sexual books in the library that anyone can pick up freely. It's insane. Just because the books don't have any sounds or pictures related to them and that they are just words on pages, they can get away with anything.[/quote]

They get away with it because most kids don't want to spend that much time reading and then using their imagination on it. That is what a movie is for :)
 
The only media my library carried when I was kid were religious VHS tapes. Now when kids tell their parents they're going to the library, they might actually mean it!!
 
The University of Illinois library just started carrying games a few months ago. This includes Wii games and PS3 games, allthough their selection is more limited (I think they have like 5 or 6 Wii games), and unfortunately they have been always checked out.

for those of you interested, check out their website. You can see games available by clicking the "Games and consoles" link.

Also, my roommate is a librarian who works there. She explained to me that it really isn't so much about trying to draw people in to read books too, but that one of the functions of a library is to serve the community. If the community wants one form of their media to be video games, then why should government not allow it? This of course, isn't the only reason, as archiving and other things mentioned are considered. If people come in and start reading and using other library services, it is an added bonus.

edit: forgot to mention that they actually have all the consoles there and you can play them at the library. They also allow you to check out some hardware, including a DS and PSP.
 
I hope this doesn't happen around here. It's bad enough that the only things my younger brother and sister ever borrow from the library are anime DVDs. :roll:
 
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