Here's an interesting tidbit to ponder...
"according to the National Endowment for the Arts, fewer than half the adults read even one novel or play or short story a year that is not required for work or school." from A Requiem for Reading in a Smoldering Pyre of Books.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Games and Gaming #37: Get Your Game On @ The Library
I read the New York Times Article, Taking Play Seriously at the Public Library With Young Video Gamers Choose as well as being a regular reader of the Shifted Librarians' blog with a great deal of information about gaming in libraries.
Played I'll Get It on the Carnegie Mellon University Libraries website and once again I can only say I find almost any kind of game addicting and therefore could easily spend LOTS of time playing them. The game was pretty fast paced and determining what the patron wanted a book or an online resource as difficult. If I had more time I could probably figure it out but there's only so much time in the day and one must prioritize.
My thoughts on gaming in the library, how you think it will evolve and whether or not games belong in the library: I have held Guitar Hero and DanceDance Revolution events at our branch library. While I would say the events were successful, I am not certain we are responding to the needs of our kids/teens or if we are just out there trying to do what we think kids/teens want us to do. These events are fun, everyone likes the snacks and drinks that accompany the event. I love music even if accompanied by a "ting" or "tang" here and there or worse "FAILED" but I never give up. Of course the kids are much better at it than I. However what I think is central to the question is whether or not gaming (or you may fill that in with whatever new idea you like) helps us fulfill our mission which states: "Harris County Public Library provides information and resources to enrich lives and strengthen communities through innovative services within and beyond our walls." I feel that depending on your community, gaming just might help you fulfill this mission as long as you are not foregoing other programs in order to provide gaming programs. Financial considerations should also be kept in mind because I know as a consumer it is hard to stay up with the current games and game consoles and it can be an expensive proposition keeping my girls current let alone an entire branch library's patrons. Timing is also important because "what's hot" changes day to day and our programming, gaming or otherwise, needs to be reflective of these changes.
Played I'll Get It on the Carnegie Mellon University Libraries website and once again I can only say I find almost any kind of game addicting and therefore could easily spend LOTS of time playing them. The game was pretty fast paced and determining what the patron wanted a book or an online resource as difficult. If I had more time I could probably figure it out but there's only so much time in the day and one must prioritize.
My thoughts on gaming in the library, how you think it will evolve and whether or not games belong in the library: I have held Guitar Hero and DanceDance Revolution events at our branch library. While I would say the events were successful, I am not certain we are responding to the needs of our kids/teens or if we are just out there trying to do what we think kids/teens want us to do. These events are fun, everyone likes the snacks and drinks that accompany the event. I love music even if accompanied by a "ting" or "tang" here and there or worse "FAILED" but I never give up. Of course the kids are much better at it than I. However what I think is central to the question is whether or not gaming (or you may fill that in with whatever new idea you like) helps us fulfill our mission which states: "Harris County Public Library provides information and resources to enrich lives and strengthen communities through innovative services within and beyond our walls." I feel that depending on your community, gaming just might help you fulfill this mission as long as you are not foregoing other programs in order to provide gaming programs. Financial considerations should also be kept in mind because I know as a consumer it is hard to stay up with the current games and game consoles and it can be an expensive proposition keeping my girls current let alone an entire branch library's patrons. Timing is also important because "what's hot" changes day to day and our programming, gaming or otherwise, needs to be reflective of these changes.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Games and Gaming #36: The Wide World of Online Role Playing Games
Well I guess I am going to find out about Runescape sooner than I thought. I was going to add it to my list of things to do for summer but alas it's our next exercise!1) Again the 15 minutes is a joke as I could easily spend a great deal more time exploring Runescape. It took me 15 minutes to decide on a user name. I started with the tutorial and I have not that it is not easy to learn how to get around. I've been looking for the gate for some time now.
2) MyRunescape character screenshot is included in this post.
2) MyRunescape character screenshot is included in this post.
As far as World of Warcraft goes I am immediately turned off by the name of the game so I was glad that we didn't have to invest any time exploring the game. And as far as earning points for completing chores (Chore Wars) I am better off completing chores at home and enjoying the benefits of a happy family than accumlating points that buy me nothing. Second Life? is that for those that are not so successful in their first life they want to master a second one? or maybe the opposite?
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Remember This by Joshua Foer from National Geographic November 2007
This is so true....
"Our culture inundates us with new information, yet so little of it is captured and cataloged in a way that is can be retrieved later."
"Our culture inundates us with new information, yet so little of it is captured and cataloged in a way that is can be retrieved later."
Sunday, May 4, 2008
The Reference Interview
On days like today this sure is reassuring...
"One common observation was repeated: It's the quality of interpersonal engagement that compels patrons to return to the reference desk, not perfect answers."
from American Libraries Magazine March 2007 Face to Face: Teachable Moments During the Reference Interview
"One common observation was repeated: It's the quality of interpersonal engagement that compels patrons to return to the reference desk, not perfect answers."
from American Libraries Magazine March 2007 Face to Face: Teachable Moments During the Reference Interview
Saturday, May 3, 2008
International Literature
Interesting information about multicultural literature...
“There is much evidence, anecdotal and research, that shows that increasing exposure to multicultural books help lower barriers, change attitudes, and make for better understanding of other cultures. (Cai 2002, Darby and Pryne 2002, Pirofski n.d.) It works both ways: when readers from an ethnic minority read about people from their own culture, their self-esteem is enhanced: while reading about another culture, both their empathy and knowledge increases. (de la Idesia n.d.)" From Walking Two Moons by John Royce in Knowledge Quest : Broadening Perspectives across Cultures and Countries Volume 35, No. 2 | November/December 2006 pg. 33
“There is much evidence, anecdotal and research, that shows that increasing exposure to multicultural books help lower barriers, change attitudes, and make for better understanding of other cultures. (Cai 2002, Darby and Pryne 2002, Pirofski n.d.) It works both ways: when readers from an ethnic minority read about people from their own culture, their self-esteem is enhanced: while reading about another culture, both their empathy and knowledge increases. (de la Idesia n.d.)" From Walking Two Moons by John Royce in Knowledge Quest : Broadening Perspectives across Cultures and Countries Volume 35, No. 2 | November/December 2006 pg. 33
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Games and Gaming #35: Games? In the Library?
I love playing FreeRice! It is addicting but that's the problem all the games for me are addicting and I end up spending HOURS playing them, hours I don't have. I checked out WordSplay and found that I could quickly be addicted to this games as well. Suduko is a game I am relatively familiar with as my husband took a book of suduko on the airplane on our trip to Germany. He spent almost the entire 9 hours flight playing Suduko, so there are times when the amount of time one can spend on an activity is a good thing but those times are few and far between for me. I've only been on a 9 hour flight twice in my lifetime. Looks to me like the advantage to playing Suduko online is there is no erasing!
Exercises:
1) The 15 minute requirement for this exercise was a joke. I tried to limit myself to 15 minutes but I just couldn't stop after 15 minutes. I spent more like 15 minutes per game, on FreeRice, WordSplay, and online Sudoku. However I see myself going back to some of these sites in the foreseeable future.
2) The benefits of FreeRice and WordSplay would be an incresed vocabulary. When you play WordSplay and the game is complete the results for all those playing appears in the upper right hand side of the screen and you can see all the words that you didn't (or did) get. All the games were easy to learn to play. The timed games help you build your speed, both thinking and typing. The benefits of gaming in general IMO, include educational benefits, improved coordination skills, and the increased use of one's imagination. Role playing games especially, by nature requires interaction with other people, whether it is in person or online. I am going to checkout Runescape though I don't normally go for the role playing games just so I will have a better idea for how its played in case any of our teen patrons participate in the activity this summer.
Another word game I like to play on the computer is TextTwist.
Exercises:
1) The 15 minute requirement for this exercise was a joke. I tried to limit myself to 15 minutes but I just couldn't stop after 15 minutes. I spent more like 15 minutes per game, on FreeRice, WordSplay, and online Sudoku. However I see myself going back to some of these sites in the foreseeable future.
2) The benefits of FreeRice and WordSplay would be an incresed vocabulary. When you play WordSplay and the game is complete the results for all those playing appears in the upper right hand side of the screen and you can see all the words that you didn't (or did) get. All the games were easy to learn to play. The timed games help you build your speed, both thinking and typing. The benefits of gaming in general IMO, include educational benefits, improved coordination skills, and the increased use of one's imagination. Role playing games especially, by nature requires interaction with other people, whether it is in person or online. I am going to checkout Runescape though I don't normally go for the role playing games just so I will have a better idea for how its played in case any of our teen patrons participate in the activity this summer.
Another word game I like to play on the computer is TextTwist.
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