Hi Debra,
By 'charging' I just mean checking out the controller to the student for
4-hour in-building use. We do not charge any fees for the use the
equipment. One maintenance issue we've had with our PS3 console -- I
recently received a 'must update software' message when checking the
most recent Metal Gear on the console. I downloaded the software, which
promptly broke the backwards compatibility of the console. It was an
older model PS3 which used to also play PS2 games; now it does not.
This has been frustrating -- it used to be that we could use it as a
secondary PS2 console, but we can no longer do that.
Not a maintenance issue, but slightly problematic -- certain PS2 games
require memory cards. They are pretty cheap, but tiny. A professor has
asked that we buy the cards and check them out to students for a
semester-loan. We've decided not to do this, since that loan model
doesn't fit with anything in our collection and the logistics of
checking out a (somewhat fragile) piece of equipment that small would be
problematic. They are so inexpensive that it makes more sense for the
students to buy the cards with their other texts at the beginning of the
semester.
Best.
--
Meghann Matwichuk, M.S.
Associate Librarian
Film and Video Collection
Morris Library, University of Delaware
181 S. College Ave.
Newark, DE 19717
(302) 831-1475
http://www.lib.udel.edu/filmandvideo
On 10/1/2014 3:51 PM, Mandel, Debra wrote:
Thanks Meghann-
Also, by charging to student's account, is that a fee per use, or like
a deposit? Are there a lot of issues with maintenance of consoles and
software, or not more than with other software and equipment that
would be checked out?
Debra
From: Meghann Matwichuk <mtw...@udel.edu <mailto:mtw...@udel.edu>>
Reply-To: "videolib@lists.berkeley.edu
<mailto:videolib@lists.berkeley.edu>" <videolib@lists.berkeley.edu
<mailto:videolib@lists.berkeley.edu>>
Date: Wednesday, October 1, 2014 1:17 PM
To: "videolib@lists.berkeley.edu <mailto:videolib@lists.berkeley.edu>"
<videolib@lists.berkeley.edu <mailto:videolib@lists.berkeley.edu>>
Subject: Re: [Videolib] Games and Game Technology in Your Library or
Commons?
Hi again,
I wasn't too clear about the accessories -- oops! When I said "We do
not check out other accessories -- headphones, remotes, etc." -- what
I should have said was, we supply these things, but we do not charge
them to the patrons' accounts. I have noticed though that the
students who come to use the gaming console tend to bring their own
headphones, moreso than the students who come to use our Bluray / DVD
/ VHS players. So, we have various accessories, only one of which is
actually charged out to the patron using them (the controllers), which
makes it tricky to remember that they need to be discharged when
they're returned to our service desk.
Best,
--
Meghann Matwichuk, M.S.
Associate Librarian
Film and Video Collection
Morris Library, University of Delaware
181 S. College Ave.
Newark, DE 19717
(302) 831-1475
http://www.lib.udel.edu/filmandvideo
On 10/1/2014 11:53 AM, Mandel, Debra wrote:
Thanks, Meghann!
This covers a lot of discussion topics we are sure to have here.
Headphones is a strong consideration for us, since our locations
would not be soundproof. SO students are OK with bringing their own
headphones? Because we have gotten away from that.
I don't have a list of the titles we are getting yet, and am just
getting up to speed with this genre.
All the best,
Debra
From: Meghann Matwichuk <mtw...@udel.edu <mailto:mtw...@udel.edu>>
Reply-To: "videolib@lists.berkeley.edu
<mailto:videolib@lists.berkeley.edu>" <videolib@lists.berkeley.edu
<mailto:videolib@lists.berkeley.edu>>
Date: Wednesday, October 1, 2014 11:23 AM
To: "videolib@lists.berkeley.edu
<mailto:videolib@lists.berkeley.edu>" <videolib@lists.berkeley.edu
<mailto:videolib@lists.berkeley.edu>>
Subject: Re: [Videolib] Games and Game Technology in Your Library or
Commons?
Hello Debra,
The UD Library supports a small (~60 titles) collection of video
games on the PS, PS2, PS3, XBox 360, and N64 platforms (primarily PS2
and PS3). It began as a grant-funded collection which was first
loaned and then donated to the Library by a Foreign Languages and
Literatures professor who teaches courses on Japanese games (a PS3
console and ~20 PS2 and PS3 games were donated). We have four
consoles: PS2 (which plays both PS and PS2 games), PS3, XBox 360 and
N64. We do not loan them -- we have set them up in our Viewing
Carrel areas for on site use. Most of our gaming carrels are set up
to accommodate as many as 4 students at a time (the gaming exercises
assigned often include roles for observers as well as players).
Currently there is no separate fund for games, although I've been
advocating for such a fund. If / when there is a fund, I will
collect in the same way that I currently collect for other media --
both on request and proactively anticipating student and instructors'
needs. As it is, I only purchase games if they've been specifically
requested by an instructor.
Some of the minor challenges we've faced in the few years we've been
doing this...
*Noise. Get a few students together playing Street Fighter while
wearing headphones -- no amount of signs begging them to be quiet and
mindful of others using the space are going to keep their enthusiasm
from getting the better of them. Ideally we would have soundproof
rooms for them to use, and they wouldn't need the headphones. But,
that's not the case and we try to be loose. If they become very loud
or we notice other users popping up like gophers in other carrels and
shooting them a stink-eye, we'll go out and ask them to keep it down.
*Perception. The painfully short-sighted "What are games doing in an
academic library?!" Ironically enough, our most vocal complainant
was a film studies professor. I gently reminded him that this was a
challenge routinely lobbied against feature film back in the day (and
that still persists on some level, even within the library).
*Equipment. Because they are small, portable, valuable, and easy to
slip in a coat pocket or backpack, we check out the controllers to
the student's account if they choose to use our consoles. We do not
check out other accessories -- headphones, remotes, etc. This makes
it a challenge for our student desk attendants to remember to check
in the controllers, which means we have to back out fines regularly.
A bit of a pain. Additionally, keeping the wireless controllers
charged requires a little bit of vigilance.
*Online games. We've had requests for games purchaseable through the
PlayStation store. After talking with colleagues in our Collection
Development, Systems, and Acquisitions departments, it was determined
that the licensing terms (written with individuals and not
institutions in mind) would prevent our ability to meet the needs of
that instructor. I've mentioned Steam a few times, but there doesn't
seem to be an institutional desire to grapple with some of the
challenges the need for online games entails.
The biggest surprise for me so far is that the Foreign Languages and
Literatures profs have been our biggest users of what they've dubbed
'the games lab'. The assignments have much more of a cultural
anthropology bent than I would have expected -- we don't have anyone
using our materials to study, say, the technical side of gaming -- we
don't have new media folks or art folks or any of the other folks
along those lines coming to us. But, we have a Spanish prof who
teaches a class along the lines of 'Violence at the Border' through
the lens of videogames like Red Dead Redemption. And an Italian
language prof who's assigned Assassin's Creed II as a tool to study
representation of the Italian Rennaisance. Etcetera.
Hope this is helpful!
Best,
--
Meghann Matwichuk, M.S.
Associate Librarian
Film and Video Collection
Morris Library, University of Delaware
181 S. College Ave.
Newark, DE 19717
(302) 831-1475
http://www.lib.udel.edu/filmandvideo
On 10/1/2014 9:02 AM, Mandel, Debra wrote:
Hi-
I'd be interested to hear from folks who have successfully
integrated games collections and use of game consoles in their
institutions, particularly in those with academic game design
curricula. Do you check out consoles? How do you collect games?
What are the challenges of becoming a gaming venue? How has this
impacted your budget?? Your space?
Thanks!
Debra
Debra H. Mandel
Acting Associate Dean, User Services
Northeastern University Libraries
320 SL
Boston, MA 02115
617-373-4902
617-373-5409-FAX
VIDEOLIB is intended to encourage the broad and lively discussion of issues
relating to the selection, evaluation, acquisition,bibliographic control,
preservation, and use of current and evolving video formats in libraries and
related institutions. It is hoped that the list will serve as an effective
working tool for video librarians, as well as a channel of communication
between libraries,educational institutions, and video producers and
distributors.
VIDEOLIB is intended to encourage the broad and lively discussion of issues
relating to the selection, evaluation, acquisition,bibliographic control,
preservation, and use of current and evolving video formats in libraries and
related institutions. It is hoped that the list will serve as an effective
working tool for video librarians, as well as a channel of communication
between libraries,educational institutions, and video producers and
distributors.