Chapter 7: Conclusion: Finding More Lessons

Abstract

The idea of gaming in libraries is no longer new or strange. The case studies described in “Gaming in Libraries: Learning Lessons from the Intersections” are just a few of the success stories we have seen during the last twelve to eighteen months highlighting the potential of gaming as a library service. There is no demographic left untouched by gaming in today's world. Whether your goal is to offer recreation around content (similar to book discussion groups and craft programs), social communal space (adult programming, rooms for knitters), literacy programs (storytime), interactions between different demographics (family events, multigenerational programming), or something else altogether, gaming may be a good opportunity to try something new with a low barrier to entry in terms of cost and resources. Ask yourself what outcomes you want to achieve at your library, and reflect on these case studies to see how gaming can help you achieve them.