Thing 15: Online Games in Libraries

A first impression: The two game environments chosen for this Thing are at opposite ends of the spectrum in their look—from cutesy to creepy. I prefer the cartoony environments to the walking dead.

My second impression is that I would have spent a lot of time with online games when I was a kid. As a grownup, my first life seems to take up all my time. I did spend a lot of time with the resources on Second Life before eventually deciding not to sign up. (And it wasn’t just because of the download required. Did anyone else get seasick watching the video tour on the 23 Things page?) In the summertime, I can’t see spending time in an environment that doesn’t use all five senses. When winter comes, it may look more inviting. It certainly would be great for anyone with physical disabilities that limit their mobility or ability to interact with the physical world.

Seeing what is being done with Teen Second Life in the Charlotte and Mecklenburg County library was very interesting. I can see a role for libraries in these environments, especially libraries that work with younger people and want to reach out to them where they spend their time. Law libraries could have a role, too. As with deciding to open a branch anywhere, of course, a cost-benefit analysis would be required. How many of our users are there and how much will it cost to reach them? Will the branch drain resources needed at the main location?

It will be interesting to watch as these gaming environments expand and become more sophisticated and realistic.