In honor of National Gaming Day @ your library on November 13, let’s take a look at a relatively new data point from the Public Library Funding & Technology Access Study: What peripherals do public libraries support, provide or allow patrons to use with public access computers in the library?
We ask about:
- access and storing content on USBs or other portable drives (e.g., MP3 players)
- digital cameras
- burning CDs or DVDs and,
- providing access to recreational gaming consoles, software or websites.
Here’s what we’ve heard back from public libraries over the past three years:
| Recreational Gaming Consoles, Software or Websites Available to Users in Public Libraries | ||||
| Urban | Suburban | Rural | Overall | |
| 2009-10 | 79.3% | 65.8% | 57.5% | 64.1% |
| 2008-09 | 57.2% | 59.1% | 53.4% | 57.2% |
| 2007-08 | 66.8% | 58.1% | 54.2% | 57.7% |
Which states are the most game? Eighty-seven percent of public libraries in Oklahoma offer recreational gaming, followed by Minnesota at 85%, and Kentucky and South Carolina at 80% (Figure 95 – PDF).
Looking back, the survey also suggests a change in library policy regarding gaming and patron peripherals. The leading factor preventing or limiting access to peripherals, gaming and the option of burning CDs and DVDs was library policy restrictions (63%), followed by cost to purchase or support the service (48%). In 2009-10 (figure C-22 – PDF), cost was the leading factor, followed by policy concerns (40.7%) and inadequacy of library computer hardware or software (40.4%).
How have attitudes changed at your library and in your community re: gaming?