The Blogosphere

For my second competency assignment, I searched the blogosphere for topics that are related to my subject. I thought this would be easy, as gaming in the public library is a hot topic. However, when I used the Technorati Blog Search, I did not get load of results I had expected. When I used the the keywords "gaming in libraries," and finally found The Gaming Zone. This blog is run by the Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, in Charlotte, NC, and it collects all the video game, board game, and technology programs for their library system.

This public library video game blog stood out to me because it has such a comprehensive gaming program. It has links to a calendar of events, which offers at least two programs a week. One aspect was new to me: Offering programs to teach interested teens how to create their own video games. I want to include this excerpt (in italics) of the program description:

TEEN GAME DESIGN
The Game Design Workshop is a series of class tutorials that use Multimedia Fusion Software to teach basic game design. These tutorials are self paced and provide access to online forums with other students all over the country. Students will have the opportunity to create original games and work with a game design facilitator (library staff) to develop their game’s content.
The Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County

One aspect of of Information Literacy, which is defined by the National Forum on Information Literacy as the skills one needs to find and utilize information, is the ability to use technology to create, communicate, and manage ideas. The Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County teaches information literacy with this Game Design Workshop. Naysayers may argue that using video games in the library is simply a way to lure kids into the library, but PLCMC's program clearly promotes information literacy. Video games are not only entertaining and fun social activities: A successful gaming program promotes literacy and prepares youth for their technology-rich future.