Gaming in Libraries

Better late than never! After reviewing the literature/articles on video gaming in libraries, I realize that this is a resource I've left completely untapped. Yes, I've had my fair share of playing video games growing up (and, okay, I admit, I do have a Wii I like to play on from time to time!). The possibilities for video gaming in libraries seem endless. A Harvard professor using Second Life to organize many of his most often used websites is interesting and innovative. I never considered gaming to be a legitimate enterprise, especially in a library setting. I see now that I was dead wrong--the possibilities (on Second Life alone) are literally endless!

How Could I Forget About Shelfari?!

I love Shelfari. I would recommend it to anyone and everyone, if I could. I think it's going to prove to be a vital and useful tool in a lot of public library settings, not only for the ways that librarians could use it to organize their collections (mentally) and to suggest books to patrons, but the immense usefulness patrons will find in using the website. I try to pass the word on as much as I can! (And, for the record, I much prefer it over Goodreads.com--Shelfari is much more streamlined and aesthetically pleasing, at least in my opinion.)

Social Media Sites for the Library

The fantastic options that today's social media sites allow libraries to explore is overwhelming (in a good way)! To give a quick and dirty summary of how I would employ YouTube, Flickr and Pinterest in a public library setting, I'm just going to make a few lists:

YouTube:
-Tutorial videos of how to use different library resources (catalog, downloading e-books, how to print in color or b&w)
-Videos of the inside of the library to show patrons where to find certain collections or to introduce possible patrons to what the library looks like
-Posting YouTube videos of [books made into] movie(s) trailers and book trailers to the library's website or Facebook page. Any YouTube video that is relevant to the library in some way could be posted!
-Videos of librarians & staff who work at the library--introducing themselves, explaining what they do at the library, hopefully creating a friendlier web environment for patrons


Flickr:
-Sharing photos of the library's new collections (all different fiction genres, non-fiction, YA, children's, DVD's, etc.)
-Photos of the library and its signage to familiarize patrons with how to navigate the stacks
-Good for non-fiction collections to showcase photography materials located in their collections

Pinterest:
-Similar to Flickr photosharing, but a more interactive interface, which will encourage more comments and "likes" from patrons
-Because photos pinned to Pinterest are directly connected to their original source pages, patrons can see a picture of a book that they want to borrow, and can click on the picture and be immediately brought to the catalog listing for that item
-Librarians can use Pinterest for their own personal use--perhaps creating pinboards of books they would like to buy replacement copies of, or a pinboard of ideas for programs or displays they can bring to the library

Does anyone else have any ideas of other ways these sites could benefit a library?