College Librarians Urged To Play Video Games

An anonymous reader writes "At meeting of college librarians, experts tell them they need to start thinking the way video game producers think and provide library services that will make sense to those who play computer games. 'In an era when most students would have to go to a museum to see an old-fashioned card catalog, there's no doubt that libraries have embraced technology. But speakers said that there was a larger split between students -- who are "digital natives," in one popular way of classifying people based on their experience with technology -- and librarians, who are more likely to be "digital immigrants." They may have learned the language, but it's a second language.'"

Comments

Just the opposite

[Excelcia]

But speakers said that there was a larger split between students -- who are "digital natives," in one popular way of classifying people based on their experience with technology -- and librarians, who are more likely to be "digital immigrants." They may have learned the language, but it's a second language.' In my experience, it's just the opposite. The librarians are more likely to be English natives, and the students are more likely to approach English as an immigrant. They may have grown up with the language, but it's still like a second language.

WoW Decimal System

[DarthTeufel]

100 - Uncommon Loot
200 - Rare Loot
300 - Epic Loot
400 - Instances
500 - World Zones
600 - Creatures of Azeroth
700 - Biographies of Alliance and Horde Leaders
800 - History of Azeroth
900 - Addictions

Oh, yeah.

[khasim]

A digital native would never read an instruction manual with a new game before simply trying the game out, Gee said.

And that is different from anyone else ... how?

Haven't us guys ALWAYS been accused of skipping the instructions? Be it stereo or bicycle or whatever.

Apparently everything old is now new.

Re:Oh, yeah.

[mulvane]

I broke down one time when putting up a crib for my first born and used the instructions. My god that thing was a woman's invention if I EVER saw one. I was glad when we transferred and I could plausibly lose the damnable thing. I still cringe at the thought though. I was so weak! I feel like a lesser man! They need to have a "I used the instructions anonymous' support group or something.

Conan the Librarian

[everphilski]

"Don't you know the Dewey Decimal System?"

sigh. Gotta pull out that UHF DVD and watch it sometime...

"think like a game designer would"

[Speare]

> librarian, where is "war and peace"?
The librarian coos, "Oh, that's a lovely book. I can point you directly to the shelf where it belongs. It's in the basement, near the new Ancient Egypt exhibits."
> north
You are in a twisty maze of Paleology stacks, all alike. > north
You are in a twisty maze of Bolivian Studies stacks, all alike. There is a staircase leading down. > down
I don't understand you.
> go down the stairs
It is dark. You might be eaten by a grue.
> light light I don't understand you.
> turn on flashlight
You are in a twisty maze of Egyptian stacks, all alike. An archway leads east between two papier mache sphynxes.
> east
A janitor yells at you, "Hey! You can't go in there! The exhibit's closed until Monday. But if you fetch me a bottle of whiskey I stashed in the Astronomy stacks on the third floor, I'll let you in."
> ...