Chicago library to trial video game lending
A public
library in the Park Ridge area of Chicago has revealed that it will soon be trialling a video game lending service,
representing similar schemes taking place across the world. Starting with a collection 50 games purchased with a
requested $3,000 worth of funding, the pilot program will last two year during which time "circulation and patron comments will be measured". The library is hoping to focus on "high demand" games for PlayStation and Xbox systems in order to draw in a younger demographic. We certainly can't think of a strategy more effective at increasing the number of younger visitors than lending games for free. To deter older gamers that may get word of this scheme, they'll be limiting the collection to "games that are rated E for all ages or T for teens" although there's no strict age limit for lending the games.
So how do you get your local library to start lending games ? Simple, just ask. According to a librarian working at the library, "kids throughout Park Ridge kept coming up to me and asking why we didn't have video games for circulation." We feel very cynical for suggesting it, but we wouldn't be surprised to find that a large percentage of those kids were bribed by gaming moms, dads and older siblings. We'll hold off from judging them, because there aren't many things we wouldn't do for free games!
[Via digg]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
student @ Jan 7th 2006 8:11AM
3000 dollars was only able to net them 50 games? They were paying top dollar for their games... dang.
And the library at my college has been doing this. They didn't purchase any though, they only take donations from students and then lend those out.
pointfour @ Jan 7th 2006 8:23AM
My local libary (in the UK) has done this for years (although not for free - they charge a few quid a week). And as to why $3000 only got them 50 games, if they're going to be rented you have to pay a lot more than the retail price to buy games.
JRM @ Jan 7th 2006 9:51AM
despite the $$, it's a good idea to get kids to play E rated games rather than M rated games. They should've done this sooner.
cameron @ Jan 7th 2006 10:51AM
my library already does this...it has Kingdom Hearts, Mario Kart, Halo, and tons of other hits
thenotoriousBEN @ Jan 7th 2006 11:00AM
The public libraries around here in Utah have had PC games for quite a while. Not the best games in the world but you can find something good every once in a while. I never would have hoped for console games- that's cool but if this became common wouldn't it seriously detract from developer revenue and eventually lead to a decline in game quality?
Mike @ Jan 7th 2006 2:36PM
this sounds like a good idea, but I fear like DVD movies at the library, these video games will be the same. At my public library, you can burrow 100 DVD movies each week for free (and you can renew over the phone). I check the website and they have all the latest and greatest DVDs. Unfortunetly, when you go there, theres nothing there for they are all taken (and all have 3-4 people waiting in line to get them)
With video games I could see it as being just the same, coming in the library to fetch a new title only to find all thats left is Barbie horse adventure and a few games you already own.
Adam Carrico @ Jan 7th 2006 6:53PM
Here in Kentucky one near where I live does it.
Dan Choi @ Jan 7th 2006 7:44PM
Public libraries have adopted DVD and VHS rentals fairly readily, but games? Maybe for a suburb like Park Ridge, but I'd definitely renew my Chicago library card if they started adopting a program like this in the city (that is, Chicago) proper.
Rachel @ Sep 25th 2006 12:29PM
What keeps the patrons from stealing the games, by claiming that they're lost? The Community Library that I work at in Ohio runs into this situation more frequently than some would think, even though we are still a very small town. A lot of money is lost this way. We have recently started sending the county prosecuter after people in order to get some of our materials back!