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Ur Library Haz Gamez? OMG!

It’s shaping up to be a perfect weekend for gaming. All your friends are out of town or working, there are no major concerts or sporting events you want to attend, and the weather is going to suck, so you don’t feel obligated to “get out and enjoy it.” You can start playing games from the moment you get home from work/school Friday until someone has to surgically remove the controller from your hands on Sunday night.

Except… you’ve played all the games you own at least three times. Since all your friends are out of town, you can’t go borrow, beg or steal any from them. And since you’re between paycheques and rent is due, you can’t go buy or rent any new games. What is a gamer to do in this situation?

Well, you can take yourself down to the library and borrow a couple.

Yes, you read that right – libraries do loan video games. In the case of the Toronto Public Library, they will soon have a collection, but chances are good that your library outside of the GTA might as well. All you need is a library card, which – here’s where I cast my very best Librarian Glare in your direction- you should already have.

So why are libraries loaning video games? This article in the Toronto Sun from March 23 touches on one of the reasons: offering video games is just another way of getting people through the doors. Once in the library, that group might look around and see what else is offered: free wifi; DVDs; talking books; magazines; music CDs; oh yes – books (we’re sneaky like that).

The best part of borrowing games from the library? No charge (unless they are late, of course); you can return it if you don’t like it; it’s a great way to try out new games that you’re not sure you want to own. Has the game you were looking forward to playing just been released? No problem! Put a hold on it, so that when it arrives the library will notify you that it’s ready to be picked up. And that’s not all! As libraries add video games, they are also adding books about the games! Tie-in novelizations; graphic novels; how-tos and manuals. Some libraries even loan out game consoles and/or controllers.

My library, for example, has had video games available for almost 9 months, and they are more popular than ever. Parents come in with their kids to borrow games, and by and large they are well-read on what games are appropriate for their children (ESRB ratings FTW). Other parents will come to ask what would be suitable for their youngsters, and we’re happy to explain the ratings and show them they type of games that they are looking for. Individuals on fixed incomes use a lot of our services, and love that they can borrow games too. Adults looking for something to do will come in and take home a couple of games for a week because their spouse/partner is out of town; what better way to celebrate having the house to yourself than playing Halo 3: ODST or MySims (I don’t judge!) for seven straight days?

So the next time you start feeling panicked because you don’t have anything to do for the looming weekend: fear not! Drop by your local library and see just how many ways they can entertain you!

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