Master Thesis Library

Samantha Brown
Samantha.d.brown@eagles.usm.edu

LIS 695 Final Draft

Gaming in Libraries:
A Collection Analysis of Gaming Resources in the St. Tammany Parish Public Libraries

May 5, 2014

Dr. E. Haynes

Dr. S. Creel

GAMING IN LIBRARIES, SAMANTHA BROWN 2

Abstract:
Gaming is becoming more prevalent in all types of libraries. Several public library
systems have added games of in a variety of formats to their programs to enhance library
instruction, introduce underserved populations to the library, and create lifelong users. While
scholars have dedicated research to these programs, collection analyses of what libraries offer in
terms of gaming resources are challenging to find. A collection analysis was conducted to see the
available gaming resources offered at the St. Tammany Parish Library System of Louisiana.


I. Introduction
Technology is changing the world; creating new ways to connect to different subject
matters, people, and interaction with the world. These tools are changing how people think about
the world and how they learn likewise. With these changes, libraries everywhere have to adapt to
these new technologies or risk becoming obsolete. New formats, such as those that pertain to
digital content, must be considered when developing library collections. With these
technological changes, in what matter should these formats be presented? Should they be
included in library programs? How should they be included in library programs?
Gaming in libraries is not a new concept. For example, chess clubs have had a prominent
place in U.S. libraries since the mid-1800s (Nicholson, 2012, p. 12). As technologies have
changed, games have done likewise. Games come in all sizes and formats: from simple card
games to graphically-complex video games. These games have become important to American
culture. Studies show that sixty-nine percent of U.S. described heads of household play video
games (Neiburger, 2007, p. 2).
As a result of the popularity of games and video games, libraries of all types have started
including gaming in their library programming to fulfill their mission to the public (Farmer,
2010; Levine, 2006; Maluck, 2013; Neiburger, 2007; Nicholson, 2010; Osborne, 2008; Peak, T.
& Wiseman, K 2010; Van Lewen,2009). Public libraries, in particular, have created many
gaming programs, changing how libraries were originally perceived as archaic book keeps
(Levine, 2009, p.5; Nicholson, 2010, p. 5). Extensive research has shown the benefits of having
such gaming programs in libraries (Czarnecki, 2010; Hill, 2010; Levine, 2008; Levine, 2009;
Nicholson, 2010; Welch, 2008; Werner, 2013).
Statement of Problem

While much has been written about gaming in libraries, no in-depth collection analyses of
gaming resources in public libraries have been found in the scholarly LIS literature. This study
focused on gaming resources in St. Tammany Parish Library System, including the number of
gaming resources in the libraries' collections, the types of materials, categories, age levels, the
amount of usage, and the gaming programs. The St. Tammany Parish Library System was
chosen because of its ability to serve a large community that is spread over several cities and
access to circulation statistics. Keeping to their mission, St. Tammany provides parish residents
with resources and programs to enhance their various needs. There are thirteen branches in total,
including the business resource center and the electronic resource center. The other eleven
branches include:
Abita Springs Branch
Bush Branch
Causeway Branch
Covington Branch
Folsom Branch
Lacombe Branch
Lee Road Branch
Madisonvile Branch
Mandeville Branch
Pearl River Branch
Slidell Branch
Research Questions
R1. How many gaming resources are in the collections of each branch of the St. Tammany Parish
Library System in this study?

R2. What is the target audience or age level of the gaming resources in the collections of each
branch of the St. Tammany Parish Library System?
R3. What types of materials are available in the collections of each branch of the St. Tammany
Parish Library System?
R4. What are the different categories of gaming resources in the collections of each branch of the
St. Tammany Parish Library System?
R5. In the last year, what was the amount of usage of these resources in the collections of each
R6. Which branches of the St. Tammany Parish Library System offered gaming programs
between March 1
st
to March 31
st
?
R7. Who was the target audience of those gaming programs?
Definitions
Adult A person over the age of 18 who is fully mature and grown (Robinson, 2001a, para. 1).
Child A boy or girl who is between birth and physical maturity (Robinson, 2001b, para. 1).
Formats- The physical medium in which the information is recorded. Formats that include kits,
CD-ROMs, Compact Discs, DVDs, and books. (Reitz, 2013a, para. 9).
Game A form of play with goals and structures (Nicholson, 2010, p. 3).
Information literacy The ability in finding, selecting, and using information resources
(Nicholson, 2010, p. 6).
Kits- A set of related materials in more than one format that is often stored in a container to keep
the parts together (Reitz, 2013b, para. 47).
Literacy The ability to read and write (Reitz, 2013c, para. 6).

Resources (game)- Items that provide a source of help, support, etc when needed; any type of
material that gives instructions and/or explanations on any type of game, life issues
involving games, or the types of games themselves.(Robinson, 2001c, para. 1).
Teen A person between the ages of thirteen and nineteen (Robinson, 2001d, para. 1).
Usage The number of times a bibliographic item is used by library patrons during a given
period of time (Reitz, 2013d, para. 117)
Limitations and Delimitations of the Study
This study only included items related to gaming that were a part of the St. Tammany
Parish Library System. Downloadable e-resources were not examined in this exploratory study
due to the fact that the circulation statistics were not accessible. Although there are thirteen
branches in the system, the Business Resource Center and Electronic Resource Center was
excluded so that the study was limited to the other eleven branches of the system.
Assumptions
It is assumed that items in Polaris online catalog were indexed accurately so that relevant
items could be retrieved. It is further assumed that the descriptive information for each item,
such as target audience, was correct and that circulation statistics were an accurate reflection of
usage.
Importance of the Study
This study was important because of many reasons. First and foremost, this study
provided an exploratory tour of how many and what gaming resources the library system has to
offer to the patrons at each branch. Second, the findings from this study indicated usage by how
often such items were checked out, which could help librarians make collection development

decisions. Third, this study added to the body of scholarly LIS research related to collection
analysis of public library collections.


II. Literature Review
Like other programs that first came to the library, there needs to be justification for
having gaming in public libraries. Research from scholars provides answers behind the deeper
meaning of having gaming programs in libraries. While gaming can be entertaining, new, and
exciting, the benefits are rewarding for both the patrons that attend and the libraries themselves.
Benefits to Patrons
Gaming in libraries promotes civic engagement among peers. Levine discovered in her
study how people were interacting with each other (2009, p. 5-6). While excited to play the
actual video games provided, it was realized that they took enjoyment in just being there and
often aided others. She soon realized that community building was taking place. Levine provides
examples of various library systems (such as the John C. Fremont Library District in Colorado)
that used gaming to bring together non library users and library users alike (p. 5-6).
In a similar case, Maluck introduced a gaming library program, Play It Loud, to young
adults at the Northeast Regional Branch of the Richland Library in Columbia (2013, p. 779).
With this program, he introduced several types of games including video games and board
games. The program was so successful that one of the games, Go, was branched off and a
different gaming program was developed because of it (p. 782-783). The success of Play It Loud
was due to the community building that occurred among the players. Adults, children, and teens
alike gathered together and learned how to work together and play together (p. 787 - 788).
Hill also discovered the bonds that formed in library gaming programs when interviewing
several individuals about gaming library programs (2010, p. 33). Many of the individuals
interviewed expressed how teens behaved in groups and how they learned and built better social

skills with each other (p.34). Gaming not only held these teens attention but allowed them to
interact with others as well (p. 34-35).
Gaming in libraries also promotes learning engagement. Children & Libraries: The
Journal of the Association of Library Service to Children published an article about allowing
children to play games so they may learn (2009, p. 48). This particular article listed several
studies that concentrated on different aspects of learning (such as learning to read and write,
cognitive thinking, and so on) and how games could be used to study these different features ( p.
49-50).
Levine also discovered the benefits of games from a learning perspective (2006, p. 5).
She explains several ways that games of all kinds can teach lessons, from developing critical
thinking skills to offering mental stimulation. These skills are crucial for engaging in the world
as adults (p. 7-8). Additionally, Levine discusses how games can impact young childrens minds
in terms of literacy development (p. 13). Using her own son as an example, she discusses the
changes that occurred when gaming was introduced into his education curriculum (p. 13-15).
Nicholsons book, Everyone Plays at the Library: Creating Great Gaming Experiences
for All Ages, touches on how different games can build different skillsets (2010, p. 6). For
example, choosing chess for the gaming program can lead individuals to build strategic skills (p.
77). It just depends on the type of game experience the library wants to create for its patrons.
Benefits to the Library
While there are benefits to the individual, there are also benefits to the library itself.
Werner discovered some benefits to the library from observing Benton Harbor Public Librarys
gaming programs (2013, p. 790). In her study, she discovers both challenges and successes with
implementing the teen gaming program. While theft and possible challenges to selection of

games remained a possibility, the advantages were still many (p.797-798). Werner learned that
keeping the gaming program at Benton Harbor Public Library aided in keeping the libraries
current for teens and children (p.800). Werner also realized that gaming can appeal to other
individuals who may not readily come to the library otherwise. She stressed the need for libraries
to remain relevant to appeal to current and future library users (p. 800).
Osborne noticed other ways that libraries can benefit from gaming programs (2008, p.
178). Observing the Eltham Library, a branch of Yarra Plenty Regional Libraries in northeastern
Melbourne, Osborne saw how communities were formed from attending the gaming programs
held there. These teens not only formed a community amongst themselves but also connected on
a very deep level with the library similarly. Osborne witnessed the concern the individuals had
with respecting the library. The library staff and participants interacted well with one another.
They understood the relationship that was needed between the two groups (p. 180).
While these benefits mentioned can promote the library, another benefit to consider is the
fact that the gaming programs set-up can be used again and again to attract other demographic
groups (Levine, 2008, p. 21). While the gaming experiences may change dependent on the
game, different audiences can be added and included (Levine, 2008, p. 21; Nicholson, 2010, p.
27). Therefore this builds the librarys reputation to provide resources for all.
Serving the Underserved
Though these gaming programs can be rearranged to fit other demographic groups, it is
important to include as many different groups as possible. Czarnecki understood that library
services must sometimes be tailored to not only fit adult patrons but another age demographic
also (2010, p. 23). As the technology education librarian of ImaginOn (a collaborative venture
between multiple public interest groups), she must consider several patrons interests. She used

several examples from different public library systems to show how teen areas have been set-up.
All examples included gaming areas to better attract teens to the library. These various gaming
areas attracted large crowds which introduced teens to other library resources (p. 23-24).
At the Free Library of Philadelphia, Romero leads an after-school program tailored with
various types of games in mind (2010, p. 17). Appealing to children and teens alike, the program
focuses on using three computer programming technologies: Lego Mind Storms, Scratch, and
PicoCricket. These three interactive technologies are used to stimulate the participants minds;
having them play and work with other individuals of the same group (p. 18-19). This particular
program was built with a purpose to encourage children to play and think all at once (p. 45).
Wong and McGinley used a library gaming program to entice children with special needs
(2010, p. 22-23). At Piscataway Public Library (New Jersey), teen/peer volunteers help children
with special needs play board games and video games alike. This program has generated a good
turnout rate with many parents appreciating the consideration taken for their children with
special needs (p. 22-23).
Houston Public Library created a gaming program adapted for the whole family (Farmer,
2010, p. 33). While there are spaces designed for both children and teens, whole families can
check out different gaming consoles and play on the televisions provided in either the childrens
or teens area. It has been highly successful and many people get involved and have fun together
(p. 33-34). The Lake Wales Public Library (Florida) created a similar program with their own
family-oriented game nights; inviting whole families to join in on game sessions involving
various games such as Magic: The Gathering and MarioKart Wii (Peak & Wiseman, 2010, p. 24-
25).

There has also been public library gaming programs created for senior citizens. Danforth
interviewed Allan Kleiman, former assistant director at Old Bridge Public Library (New Jersey),
on the programs that were designed with seniors in mind (Danforth, 2010, p. 44). Kleiman
brought two generations together by having game nights with both teens and seniors. These
particular programs were successful and inspired other library systems to start their own gaming
programs with seniors in mind.
Collection Analysis
Extensive research has shown how gaming in libraries affects both the individual and the
library itself. Research has also shown how games can be used to inspire different demographic
groups to come to the public library. But the gaming resources that circulate within a library
system could not be found in the scholarly LIS literature.
Ujiie and Krashen have used a similar method of collection analysis to determine if prize-
winning books were a popular check-out item among children (2006, p. 33). They examined six
southern California library systems (Long Beach, Los Angeles, Palos Verde, Torrance, Cerritos,
and Orange County). They collected data during the month of November 2004. Ujiie and
Krashen used book sales from the childrens fiction Bookweb list of bestsellers, the Caldecott
and Newberry award lists, and the circulation statuses collected (p. 33-34). They concluded prize
winners were rarely represented on the bestseller list. Ujiie and Krashen also concluded that
majority of the books found on the awards lists did not match the bestseller lists nor were they
being checked out by the children (p. 34-35).
Likewise, Wagner used collection analysis to track how items were being used while still
in the library (2007, p. 174). She examined in-house statistics to determine how often items were

being used at the Cheng Library in New Jersey (p. 175). Wagner learned that while many items
were being used quite often, some subjects were being used more than others (p. 179).
Gray and Copeland used collection analysis on the e-book usage in a public library
(2012, p. 334). They wanted to compare the circulation rates to that of printed copies of the same
titles (p. 336). Gray and Copeland discovered that the physical copies circulated four times as
much as the e-book copies (p. 338). They did try to take into consideration that there were more
physical copies available (p. 338).
Sarah Heidelberg conducted a collection analysis study on African-American poetry that
is held in the de Grummond Collection at the University of Southern Mississippi (2013, p. 2).
She wanted to see if the de Grummond Collection held from the Harlem Renaissance and the
Black Arts Movement (p. 3). She organized the books using a mapping tool and inputted the data
using Microsoft Excel (p. 6). Heidelberg concluded that the de Grummond Collection at the
University of Southern Mississippi held one hundred percent of the poets from the Harlem
Renaissance but only eight out of the twenty-one poets from the Black Arts Movement (p.8).
This study shared many qualities with most of the investigations reviewed. While it was
about gaming in libraries, this study specifically analyzed the circulating statistics of the gaming
resources at the St. Tammany Parish libraries. By using the method of collection analysis, this
study indicated the number, type, and usage of gaming resources in a public library system.


III. Methodology
The library automation system, Polaris, was used to analyze the number, type, and
circulation patterns of the gaming resources that belong to the St. Tammany Parish Library
System. Designed in 1997, Polaris integrated many features of both the client and server
components of the program (Polaris Library Systems, n.d.a, para.7). It can therefore update
certain components of the software without having to rewrite the program itself (Polaris Library
System, n.d.b , para.4).
Using Polaris search feature, a search was conducted to examine circulating
materials related to games and gaming. Circulating materials include audio-visual formats,
printed books, and 3-D interactive equipment. Keywords such as video games, educational
games, games, and gaming were used in this search. The circulation data collected only reflected
how often the item was checked out since January 2013. While the patrons can check out most of
the items circulating, there is a small professional section that only staff can check out.
However, the professional section was included in the data set but identified as a separate
category. The other six categories of gaming resources are: Issues in gaming, electronic games,
non-electronic games, electronic gaming guides, non-electronic gaming guides, and vocational
guides.
Each of these categories were chosen to include all the available gaming materials
offered at the St. Tammany Parish Library System. The gaming issues category includes all
materials that deal with difficulties in gaming or shows the benefits of using such games. The
electronic games category included games that a person could play by machine; either by PC,
disc player, or DVD player. The non-electronic games category included games that a person
could play that did not involve electronics such as outdoor games or finger play. The electronic

gaming guides included materials that were explained via electronic item or discussed an
electronic game. The non-electronic gaming guides included materials that explained non-
electronic games. The vocational guides discussed job descriptions that dealt with creating
games or working in that particular industry.
Materials found were separated by the branch that housed the item. Data that was
collected for this analysis was the title, author, the format of the item, and the amount of times
the items have checked out. Data was collected on which branch housed the item and the
appropriate target audience or age level of the item. Identical items found at other branches were
counted for their circulation statistics also.
The data was organized in a spreadsheet using Microsoft Excel. The spreadsheet was
organized by branch, and then by type of material. Microsoft Excel was used to create bar graphs
and circle graphs to illustrate how many items are at each branch and compare the items age
levels offered at each branch.


IV. Results
R1. How many gaming resources are in the collections of each branch of the St. Tammany Parish
Library System in this study?
There were a total of 1,415 items that were game-related resources in the St. Tammany
Parish Library System. The breakdown of these items per branch can be seen in Table 1for age
and Figure 1for branch holdings. The Abita Branch had a total of 54 items. The Bush Branch had
53 items. The Causeway Branch had 96 items. The Covington Branch had a total of 267 items.
The Folsom Branch had 61 items. The Lacombe Branch had 66 items in total. The Lee Road
Branch had 88 branches. The Madisonville Branch had a total of 71 items. The Mandeville
Branch had 253 items. The Pearl River Branch had 78 items in total. The Slidell Branch had a
total of 328 items.

Table 1
Branches and Their Items, Categorized by age level
Branch Amount of Childrens
Items
Amount of Teen
items
Amount of Adult
Items
Total Amount
Abita 46 0 8 54
Bush 44 0 9 53
Causeway 71 4 21 96
Covington 170 4 93 267
Folsom 54 0 7 61
Lacombe 54 0 12 66
Lee Road 77 0 11 88
Madisonville 59 2 10 71
Mandeville 179 5 69 253
Pearl River 67 0 11 78
Slidell 202 9 117 328


Figure 1. Total Amount of Items in Branches

R2. What is the target audience or age level of the gaming resources in the collections of each
While most of the branches contained game-related resources of all age levels (Children,
Teen, and Adult), the target age level of the gaming resources in the collections of each branch
were unanimously juvenile. These results can be seen in Table 1 and Figure 2. The Abita Branch
had 46 items for children, no items for teens, and 8 items for adults. The Bush Branch had 44
items for children, no items for teens, and 9 items for adults. The Causeway Branch had 71 items
for children, 4 items for teens, and 21 items for adults. The Covington Branch had 170 items for
children, 4 items for teens, and 93 items for adults. The Folsom Branch had 54 items for
children, no items for teens, and 7 items for adults. The Lacombe Branch had 54 items for
children, no items for teens, and 12 items for adults. The Lee Road Branch had 77 items for
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
Total Amount

children, no items for teens, and 11 items for adults. The Madisonville Branch had 59 items for
children, 2 items for teens, and 10 items for adults. The Mandeville Branch had 179 items for
children, 5 items for teens, and 69 items for adults. The Pearl River Branch had 67 items for
children, no items for teens, and 11 items for adults. The Slidell had the most items with 202
items for children, 9 items for teens, and 117 items for adults.

Figure 2. Items Categorized by the age level

R3. What types of materials are available in the collections of each branch of the St. Tammany
Parish Library System?
The different types of materials that are offered for checkout in the St. Tammany Parish
Library System consist of: books, DVDs, CD-ROMS, kits, audiobooks, and music compact discs
(CDs). Table 2 and Figure 3 show the different types of materials and the amounts of these
different types presented for each branch. The type of material most available in the St.
Tammany Parish Library was books.
0
50
100
150
200
250
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Amount of Children
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Amount of Teen items
Amount of Adult Items

Table 2
Type of Materials available in the collections of the branches of St. Tammany Parish Library
System
Branch Book DVD CD-ROM Kit Audiobook Music CD
Total
Amount
Abita 47 5 0 0 0 2 54
Bush 51 1 0 0 0 1 53
Causeway 77 6 1 6 0 6 96
Covington 229 13 4 15 1 5 267
Folsom 57 2 0 0 0 2 61
Lacombe 59 5 0 0 0 2 66
Lee Road 81 3 1 0 0 3 88
Madisonville 62 2 0 6 0 1 71
Mandeville 214 14 3 15 0 7 253
Pearl River 74 1 0 0 0 3 78
Slidell 270 14 4 33 0 7 328


Figure 3. Types of Materials available in the St. Tammany Parish Library System

R4. What are the different categories of gaming resources in the collections of each branch of the
St. Tammany Parish Library System?
There were a total of 7 categories of gaming resources that are offered at the St.
Tammany Parish Library System. Those categories were as follows: issues in gaming, electronic
games, non-electronic games, electronic gaming guides, non-electronic gaming guides,
vocational guides, and professional books. The most prevalent category in the collection for all
the branches was non-electronic gaming guides. Table 3 shows what branches had what
categories of gaming resources and the amount of those gaming resources.

0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
DVD
CD-ROM
Kit
Audiobook
Music CD

Table 3
Categories of gaming resources and the amount of those gaming resources for each branch
Branc
h
Issue in
Gaming
Electron
ic
Games
Non-
Electronic
Games
Electronic
Gaming
Guides
Non-Electronic
Gaming Guides
Vocation
al Guides
Profe
ssion
al
Tot
al
Am
oun
t
Abita 0 6 0 1 47 0 0 54
Bush 0 2 0 0 50 0 1 53
Cause-
way
1 16 4 1 68 4 2 96
Coving
ton
2 25 27 19 188 5 1 267
Folso-
m
0 4 2 1 53 0 1 61
Lacom
-be
0 5 3 3 55 0 0 66
Lee
Road
0 7 3 2 76 0 0 88
Madis-
onville
0 2 9 3 55 1 1 71
Mand-
eville
2 23 24 13 188 2 1 253
Pearl
River
0 4 5 0 69 0 0 78
Slidell 3 28 37 19 234 6 1 328

R5. In the last year, what was the amount of usage of these resources in the collections of each
All of the gaming resources in the St. Tammany Parish Library circulated a total of 2,236
times. The Abita Branchs items circulated 67 times. The Bush Branchs items circulated 48
times. Causeways items circulated for a total of 149 times. The Covington Branchs items
circulated for 467 times. The Folsom Branchs items circulated for a total 24 times. The
Lacombe Branchs items circulated 48 times. The Lee Roads items circulated 40 times. The
Madisonvilles items circulated for a total of 96 times while the Mandevilles items circulated for

476 times. The Pearl River Branchs items circulated 47 times. The Slidell Branch, by far, had
the largest amount of circulation with the items checking out 774 times. Of all the categories that
circulated in all branches, non-electronic gaming guides were the ones that circulated most for all
the branches. To be more specific, it was childrens non-electronic gaming guides that circulated
most in all branches. Figure 5 displays the comparison among the branches and shows their total
amount of usage.

Figure 5.Comparison of the total amount of circulation that occurred in each branch.

R6. Which branches of the St. Tammany Parish Library System offered gaming programs
between March 1
st
to March 31
st
?
Eight of the 11 branches offered gaming programs during the month of March. Abita,
Bush, and Lee Road were the branches that did not provide any programs at all. The Causeway
Branch was the only branch to offer a teen program. Folsom, Lacombe, and Mandeville were the
only branches that offered adult programs. Causeway, Covington, Madisonville, Mandeville, and
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900

Slidell all offered childrens programs though. Figure 6 provides a visual comparison among the
different branches and the programs that they have.

Figure 6. Comparison of different age group programs for each branch.

R7. Who was the target audience of those gaming programs?
The majority of the programs were geared towards children, ages 0 to 11.
Most of the branches that had childrens programs had at least 2 or more. The Causeway Branch
had a teen program and 2 childrens programs that were geared towards gaming. The Covington
Branch had 5 childrens programs while Slidell only had one childrens program and no other
program. Folsom and Lacombe both only had one adult gaming program. The Madisonville
Branch had 4 childrens programs. Mandeville had the most programs: 5 childrens programs
and 1 adult program. Refer to Figure 6 to see the visual results.

0
1
2
3
4
5
6
Children's Programs
Teen Programs
Adult Programs

Discussion
This collection analysis has shown that the St. Tammany Parish Library System does
contemplate the idea of using games to attract patrons and create lifelong users. There are 1,415
items that are game resources for the library system. And all but 8 of the items (which are
professional books) are available for checkout by the public.
While these items were dispersed among all the branches, a large amount of the items
were placed at branches which are considered to be a large branch. These large branches are
located in central locations throughout the St. Tammany Parish. The large branches include
Causeway, Covington, Madisonville, Mandeville, and Slidell. These branches were placed to
cover a wide and large population. It is for this reason that so many more items were available at
these locations. There may be a correlation with the availability of more programs at these
locations also. There was a total of 21 programs offered that pertained to gaming. And it was the
large branches that had the most programs to offer (refer to Figure 6 to see visual). The usages
for the large branches were also significantly larger than for other branches.
Both programs and resources were in abundance for children. All branches contained the
most materials for children while the programs that offered the most among the different
branches were also for children. This link between both resources and programs and children
show that the St. Tammany Parish Library System invested a great deal in acknowledging
childrens need for play, interaction, and learning. This may mean that the system is using
gaming as a way to bring children to the library and create users that may come back in the
future (Levine, 2008; Nicholson, 2012). This is similar to both Werners (2013) and Osbornes
(2008) research. Both scholars also saw the potential of creating future library users by including
gaming in libraries.

The data show that resources offered at the branches of the St. Tammany Parish Library
System have been checking out regularly in the last year with a total of 2,236 times from all
branches combined. While these numbers would show continued usage of these resources, the
question left unanswered is whether these gaming resources are enough for the population.
According to the United States Census Bureau (2014), the population of St. Tammany Parish
was estimated to be 242, 333 (para.1). If that is indeed true, then more needs to be done to ensure
that all residents of St. Tammany have a chance to participate in the programs and check out
gaming materials.
Limitations
This study had a few limitations that may have changed the outcome had they been
included. It was primarily limited by not including digital items related to gaming resources. As
was mentioned previously, digital items related to gaming resources were excluded from this
particular project due to the inability to collect the circulation statistics. If these had been
included though, it might have changed the total amount of usage and the amount of resources
offered by the St. Tammany Parish Library System.
This study also did not take into account the in-house statistics that accrued from items
being used in the library itself (without being checked out). These statistics could have provided
a more thorough outlook of what items are being used. Using in-house statistics would have
allowed reference books to be included as gaming resources. Additional items that could have
been included were puzzles, games, and interactive play computers that are accessible in all the
branches.


Future Research
However, these limitations could lead to future research someday. Exploring these
limitations further could provide a greater depth of information about the collection and the
patrons usage of such a collection. While this preliminary study showed what items were
available as gaming resources, a future study could look more in-depth on the patrons reactions
to these resources and programs. Survey questions can gather a general idea about gaming in the
libraries while personal interviews can gain personal insights into how people actually feel about
having gaming opportunities at the library. This additional information could aid St. Tammany
Librarians on what programs may or may not be working. It may also provide understanding in
what items are useful.
Implications
This preliminary study shows that there are indeed gaming resources available in the
system. And the numbers show that the items are being checked out also. The results showed
that both the programs and gaming resources were aimed at children mostly though. While this is
an excellent strategy to build lifelong library users, teens and adults were neglected. Out of all
the age groups, teens were the most neglected. With only one teen program and 24 items that
were related to gaming resources, the results show that teens hardly had anything. And yet
Levine (2009) and Maluck (2013) showed that teens benefited greatly from having gaming in
libraries. Are the teen coordinator and the two teen librarians of St. Tammany Parish Library
System aware of these benefits and such? It is only fair to be aware of this and try to build more
programs for teens so they may partake in gaming also.
The results also showed that the large branches housed the majority of the gaming
resources while offering the most programs also. While this was strategically good so the

resources may reach major populations of the St. Tammany Parish, other patrons who live farther
out in the parish may not be able to use such resources because of distance. This might be a good
opportunity for the library system to try and add some programs to the smaller branches as well.
This preliminary study was important for many reasons. While it showed the circulation
statistics of the resources, it also showed the targeted age group for these resources also. This
important endeavor has allowed a glimpse of what could potentially be a weak point in the
collection and where it is strongest. The St. Tammany Parish Library System can take this
information and see possibly where there needs to be improvements and so on. This exploratory
study can be the foundation for future research conducted and allow other LIS professionals a
better understanding of what a collection analysis entails. Most importantly, this research showed
how a rather popular topic can change what a library carries and how they present materials so it
is useful for those individuals.


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