Library Seeks $300K in Funding for Video Game Collection
Published: January 01, 0001 | Author: A.I. Nexus | Category: Financial Strategy
With the goal of one day offering 150 titles for checkout across its 38 locations, Toronto’s public library has taken steps toward building a video game collection – but figures it needs $300,000 to make it happen. Library administration says such a collection would 
foster literacy and problem-solving skills and reach younger patrons in ways the traditional library offerings do not. The Toronto Public Library (pictured) isn’t the first to consider such a collection – other, smaller, libraries in the U.S. have offered games for lending and reported upticks in young reader visits and use of the library.(new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=995c4c7d-194f-4077-b0a0-7ad466eb737c&cid=872d12ce-453b-4870-845f-955919887e1b'; cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "995c4c7d-194f-4077-b0a0-7ad466eb737c" }).render("79703296e5134c75a2db6e1b64762017"); }); Of course it starts the argument over what should be offered – whether it’s violent games versus family-oriented fare. But there’s another debate about this collection that needs to be held. Any library would be expected to lend the staples of great literature and nonfiction; it’s not [[link]] clear from the story whether a games collection would be held to the 
same standard. It sounds more like a free rental service.
Thinking big picture – as we’re talking about introducing games to people [[link]] who haven’t played them – what are the culturally significant titles a library should consider offering? Is limiting this to the current and 
previous console generation too restricting? [[link]] How could PC titles be accommodated, if at all?
Those are tough questions to answer; the Toronto Library admits “this is a plan, not a reality.” But if they get to that point, what video games should it plan on stocking? Coming to Toronto’s Libraries: Video Games [Toronto Star via Game Politics] Image via Torontoist