Though it isn't the first academic institution to do so, the University of Calgary is still making a radical move by including a video game collection within the library's study space.
Librarian Jerremie Clyde points out that "studying games as a media, whether it's in social sciences, communication and culture, education [or] digital humanities, is becoming more popular." The University of Calgary library will be aiming to build a compendium of varied gaming resources, including computer and TV games from past and present.
Super Mario Studying
The University of Calgary Library Puts Video Games on Shelves
Trend Themes
1. Studying Games - Opportunity for educational institutions to incorporate video games as a study resource in various fields, such as social sciences, communication and culture, and education.
2. Video Game Collections - Increasing demand for libraries and academic institutions to curate extensive collections of video games for research and academic purposes.
3. Digital Humanities - Emerging trend of integrating video games into the field of digital humanities, creating opportunities for interdisciplinary research and analysis.
Industry Implications
1. Education - Incorporating video game collections within educational institutions to enhance learning experiences and explore new teaching methodologies.
2. Library Services - Providing comprehensive video game collections in libraries to cater to the growing demand of studying games as an academic resource.
3. Digital Entertainment - Collaborating with academic institutions to promote gaming as a serious medium for research and analysis, expanding the reach of video games beyond traditional entertainment.