Libraries Got Game: Aligned Learning Through Modern Board Games

145 Pages·2009·1.3 MB·English

by  Brian Mayer

L
ib Libraries
the high-profile topic of gaming in libraries gets thorough consid- r
eration from two educator-librarians, who explain exactly how
a
designer board games—which are worlds apart from games pro- r
duced strictly for the educational market—can become curricular
ie Got Ga me
staples for students of all ages. Drawing on their experience as game afi-
s
cionados and developers of a nationally recognized program that brings

games to school library media centers, the authors equip colleagues with G
everything they need to initiate a board game project with o
t
• Direct links between board games and curriculum G aligned Learning through
• Suggestions for building a core collection to serve all grade levels a
• Strategies for program development and implementation m
modern board Games
e
From promoting the idea to teachers and administrators to aligning spe-
cific games to state and national education standards, this book will help
you build a strong collection that speaks to enhanced learning and social
development and is just plain fun.
Also visit the book’s website: www.ala.org/editions/extras/mayer10092.
You may also be interested in m
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www.alastore.ala.org
American Library Association
50 East Huron Street
Chicago, IL 60611
1-866-SHOP ALA a
brian mayer & Christopher Harris
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(1-866-746-7252)
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www.alastore.ala.org
Libraries Got Game
Aligned leArning
through Modern BoArd gAMes
Brian Mayer and Christopher harris
AmericAn LibrAry AssociAtion
chicAgo 2010
Brian Mayer is a library technology specialist for genesee Valley boces, an edu-
cational ser vices agency that supports the libraries of twenty-two small, rural dis-
tricts in western new york, as well as an independent library consultant on gam-
ing in libraries. his focus is on modern board games and putting authentic games
into educational settings to engage students with the curriculum. he has been
instrumental in the growth of designer games as educational resources and has
written several documents aligning games with national and state standards. he
is the author of many articles on gaming in libraries and writes on the subject
in his blog Library Gamer (http://librarygamer.wordpress.com). mayer earned his
elementary teaching certification at buffalo state and his mLs at the University
of buffalo.
Christopher Harris, author of the blog Infomancy, is the coordinator of the school
library system for genesee Valley boces. in addition to his writing on Infomancy,
he is a regular technology columnist for School Library Journal, talking about
“the next big thing.” Along with Andy Austin, harris wrote an ALA techsource
Library Technology Reports issue on using the open source Drupal content man-
agement framework in libraries, which was published in 2008. he was a partici-
pant in the first ALA emerging Leaders program in 2007 and was honored as a
Library Journal mover and shaker in 2008. An avid gamer, harris was a member
of the ALA/Verizon Foundation gaming and Literacies grant national panel of
experts.
While extensive effort has gone into ensuring the reliability of information appearing in this
book, the publisher makes no warranty, express or implied, on the accuracy or reliability of
the information, and does not assume and hereby disclaims any liability to any person for
any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions in this publication.
the paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American national
standard for information sciences—Permanence of Paper for Printed Library materials,
Ansi Z39.48-1992.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
mayer, brian.
Libraries got game : aligned learning through modern board games / brian mayer and
christopher harris.
p. cm.
includes bibliographical references and index.
isbn 978-0-8389-1009-2 (alk. paper)
1. Libraries—special collections—board games. 2. board games. 3. school libraries—Activity
programs—United states. i. harris, christopher, 1977– ii. title.
Z692.b63m39 2010
025.2896—dc22
2009026839
copyright © 2010 by the American Library Association. All rights reserved except those
which may be granted by sections 107 and 108 of the copyright revision Act of 1976.
isbn-13: 978-0-8389-1009-2
Printed in the United states of America
14 13 12 11 10 5 4 3 2 1
this book is dedicated to my wife, without whose
infinite patience, support, and understanding it
would not have been possible. And to my daughter,
who is the reason for everything i do.
—BM
For christine, with eternal gratitude.
—CH

Contents
Acknowledgments vii
Part i reintroducing board Games
Chapter 1 designer games 3
Chapter 2 Why games Matter 11
Chapter 3 redefining resources 20
Part ii Games for twenty-First-Century Learners
Chapter 4 library and information skills 25
Chapter 5 Alignment with state and
national Curriculum standards 47
Part iii Games in school Libraries
Chapter 6 the genesee Valley Model 65
Chapter 7 starting a game Collection 74
Part iV Great Games for school Libraries
Chapter 8 top recommended games for elementary school:
Pre-K through grade 5 83
Chapter 9 top recommended games for Middle school:
grades 6–8 92
Chapter 10 top recommended games for high school:
grades 9–12 102
glossary of designer Board game terminology 113
list of games discussed 117
list of game Publishers 125
index 129
Additional material can be found on the book’s website, at
www.ala.org/editions/extras/mayer10092. Look for website material
wherever you see this symbol.
v

Acknowledgments
t hank you to genesee Valley boces and the member libraries
of the region for making the creation of the game library a great
success.
to scott nicholson for planting the seeds through his incred-
ible knowledge of designer board games and their potential for libraries.
to the American Library Association/Verizon Foundation gaming
and Literacies grant for providing opportunities for sharing in the larger
library community.
With appreciation for gamers everywhere whose feedback, input, and
suggestions have guided our growth.
vii

Part i
reintroducing Board games
Games in libraries are not new, but the idea is undergoing a revival
of interest. Developments like the release of the Nintendo Wii
as a multigenerational video game console designed for main-
stream use have generated a great deal of attention in librar-
ies. The American Library Association responded to this interest with
the development of a gaming and literacies grant funded by the Verizon
Foundation. Much of the conversation about gaming in libraries has
focused on video gaming; that is what most of our students and patrons
know. This book will present a different view of gaming, looking at the use
of board and card games in school libraries. This is written from the per-
spective of two school librarians working at a regional school library sys-
tem. As such, the focus will be on the use of these board and card games
as curriculum-aligned instructional resources in libraries and classrooms.
For some schools and libraries, embracing games will present a chal-
lenge. Even though so many of our students are gamers, schools can be
very reluctant to consider gaming as a part of learning. Given the puri-
tanical need to separate work and play, many adults shy away from being
called gamers. It is time to face facts: if you play games, you are a gamer.
Welcome to the club.