Video games add interactive dimension to local libraries: Some librarians worry games take time away from reading; others see it as a way to engage teens

kingcountyjournal.com - Video games add interactive dimension to local libraries: Some librarians worry games take time away from reading; others see it as a way to engage teens.

Video games add interactive dimension to local libraries: Some librarians worry games take time away from reading; others see it as a way to engage teens
2006-03-30
by Dean A. Radford, Journal Reporter

Some say they're a pox on civilization. Others say they're a nod to teen culture.

Either way, video games are finding a place in the King County Library System, alongside books and other traditional programs, as librarians try to engage teens and meet their recreational needs.

The program -- already in libraries from Issaquah to North Bend and Covington to Tukwila -- is geared toward young people ages 12 to 18, with the games rated ``E'' for everyone or ``T'' for teen.

But don't bet on video games ending up in all the system's suburban libraries. Some librarians worry that setting up the games and monitoring teens will take time away from other activities.

Rosalie Olds, the teen librarian at the Fairwood Library east of Renton, runs a teen writing group that is working on historical fiction.

``I should spend my time doing that, not watching them play video games,'' Olds said. She became a librarian to promote reading and writing, she said.

But she's on the fence and can see the positives of the program, which is called ``Game On.''