As a child, I always enjoyed the Summer Reading Clubs sponsored my our local public library and the Texas Library Association. I don’t know whether it mattered that I enjoyed the experience because my parents probably would have taken me regardless of whether I enjoyed it.

In that light, imagine my surprise to read this in this morning’s Waco Tribune-Herald.

Central Library offers video game tourney for youths

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

By Cindy V. Culp

Tribune-Herald staff writer

Is your teen lusting after a Nintendo Wii? Looking for new opponents in Dance Dance Revolution? Prone to summer boredom?

Waco’s Central Library has a cure for all of the above. It is hosting gaming sessions this summer that will allow teens to compete against each other in a variety of games on several gaming platforms. Here’s a quick rundown.

Who can come? What are the hours?

The “Game On” summer program is open to teens who will be entering the sixth through 12th grades. Sessions will be from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursdays in June and July and from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturdays in July.

The sessions will be held at the Central Library, 1717 Austin Ave. Parents are welcome but aren’t required to come.

What game systems does the library have?

It has Nintendo Wii, Nintendo GameCube and PlayStation 2.

The GameCubes are connected by a local area network, allowing players on different consoles to compete against each other. Games include Super Smash Bros. Melee and Mario Kart: Double Dash!!

The PlayStation 2 consoles are primarily used for Dance Dance Revolution. And for the Wii systems, the library has Wii Sports, Super Smash Bros. Brawl and a couple of other games. It is also about to get the steering wheel accessory so teens can play driving games.

Any tournament play?

Yes, tournaments will be the focus of the Thursday night sessions. Players will keep up with their scores throughout the summer, and the top three finishers will receive a prize at the end. They include a remote-controlled helicopter, movies and a gift certificate to GameStop.

Is there anything to do between games or while waiting for a turn?

Teens can take advantage of any of the library’s other resources. Plus, librarians put teen-friendly materials, such as graphic novels and magazines, around the game room.

Is the library offering any nongaming programs for teens this summer?

Yes, a variety of other programs are planned, including several arts and crafts sessions. For more information, call the library at 750-5941 or go online to www.waco-texas.com/CITY_DEPTS/libraryservices/teens.htm and click on the teen summer Web site.

Source: Barbara Frank, reference desk worker at the Central Library.

cculp@wacotrib.com

757-5744

The reading programs are an afterthought! “Oh, yeah, books. We have those too. But come play our Wii!”

I suppose the idea is to get people in the library in the first place. So many people associate “Barnes & Noble,” “Books-A-Million,” “Borders,” or “Amazon,” with books, not their local public library. Maybe we need a PlayStation 2 and Dance Dance Revolution to get people inside the library and show them that it’s a clean, cool (important in the Texas summers), and comfortable place to go. Maybe Mario Kart will show people that there’s no reason to purchase a book they’ll read only once and set down to collect dust in their homes.

Nevertheless, it seems counterproductive to have video games in a library to distract kids from reading. Summer reading programs take a back seat to marketing the library. And here I thought a library’s primary purpose was to foster literacy and encourage people to read.

AJR