Games and Gamification in Academic Libraries

Games of all kinds, from breakouts and escape rooms to traditional board game collections, are often featured in academic library instruction, programming, and outreach initiatives, where their natural ability to foster interaction and communication is especially valuable. Games and gamification can be used to help students engage with the thresholds of the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education; locate resources and identify misinformation and disinformation; and build connections with faculty and librarians, in one-shots and for-credit courses.  

In four sections—An Overview of Games and Gamification, Adding and Maintaining a Circulating Game Collection to your Library, Games and Gamification in Information Literacy Instruction, and Programming and Outreach through Games—Games and Gamification in Academic Libraries explores incorporating games into first-year experience programs, using games to help students engage with special collections, making games accessible, and ideas for game nights and events. The book is packed with full-color figures, photos, and samples for inspiration and easy repurposing.

Games and gamification function best not as something separate, but as one tool in an academic library’s approach to their goals and initiatives. Games and Gamification in Academic Libraries offers encouragement, strategies, and proven practices for developing and using accessible, welcoming gamification as a flexible tool to meet their institutions’ missions and their students’ learning needs.

Imprint: ACRL

Published: 2020

Pages: 328