Why I Changed My Policy on Gaming in the Library

I am kind of ashamed to admit that I used to be one of those librarians who was a real stickler for the rules. And in some ways, I am still a stickler. But I'm starting to rethink a lot of things. One thing I've done a complete 180 on is my policy on gaming in the library.

I used to have a few kids come by after school to hang out and play harmless games like Slitherio on the computer. They weren't playing anything inappropriate, but they were in the library and they were not quietly working or reading. Surely, that could not be allowed. If I let a few kids in, hordes of kids might follow. Why, it could turn into an arcade in no time! What about the kids who wanted to study? How would they learn? I had to put an end to this gaming at once!

Then the public library that's a stone's throw away from my school closed for renovations and moved into a temporary location on the other side of town. It was too much of a hike for many of our students to walk to the public library's temporary location. So all of a sudden the "gamers" were back. What was I to do?

I guess my heart has softened over the years. Maybe it's because my own son loves video games. I'm not sure what exactly made me change my mind, but it was the end of the school year, and I thought, "What if I just try letting the gamers in? I could always tell them that they couldn't stay if the arrangement wasn't working out."

So I did something I never thought I would do. When a few kids came to my school library at 3:00 to play games, I let them stay. I kept an eye on what they were playing, and I told them they just couldn't get too loud. When it was time to leave, they had to pack up even if they hadn't reached the next level of the game. They had to put the Chrome books away.

And you know what? It's been working out. It helps that I have a gorgeous library with an enclosed computer lab. If they get too loud, they can go in there and I have two spaces: a quiet space and a louder space.

I'm not getting on the announcements and inviting everyone to stay after school and play games. I mean, come on. I'm still a self-respecting librarian with the requisite bun to prove it. And maybe it won't work out in the long run. Maybe the place will turn into an arcade, and I will regret this. (I'll blog again to let you know what happens.) And if things get out of control, I will have to make a new rule.

It may have taken me ten years, but I have come to realize that I make the rules. (Of course, I have to run things by my two incredibly supportive principals, who know about my gamers and me.) I don't have to do things a certain way because that's how I've always done them. I can make a rule, change the rule, and even change it back. Sure, I run things by my principals, but the vision for the library should come from me. My vision should be based on what I think is right after 17 years in the education business, not some old-fashioned stereotype of what a library should be. And getting to know a few really cool kids who happen to like video games? Using the rapport I've built with these kids to have a better connection with them in my library classroom? That feels right to me.

And while it hurts a little to look back and think that I may have had it wrong for a few years, it would hurt even more to look back at the end of my career and realize that I had it wrong for a few decades. So whether you're a teacher or a librarian, I challenge you to rethink some practices or policies that may not be working anymore for you and your students/patrons. If you want to tell me about, leave a comment. You may just change my mind on some of my other policies.