2007 Symposium

From TechSource Gaming Symposium

ALA TechSource, in collaboration with the Association of College & Research Libraries (ACRL), is proud to announce the first annual Gaming, Learning, and Libraries Symposium was held in Chicago on July 22-24, 2007.

Library Technology Reports

• Need to get up to speed on gaming and libraries?
  
• Need to convince your administration to start gaming services?
  
• View an excerpt (PDF) or buy this report now!
  

After the Symposium

• Slides, handouts, available audio, and available video from each presentation will be linked to from each session's page. View the list of 2007 sessions and click on one to see what is available (so far) for it. Alternatively, you can view the program and click to the individual sessions from there.
• There's a podcast feed for audio from the presentations at http://feeds.feedburner.com/techsource .
• See pictures and blog posts from GLLS2007
• Watch videos from GLLS2007 on YouTube
• Watch a video summary of the event recorded by Tom Peters
• Share what you've been doing since GLLS2007 to implement gaming services in your library
• Join the Gaming, Learning, and Libraries Symposium network to keep the discussion going

During the Symposium

• Sign ups for a video game tournament to win a prize Sunday evening!
• Chat online about gaming and the Symposium
• Tag for the Symposium is GLLS2007

About the Symposium

ALA TechSource, in collaboration with the Association of College & Research Libraries (ACRL), is proud to annouce the first annual Gaming, Learning, and Libraries Symposium was held in Chicago at the Chicago Marriott O'Hare hotel. It began at 1:00 p.m. on July 22, and ended at 1:00 p.m. on July 24.

Gaming and literacy experts James Paul Gee and Henry Jenkins keynoted the event by exploring how libraries fit into the intersection of gaming and the digital learning landscape, while guest speakers Eli Neiburger (author of the 2007 title "Gamers…in the Library?! The Why, What, and How of Videogame Tournaments for All Ages") and Syracuse University Game Lab Director Scott Nicholson kicked off the discussions about what libraries are doing to support gaming. Gregory Trefry, a game designer from GameLab, explored libraries and the concept of "big games," while social computing expert and gamer Liz Lawley will provided context and a broad view for the topics discussed.

More than 25 sessions in three tracks covered such wide-ranging topics as creating games for information literacy, implementing gaming programs, teaching kids how to make their own games, gaming for adults, digital downloads for gamers, online fiction games, and more. In addition, a track dedicated to Second Life highlighted how libraries are creating a presence in this virtual world and what they are gaining from it.

Whether you're an experienced gamer who wants to start a program at your library or a newbie who is intrigued but has no idea where to start, this is the event for you. Programs for academic, public, and school librarians made attendees think about this topic in a different way. We had open play time, scores of experts and implementers to help answer your questions, colleagues implementing innovative services, and at least a few topics that were most likely new to you.

Read the press release

Registration

• View registration information
• Tournament Event Registration
• Note: Symposium Registration closed on July 13, 2007.

2007 Sessions

• View the 2007 program online
• View a PDF of the 2007 print program
• Keynote Speakers
  • James Paul Gee, University of Wisconsin, Madison
  • Henry Jenkins, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  • Liz Lawley, Rochester Institute of Technology
  • Greg Trefry, GameLab
• Special Guest Speakers
  • Eli Neiburger, Ann Arbor District Library
  • Scott Nicholson, Syracuse University School of Information Studies
• Plus, more than 25 sessions for academic, public, and school librarians!
• View the full list for 2007!

Location Information

• The Symposium was held at the Chicago Marriott O'Hare.
• More information here.
• There was free wireless internet access available for attendees in the session rooms.

Things to Do in Chicago

• Metromix event guide
• CenterStage Restaurant Guide
• Other restaurant guides as listed in Illinois Clicks

Call for Presenters

* The submission period is now closed. (Deadline: March 1, 2007).

• Guidelines for Submitting a Proposal to Present
• Potential Topics of Interest
• Submit a Proposal to Present