Are you a Donkey Kong fan? Do you like Sonic? Super Mario Bros? Now you can check them out at the New Westminster Public Library.
Yes, the library now has video games! You can try such classics as Sonic, Pac-Man Party and Donkey Kong Country Returns. Sports fans will enjoy Madden NFL, NHL and FIFA Soccer.
Other games include: 3D Dot Game Heroes, Hasbro Family Game Night, Ghostbusters, Ratchet and Clank, Pure, Create, Blur, de Blob, Portal, The Sims, Gran Turismo and Rango.
Teens will have fun with Batman: Arkham City, Disgaea 4, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
Most of the games are for the Playstation3 system, and some run on the Wii. All the games were carefully chosen to be family friendly. Most are rated E for everyone or E10 (everyone 10 and up), with some rated teen (13 and up).
You can reserve a game by searching for the title in the library's online catalogue. Go to www.nwpl.ca and click on catalogue.
You can also search for a complete list using the keywords: games and interactive media.
Why is the library buying video games? In addition to books, magazines, CDs and DVDs (all popular entertainment options), many libraries also have video games. Video games not only provide interactive entertainment for families, they also help children develop literacy and problem-solving skills.
By playing video games, children are learning to predict possible outcomes, develop strategies for overcoming obstacles, manage multiple resources, keep track of complex statistics, read and decipher maps. They sharpen their information literacy and observational skills and develop multi-tasking abilities, all in a non-threatening environment.
The library does not lend out video game systems. You will need your own Playstation3 or Wii in order to play the games. Video game borrowing is limited to one game per card, and games can be borrowed for one week.
