Gaming in Libraries

So, librarians catch flak for not being with the times. Then, they try to be hip to attract new library patrons. Then, they catch flak for that (cf. "Nebraska Auditor Cries Foul on Gaming in Libraries"). Seems like a lose-lose situation to me! Grr.

Ironically, the VERY NEXT article in this week's AL Direct was "ALA Releases Gaming Toolkit" - talk about conflicting stories!

This seems to me to be an issue getting back to the unfunded mandate of libraries. If libraries were a mandate, with EXPLICIT descriptions of their mandate, i.e. whom they serve (including teens and children), how they serve (including using emerging technologies to maintain current), etc., then libraries would be less often subjected to such silly rebukes.