National Games and Libraries Project

A National Leadership Grant project exploring how games-based approaches can expand library innovation, community engagement, and digital inclusion.

🎲 🕹️ NGLP Games-based Library Services Survey  🕹️  🎲

After months of planning and thoughtful collaboration, the Wisconsin State Library Agency and the Washington State Library (in partnership with many others) are proud to officially kick off the first-ever nationwide surveying of Games-based Library Services – a key component of our National Games & Libraries Project (funded by an Institute of Museum and Library Services National Leadership Grant for Libraries).

Our comprehensive survey will result in a thorough and unprecedented “snapshot” of Games-based Library Services [GBLS] being offered nationwide throughout multitype libraries: public & school, academic, special, state libraries & consortia HQs, etc. Please help contribute to our invaluable research by filling out the survey yourselves and/or sharing it with your relevant library colleagues and networks!

There are a few important notes we’d like to highlight before folks begin the survey:

– The survey takes about 15 minutes to complete.

– To keep our data clean and useful, we ask that only one person per each library, branch, institution, etc. submit a response. If needed, please gather information from colleagues beforehand so your answers reflect your individual institution as a whole. ✅

– Before starting the survey, we’d ask you to have access to your library’s program attendance and Integrated Library System (ILS) collection data at-hand, as we are seeking certain relevant data points related to Games-based Library Services. 📈

– Please use your own discretion to choose responses to our questions that would represent your location / institution best (we understand that different libraries and library institutions throughout the country might use different names / terms state-by-state). 🎯

– Your responses are confidential. The only identifying information we collect is your institution’s ZIP Code, which will be used solely to help us understand geographic distribution and create a national heatmap of GBLS activity. 🔒

– Participation is voluntary and you may skip any question that allows skipping (note that many responses are mandatory). Provided participant contact information (if given) will be used to select gift card raffle winners. 🎉

– This project was made possible in part by generous funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services grant LG‑256639‑OLS‑24. 📚

– The National Games & Libraries Project [NGLP] is being co-sponsored by the ALA GameRT (the American Library Association’s Games & Gaming Round Table) and COSLA (the Chief Officers of State Library Agencies). 🎮

We anticipate the survey remaining open until mid-July. Complete it ASAP to help us start building an early picture of nationwide Games-based Library Services!

If you have questions about the survey or the project, please contact Chris Baker (Games & Learning Consultant / Public Library Consultant; Wisconsin Dept. of Public Instruction) at Chris.Baker@dpi.wi.gov.