Why Aren't RPGs in Public Libraries?

[Elf Witch]

If I knew a gamer who bragged to me like that, I'd try to get his statement on tape (like taping a gaming session or something) and turn them in to the cops or something.

That is pretty upsetting that there are gamers like that out there. Sure, there are all sorts of people, but I would want gamers to have a love for the game enough that they would hopefully support it.

Just a piece of advice states have different laws on people taping other people without their permission. Besides I don't think the cops would do anything they would have to have a complaint from the store or the person things were stolen from.

I did get one guy in trouble I knew he worked for the library and he was always stealing things from it like books, DVDs and such. I told my friend who is a head librarian at another branch who told his head librarian and they watched him until they caught him stealing.

Of course hearing this made me put my name in all my books and make a master list of where my books were going when leaving the house.

 

[TheAuldGrump]

Just a piece of advice states have different laws on people taping other people without their permission. Besides I don't think the cops would do anything they would have to have a complaint from the store or the person things were stolen from.

I did get one guy in trouble I knew he worked for the library and he was always stealing things from it like books, DVDs and such. I told my friend who is a head librarian at another branch who told his head librarian and they watched him until they caught him stealing.

Of course hearing this made me put my name in all my books and make a master list of where my books were going when leaving the house.

Theft is why I made custom bookplates for my RPG collection, and why I no longer run games at conventions.

Too many minis, books, and dice have gone missing.

I ended up buying back a case of my miniatures at a yard sale once - the person that I thought had taken them had, in fact, taken them. While he was in prison on some other matter his mom had a yard sale and sold his stolen minis for $10. I talked to her afterwards, she offered me my money back, but I told her 'no, just let him know that you sold all of them for ten dollars'.

The Auld Grump

 

[craftyrat]

Nice to see a few librarians replying. I"m also a librarian, although it has been a decade since I worked in public libraries.

A lot depends on the knowledge of the librarians who do the ordering. Many librarians know nothing about rpgs, or think of them as just a game (which they usually don't buy). Combine that with the theft issue, and they tend to shy away from buying them. It really helps to have a librarian champion them - and public requests can help that librarian make their case. Fortunately there are a lot of librarian gamers.

 

[Buttercup]

I work in the same county library system as Zardok, and I have to admit that I didn't realise we were outliers. We've carried rpg books, strategy guides for video games, and books about game design, as well as a robust collection of software and even hardware (two full sets of Beatles Rock Band with instruments, for example) for years. We also have had gaming-related programming for years.

I've been managing one or another branch library since 1996, and we've always been committed to gaming. In fact, when I hire a teen librarian, the job description states that they have to be familiar with various aspects of gaming as well as manga, popular music, and so on. Libraries are not, or at least should not be, marginal storage facilities for crap nobody wants anymore--rather they are (or should be) a magical place where you can find things you want but can't afford; that inspire you to new heights of creativity or learning, or that complete your life experience in some way.

I'm sorry to hear that too many libraries aren't doing that.

 

[Alzrius]

RPG books aren't like fiction, you pretty well always need to have them with you to run the game. So they will inevitably get stolen or not returned.

This is key. RPG materials are reference books, and reference books aren't allowed to leave the library because their utilitarian nature makes them attractive targets for theft.

Given, however, that it's hard to put RPG materials to practical use in the library unless you're running a game there, that can make it awkward to find a practical use for your library's RPG materials if they aren't allowed to leave the library.

 

[William Ronald]

This is key. RPG materials are reference books, and reference books aren't allowed to leave the library because their utilitarian nature makes them attractive targets for theft.

Given, however, that it's hard to put RPG materials to practical use in the library unless you're running a game there, that can make it awkward to find a practical use for your library's RPG materials if they aren't allowed to leave the library.

Back when I was in high school at the height of the popularity of 1st Editon, a friend and I ran regular games at a library by our school. We increased the branch library's circulation as people checked out books, particularly fantasy novels. (I recall that the Elric series by Michael Moorcock was popular.) The program ended after we had too many people show up for an impromptu game -- I want to say 40 people showed up with my friend and I run a game that looked more like a military assault in an adventure in the old "Slavers" series.

For the librarians in this thread, would it be a good idea to see if gaming groups could use the library just as some other groups might use it? GMs and librarians could recommend a few books.

 

[Alzrius]

Back when I was in high school at the height of the popularity of 1st Editon, a friend and I ran regular games at a library by our school.

I'm not saying people don't do that (hence why I said "unless you're running a game there"). My previous gaming group used to meet in some of the local libraries (though we brought our own books).

I'm just noting that RPG books are essentially reference materials and, as such, prime targets for theft - hence, if there aren't groups meeting at the library to play (and using the RPG books the library has), justifying keep them, without letting them leave the building, can be somewhat difficult.

 

[William Ronald]

I'm not saying people don't do that (hence why I said "unless you're running a game there"). My previous gaming group used to meet in some of the local libraries (though we brought our own books).

I'm just noting that RPG books are essentially reference materials and, as such, prime targets for theft - hence, if there aren't groups meeting at the library to play (and using the RPG books the library has), justifying keep them, without letting them leave the building, can be somewhat difficult.

I would imagine this is indeed a problem. I thought that I might give an idea for something that could benefit libraries and gaming groups.

 

[Rechan]

The library system where I'm currently located has copies of all the 4e and 3e PHB/MM/DMG - two PHBs for both systems. None at the branch nearest to me.

Although I noticed that the books are rated Adult. What is the significance of that?

 

[Gilladian]

Rated as adult - depends on your library system. My library system has the few (gift) RPG books we own "in the adult collection". But they can be checked out by anyone. That's our default - if it isn't specifically YA or JUV, it is adult. Some libraries have rules about what age people can check out materials in what categories - ie under 16 can only check out adult materials with parental permission. Or whatever, varying by system. So it may mean nothing, or it may mean younger teens would not be allowed to check it out - maybe to prevent theft or damage, maybe because some librarian didn't think some of the art was child-appropriate...