Eve Jamieson (Goldsmiths, University of London)

In the summer of 2017 I was approached by Phoenix Perry, a new academic in the Computing department at Goldsmiths, with the proposition to create a Games Library collection to support courses taught in the department, in particular a new MA in Independent Games and Playable Experience Design. Phoenix, who creates physical games and is a prominent advocate for women in game development, was keen to create a space where computer and board games were accessible to all students. This lightning talk will touch on the development of this project, introducing the wider context of computer games (indie games in particular) and board games, the current provision in other libraries in the UK and USA, and the specific challenges of the project at Goldsmiths Library. 

Indie games are broadly defined as games that are developed by small teams or individuals, often without the backing of large video game publishers. This allows them to explore concepts and ideas without being restricted by commercial interests, creating games that are more innovative, and creative, allowing greater artistic expression and representation of groups that are traditionally under-represented in popular computer games. It is this element of computer games that will be of particular interest to art librarians. Sixty UK Higher education institutions provide courses in video games, with a growing number including courses specifically targeted at the independent games sector.

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While games are becoming an increasingly common part of public library collections, university libraries appear to be slower in adapting to this new demand. A growing number of universities in the United States have a dedicated games library, such as The Open Library at NYU and the Computer and Video Games Archive at the University of Michigan. This presentation will seek to raise awareness of this growing area of art librarianship in the UK.

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As well as the contextual information, the presentation will show the practical actions taken to make the project a reality: how the collection has been given an identity, how it has been promoted to improve engagement with the computing department, and how we have encouraged Library staff to get excited about the project. One of the biggest challenges at Goldsmiths Library, much like many other UK universities, is space and funding. While our American counterparts were able to create a dedicated area for the games library, with additional staffing, we have had to be much more creative about adapting existing space and staffing, drawing on facilities previously dedicated to audio-visual (primarily DVD) collections. Additionally the focus on indie games poses challenges, as these predominantly rely on digital distribution on online platforms such as Steam or Itch.io which allow purchase of game downloads for individual use on PCs or MACs. As well as licensing concerns, we have had to think creatively about how to give these digital games a visual identity in the Library. The lightning talk will reflect on the first year of the pilot project and look ahead to future initiatives.

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Eve Jamieson is a Subject Librarian for Computing, Music, Psychology and the Institute of Management Studies at Goldsmiths, University of London. Previously she was the Academic Support Librarian for the School of Film, Media and Design at University of West London. Eve is also a board game enthusiast, and has a new-found appreciation for independent games.