Libraries lending out video games.

[Qalbert]

Gaming Bits - Borrow Videogames FREE At Your Local Library
Basically Miami Dade area libraries have a small section of current-gen video games which can be checked out free of charge, and have a 7 day limit. Do you think this could catch on, or is it too expensive/impractical in the long run?

[Penthesilea]

Pretty retarded unless it's educational games like Math Blaster

[Kohan]

Pretty sure this isn't the first time this has been done. I'm rather positive it's happened in the past more than once.

Pretty retarded unless it's educational games like Math Blaster

'Cause the library only carries educational books?

They'll probably have few copies so I don't believe a lot of people will be using this. It's nice for people who don't have a lot to cash to throw around who get lucky, though.

[BRP]

I used to do this with my library like 10 years ago. Certainly not new.

[Kohan]

It's just new to Floridians. You have to excuse them, their population is 95% granny.

[Qalbert]

new concept to me too, didn't realize it was that old. In the tidewater area at least (norfolk, Chesapeake etc) they lend DVDs, VHS, and some CDs. No Blu-rays, or video games.

[Jefe]

I never bothered to check the media section and always wondered if they actually lend all types of genres. Needs moar BR movies ;o which reminds me am a see The DK in all its BR glory... AGAIN.

[Lbelle]

I think this is a really cool idea, I wonder if they do it in my area. When I lived in MD the library carried tons of movies and CDs, but I didn't ever think they would carry games, since games seems more expensive.

[Octavious]

Pretty retarded unless it's educational games like Math Blaster

I loved Math Blaster when I was a kid >_>; but I don't see the point of them lending video games unless they've got security of some form to back it. I stopped renting from Blockbuster, etc because they started wanting deposits every time I rented a game. Now I think it's like $10 to rent a game at the places by my house, fuck that I could buy it used for $20-$30 if it's a shitty game. >_>; I've debated looking into gamefly, but i've started just buying some of them used if they're marginal titles and new if it strikes me as interesting.

I doubt this would catch on, the libraries in Columbus all complain about funding anyway. D:

[Dareus]

My local Library used to do this all the time. Its how I got most of my old pc games. However it quickly ended when people started to take the games out and return them with blank disks inside. I wonder how long it will last there.

[Kiarax]

Library near me in England used to rent out games (though it was mostly old as hell stuff, I never saw any current gen stuff) but it was £1-2 for a week. Would be cool to have somewhere to pick stuff up for free though, even though it'd probably be a poor selection with limited copies.

[#686578]

Doesn't even matter. It's either going to be old games no one cares about or they're going to have one copy of each game and it's always going to be checked out and the wait time is going to be like 10 weeks by which you could've just bought the game if you asked your mom for a dollar everyday for 10 weeks.

[Senoska]

Libraries around here, excluding the ones at the universities, have been having major problems getting people to come through their doors. Perhaps this will bring people to the library and maybe they will check out a book or two with their game. One can hope.

[Crouchingllama]

Good point Senoska, Madison Avenue meets Main Street Library, the next wave in advertising revenue for municipalities?

[Lurking Badger]

I've read a study about shopping centres that got a library built in it's vicinity suddenly boosted overall sales by 10%

[Vacht]

i hate kids, they make such annoying noises all the time. they wont keep their dumb little noises to themselves. sometimes if it was for people starting to care what other people thought we'd have to deal with these stupid noises for the rest of our lives. thank god people are insecure.

[Darus Grey]

Don't see why anyone would be surprised by this, Libraries are supposed to be repositories for culture, which in modern times includes movies, music, and video games.

I've always thought their selection of the above should be much larger/well funded.

[Anselme]

My college library did this, but only if you were in the Electronic Game - Design / 3D Graphics course. Which most of us were, so really we just all got to play crappy PS2 games whenever we wanted.

[Chelly]

I loved Math Blaster when I was a kid >_>; but I don't see the point of them lending video games unless they've got security of some form to back it. I stopped renting from Blockbuster, etc because they started wanting deposits every time I rented a game. Now I think it's like $10 to rent a game at the places by my house, fuck that I could buy it used for $20-$30 if it's a shitty game. >_>; I've debated looking into gamefly, but i've started just buying some of them used if they're marginal titles and new if it strikes me as interesting.

I doubt this would catch on, the libraries in Columbus all complain about funding anyway. D:

fucking mathblaster... ahhhhh
loved that as a kid too D: i feel old

[#686578]

Oregon Trail? Can you say best game of 1996?