Video games are increasingly acknowledged as significant cultural artifacts and valuable sources for interdisciplinary research. As interest in gaming continues to rise across fields such as computer science, digital media, and human-computer interaction, libraries have a unique opportunity to enhance their collections to promote both academic scholarship and student engagement.
This poster outlines the development of a circulating physical video game collection at an academic library. It details the transition from informal support of gaming resources to a structured collection development and service model. Key areas of implementation include defining the collection's scope, acquisition strategies for retail media, considerations for cataloging and processing for games, and circulation workflows for multi-component materials.
The poster also explores how gaming collections can support student success and contribute to the library's role as a campus community space. By treating games as legitimate scholarly and cultural artifacts, libraries can also support faculty and researchers working across disciplines where gaming intersects with coursework and study. Practical lessons learned during planning and implementation will be shared, along with recommendations for libraries interested in developing similar collections.
