Video Games at CCPL

Video games are now available at Carroll County Public Library for customers to check out. Video games develop skills promoting literacy such as storytelling, pattern recognition, and symbol decoding, as well as skill development in multitasking, strategy development, problem solving and teamwork.

Video games are available for Nintendo Wii, Sony PlayStation II, and Microsoft Xbox 360.

Video games may be checked out free of charge for a period of 7 days.

5 video games may be checked out on your card at one time.

Video games can be reserved.
Extended loan fee is $1 per day.

Customers age 16 and younger must have parental permission to borrow video games.

CCPL has video games with the following ratings established by the independent Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB).

EC (Early Childhood) – suitable for children 3 years and older.
E (Everyone) – suitable for ages 6 and older. E 10+ (Everyone) – suitable for ages 10 and older.
T (Teen) – may be suitable for persons ages 13 and older.
M (Mature) – may be suitable for persons 17 years and older.

CCPL has created a list of video game resources available at library.carr.org and library staff is available to assist you with this new collection.

Facts About Video Games

Why is CCPL offering a collection of video games?

Video games are another way of learning, and are increasingly being used to support teaching and learning.

Educators say that video games have cognitive benefits. What does that mean?

Research shows that the cognitive benefits of playing video games include pattern recognition, system thinking, even patience because attentional capacity is improved.

What kind of skills can be developed through playing video games?

• Decision making. Prioritization. Analysis. Strategic planning.

• Teamwork, because in some games players work toward a common goal.

• Motor skills. Researchers with Beth Israel and the National Institute on Media and the Family at Iowa State University found that doctors who spent at least three hours a week playing video games made about 37% fewer mistakes in laparoscopic surgery and performed the task 27% faster than their counterparts who did not play video games.

Why is the current focus on video games important?

According to the 2005 Summit on Educational Games:

• “Many video games require players to master skills in demand by today’s employers—strategic and analytical thinking, problem solving, planning and execution, decision-making, and adaptation to rapid change.

• Games offer attributes important for learning— clear goals, lessons that can be practiced repeatedly until mastered, monitoring learner progress and adjusting instruction to learner level of mastery, closing the gap between what is learned and its use, motivation that encourages time on task, personalization of learning, and infinite patience.

• Today’s students—the so-called digital natives— are poised to take advantage of educational games.”