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Video games with an ulterior motive
The Champaign Public Library offers weekly video game session to teenagers and pre-teens to get them into the library.
12:00 am Jul 27 - by Elizabeth Weber – buzz Writer
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Champaign Public Library »Address: 200 W. Green St Champaign, IL 61820
Phone: (217) 403-2000
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The idea of playing video games at the library would have been unheard of 20 years ago, but the Champaign Public Library and the Nintendo Wii console are throwing that notion out the door.
Running from June 11 to August 6, the Champaign Public Library has been featuring Wii Wednesdays, a program where library patrons can play popular Wii games from 6 to 8 p.m.
According to Betsy Su, a teen librarian at the Champaign Public Library, the idea behind bringing Wii to the library was to attract a hard-to-reach demographic.
"Our goal was to attract teenagers to the library, showing them what we have to offer," she said.
Su also said other libraries across the country have resorted to using to video game programming as a way to attract teens, who have been the demographic least likely to visit libraries for the past 20 years.
So far the tactic has worked for the library, who has attracted returning patrons like Sam Dennis, a 14-year-old Wii fan. Dennis admits he wasn't much of a library goer until he heard about Wii Wednesdays.
"I definitely enjoy coming here more often," he said. "Usually I come for school-related things or because my parents make me, but now I think I have to beg my mom to take me here."
Wii Wednesdays are only the beginning for the Champaign Public Library, who plan to expand the program to senior citizens and elementary school-aged children, according to Su.
"People of all ages have been excited by the prospect of playing the Wii at the library," she said. "Having the console connected to a projector and being able to play with four players adds to the fun."
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