E.C. Scranton Library Director Sunnie Scarpa has an extensive background in children and teen’s library services, so it is no surprise that she is passionate about the kind of programs that appeal to a younger demographic. One activity she said is not often associated with libraries, but is very much in line with both the history and purpose of a good public library, is video games.

Though a video game competition put on by the library and hosted by North Madison Congregational Church recently had to be canceled, Scarpa said she and the library have big plans to incorporate gaming into the future of the library.

“Gaming at libraries is a tradition that goes back to the 1850s, actually,” Scarpa said. “Right at the very beginning of public libraries even existing...they offered chess rooms.

“Really ever since then, libraries have used gaming for a lot of different reasons,” she added.

Purely recreational activities like board games or movie nights have always been a way for libraries to provide communal and social engagement, according to Scarpa, and video games are the next logical step, especially for the younger generations.

Currently, Scranton’s main building is being renovated and expanded, meaning that there is limited space overall for programs and events in the temporary space. But Scarpa said that the new teen room in Scranton’s permanent downtown location will include some dedicated video game space and equipment, including a large screen and special chairs.

Though a common perception is that video games are never conducive to positive behaviors or development in young people, Scarpa said that science shows this is far from the whole truth.

“It’s very dependent on what type of game you’re playing,” she said. “So the type of game is chosen very carefully by the librarian, of course. There’s a lot of research that shows that well-designed games can improve fluid intelligence and your ability to solve complicated and multi-faceted problems.”

Other types of games can build or strengthen cooperative attitudes and team-oriented skills, Scarpa said.

The game the library was planning on hosting is called Super Smash Bros. Games in that series pit popular video characters against each other in cartoonish but complex multi-player battles. It is popular across many age groups, including as an esport, where professional players compete in front of large audiences for five-figure prize money.

For any young person or teen who spends a lot of time gaming, Scarpa said it is generally better for them to be interacting with their peers in a public, supervised setting rather than sitting alone in their rooms. That social, communal aspect is really one of the most important factors for the library when considering the value of gaming programs, Scarpa said.

Being able to offer something fun, relevant, and exciting to young people who might otherwise never enter the library is an end in itself, she said.

“To me, I think of it as a holistic thing. We have programs for children—some of them are very literacy based, some of them are recreational, like showing family movies or having playtime with sensory toys...With adults, the same thing. We do book clubs, but we also show movies. [W]e do things that both are for literary topics and recreational topics, so why should it be anything different for teens?”

Though a large focus and portion of the library’s teen programs will always be things like SAT prep and curriculum-based education, Scarpa said a good library understands the interests of its teenage patrons.

“The sort of idea behind it is the same for any age group,” said Scarpa. “It’s just a matter of talking to those constituencies and finding out what educational things will meet your needs, and what recreational things will meet your needs. And teenagers at the moment love video games, among other things.”

Specific games or programs will most likely be determined in early 2020, Scarpa said, though she didn’t rule out having a video game related event before the library renovations are finished in the summer.

For more information about library programs, visit www.scrantonlibrary.org.