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Petition: Close the Belk Library Game Room at App State

112 Comments

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Zachary Speelman
11 years ago

Im sorry, but those who think that having a "game room" is a bad idea, need to wake up. The future of some of the greatest technology, including Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, etc. are being designed by people that play and produce video games for a living. The Video Game Industry brought in about $6.2 billion to the US GDP and employment opportunities for the Video Game industry are growing at 13 times more than the overall US labor market. Video Games are providing more jobs to people who actually love their jobs, and to take away students ability to experiment with not just games in the "game room", but also with developmental technology and software, is wrong. You are taking away an educational experience that is beneficial, and its in the basement of the library, you cannot complain about people talking in the basement. It is a educational experience that should not be taken away, it holds many possibilities for potentially future Bill Gates or Steve Jobs in the making.

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Jari Eloranta
11 years ago

This is ludicrous. We shouldn't even be discussing this.

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Sarah N. Long
11 years ago

Our library is incredibly loud and a terrible place to focus on schoolwork. How should we fix it? Throw in a VIDEO GAME ROOM?

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Will Bain
11 years ago

You should read the library's artical before you cast too much judgment. For all you know the news report was written by a student employee who's not over thinking the semantics of an opening statement. for a blurb their boss ask them to write. It's still mainly going to be used as a study room, and there are a lot of hoops to jump though in order to use the room for gaming. Is it the last straw for our screwed educational system? No. But the library could probably use more room come finals week. Not to detract from your cause but I think there are far bigger issues (sexual asault, mental health, sexism, and the millions of un-needed spending on our sports teams) we should be raising with the college. http://technews.library.appstate.edu/game-room-opening-in-belk-library/

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Mary Valante
11 years ago

Sadly, this is a such a missed opportunity. If there was going to be space set aside for play, the Student Union is the place. With room 218, though, the library could have worked with faculty to establish a space for students to experiment with games in education, for faculty to research into gaming, even for students to creating games and apps and get other students to try them out. Instead, we are investing in games instead of books (or journals, please!)

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Sunny Townes Stewart
11 years ago

As an alumna and former adjunct instructor at App, this is disheartening. There are many, many places for students to seek entertainment and there is absolutely NO need for library space to be used for such a frivolous endeavor. Appalachian *is* still a university, correct? Will students now be able to earn college credit for playing video games? Video games are for living rooms. Libraries are for reading and studying.

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Leah White
11 years ago

Who says the library is for studying and reading? Those obviously unappreciated students who are studying and reading in the library.

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Stephen Wooten II
11 years ago

Google can bring you back 100,000 answers, a librarian can bring you back the right one. –Neil Gaiman

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Jonathan Crotts
11 years ago

As a 2011 graduate from Appstate and a 2014 graduate from Cratis D. Williams Graduate School, I am a proud alumnus who wants what is best for the school who so graciously has helped me get to where I currently am in life. Libraries are places for people to gather in order to study class material and to learn new information that is not taught in the classroom. Having a gameroom in a library turns a library into something that is not (simply a place to hangout). Unless you want ASU's academic standards to severely drop, do not allow a gameroom in Belk Library.

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Alicia Larkins
11 years ago

As a 2008 graduate, I am a proud alumni who understands that ASU supports student achievement and growth through higher education. The installment of a game room goes against all the values the school stands for.

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Rachel Clay
11 years ago Featured

This is not what libraries are for and this is not what students spend tuition for. There is a game room in Appalachian State University's student union for this specific purpose. The library IS only for reading and studying. This room is an affront to students and the amazing library staff at ASU

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Elicka Peterson-Sparks
11 years ago

Really? Not only is this ridiculous, but the fact that someone thought this was a good idea in the current budget crunch is inconceivable.