Catalyst Grant Final Report
“Level Up at the Library”
Please provide a brief narrative explaining your project and its outcomes.
Our project was to provide patrons access to Nintendo Switch gaming systems(s) and circulating video games for a variety of platforms. Due to a staff departure and the onboarding of a new staff member who oversaw the implementation, the launch of our Switches didn’t occur until March of this year. So, it’s still very much in its infancy. However, it is already proving well-received. We held a launch event, patrons are discovering and checking out the games we purchased and there is a waiting list for the circulating Nintendo Switches.. The biggest obstacle was the amount of staff time needed to get this off the ground. Competing priorities and having no one on staff who really knew the gaming world severely hampered our efforts. However, once our new staff member took over, things rolled very smoothly. We would highly recommend that libraries who want to do something similar make sure they have at least one person who is a gamer.
What is the most remarkable accomplishment or finding of your project?
How excited our patrons are about being able to check out a Nintendo Switch! Having these is certainly leveling the playing field for those who can’t afford one on their own. Plus, we are hearing so many positive comments about having games that can be taken home. Also because of this grant, one of our Friends members put us in contact with Panic Inc., maker of the Playdate console. Panic had not considered gaming in the library and generously donated two of their consoles to the library. One of our college age patrons (the demographic we hoped to attract) used the Playdate to create a game, Midnight Drift, which the company bought and made available on their marketplace!! Patrons who check out the Playdates can play this game along with a variety of others already downloaded to the consoles.
How did your project differ from what you originally proposed?
Our proposed timeline was not even close! Also, while we held the launch event, we still need to schedule other programming and partner with another library to host a remote gaming event. We plan on doing that this summer.
Please provide a brief summary of your evaluation activities and/or results, if available.
Our circulation numbers for the first two months are healthy: an average of 3 check-outs in the six weeks since launch. Only one game (Madden NFL 25) not finding any takers (perhaps because it’s baseball season?). As stated before, the waitlist continues to grow to check out the Nintendo Switch console. Our in-house Nintendo Switch is getting used. Give us another six months and we will have programming numbers to share!
Anne Debraggio and Laura Stoll
Director and Assistant to the Director, Kirkland Town Library
Are you interested in applying for a Catalyst Grant? Check out the grant page for the rules & requirements!
