MUVE and the Library

A MUVE stands for multi-user virtual environment that occurs online with multiple users playing the same game.  Creative and critical thinking skills are often utilized in these online gaming communities. Minecraft is probably one of the best known MUVE’s that I have observed being played but I haven’t actually played it myself.  One popular MUVE that I did play a lot of time about four years ago was the Facebook game Farmville.  We had to plant and harvest crops, take care of the animals and ask other players for parts or pieces to help us achieve activities.  You could visit other neighbors as well and help out on their farms.  It was a fun way of interacting with others.  (I did get caught up in some of the other Facebook games as well like CafeWorld, Cityville and Frontierville that did much of the same interaction as Farmville.)

Libraries can use interactive technologies by providing gaming programs that allow the users to interact with each other.  It would be great to offer programs for entire families like a WiiU or Xbox tournament or maybe a seniors- only class to instruct them on gaming systems like the Wii. I have watched middle school students in the children’s department at my library set up their own impromptu Minecraft party by getting on the computers and playing against each other.  It would be very easy to do gaming sessions since the computers are already networked together but it does set up some limitations like the number of computers available and if the network can handle the gaming technology.  Libraries though do need to offer this added technology to their patrons of all ages and must find creative and affordable ways to integrate MUVE’s into services and programs.