One of the reasons I haven’t blogged for the last month is that I spent a great deal of that time writing 31,000 words for an issue of ALA TechSource’s Library Technology Reports on gaming in libraries. It should be out in late October (Teresa Koltzenburg and her crew are great at turning around manuscripts).

It turns out that 31,000 words about gaming isn’t as much as one would think, so it’s designed to help libraries interested in the topic understand it and think about options for gaming services. In addition to some explanations, background, and arguments to help you persuade administration, there are case studies for academic, public, and school libraries as examples of possible implementations. I included a range of options that run the gamut from free to “Ann-Arbor-go-for-it-all.”

If you’re not a subscriber to LTR, you should be, and I’m not just saying that because I work for ALA now (consider that a disclaimer). Check out the stellar line-up for upcoming issues:

• Casey Bisson – Open Source Software and Libraries
• Marshall Breeding – Next-gen Library Software Interfaces
• Brad Eden – Report on FRBR (Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records)
• Sarah Houghton – Technology Core Competencies for Librarians
• Tom Peters – Digital Audiobooks and Systems
• Michael Stephens – Advanced Web 2.0 for Libraries

That’s on top of the just-released, flying-off-the-shelves Web 2.0 and Libraries: Best Practices for Social Software issue Michael wrote.

I’d recommend this resource even if I didn’t work for ALA, with or without my issue on gaming.