"ALA TechSource, in collaboration with the Association of College & Research Libraries (ACRL), is proud to annouce the first annual Gaming, Learning, and Libraries Symposium will be held in Chicago at the Marriott O'Hare hotel. It will begin at 1:00 p.m. on July 22, and end at 1:00 p.m. on July 24.

Gaming and literacy experts James Paul Gee and Henry Jenkins will keynote the event by exploring how libraries fit into the intersection of gaming and the digital learning landscape, while guest speakers Eli Neiburger (author of the 2007 title Gamers…in the Library?! The Why, What, and How of Videogame Tournaments for All Ages) and Syracuse Game Lab Director Scott Nicholson will kick off the discussions about why libraries do this. Gregory Trefry, a game designer from GameLab, will explore libraries and the concept of "big games," while social computing expert and gamer Liz Lawley will provide context and a broad view for the topics discussed.

More than 25 sessions in three tracks will cover such wide-ranging topics as creating games for information literacy, implementing gaming programs, teaching kids how to make their own games, gaming for adults, digital downloads for gamers, online fiction games, and more. In addition, a track dedicated to Second Life will highlight how libraries are creating a presence in this virtual world and what they are gaining from it.

Whether you're an experienced gamer who wants to start a program at your library or a newbie who is intrigued but has no idea where to start, this is the event for you. Programs for academic, public, and school librarians will make you think about this topic in a different way. We'll have open play time, scores of experts and implementers who can answer your questions, colleagues implementing innovative services, and at least a few topics that will most likely be new to you."

Aaron Schmidt and I are doing a preconference about gaming at the Computers in Libraries confenference next week, and I'm bringing my Wii so I thought it would be fun to let others play with it to see what it's like.

I've asked the conference organizers if there is a space we can do this late Sunday afternoon, after the preconference ends at 4:30 p.m. (I love the idea of hooking the Wii up to a projector!), but I think they're having trouble finding something. Assuming I can hook up the Wii to the television in my hotel room, I'm happy to let as many folks as can fit play there if a larger space falls through. I will have with me Cooking Mama, Trauma Center, Wario Smooth Moves, Rayman, Wii Sports, and Wii Play. I'll have two Wiimotes, but only one nunchuk (so if someone wants to bring an extra one, that would be great, too).

Oh, and Guitar Hero I and II for the PS2, as well.

If you're interested in playing, leave a comment or drop me an email.

I'll also have my Nintendo DS Lite with me, along with Brain Age, Big Brain Academy, Nintendogs, Elite Beat Agents, Mario Kart, and Retro Atari. I promise I won't play during the sessions I'm attending, but if you've never had the chance to test your brain age or play with the DS handheld, feel free to accost me in the hallways and ask. :)