"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."