Video Games as Culture? : A Quantitative Study on the Cultural Place of Video Games in the Public Library.

This study examines the cultural place and status of video and computer games in the Swedish public library. Using works on popular culture and the theories of Pierre Bourdieu, this study employs quantitative methods, as well as textual analysis, to analyze the results of an online questionnaire with 19 questions focusing on selection criteria, shelf placement, perceived competence, as well as reasoning for having or not having these games in the library. 286 out of the 440 libraries contacted is participating in the study, and the libraries consist exclusively of public libraries in Sweden that are found in the database of the Royal Library. The results of this study show that a larger number of libraries than previously indicated have started to provide electronic games to their patrons. At the same time, patterns in the data and comments suggests that these games in many cases still do not enjoy the same level of cultural recognition as other media. Indicative of this is the way most libraries seem to focus on the medium being exclusively for their young patrons, with seem-ingly very little in the way of investment for adults. Also relevant is selection process being highly influenced by the type and amount of violence in the games, regardless of the level of competence and knowledge about games among library staff. These findings relate to and expand upon previous studies regarding electronic games, cul-ture and the public library. This study constitutes a two years master’s thesis in Archive, Library and Museum studies