Investigating the role of gamification in public libraries’ literacy-centered youth programming

To support youth literacy, U.S. public libraries must constantly evaluate and adjust their offerings to better support how children engage in educational experiences and integrate the latest trends in teaching and learning. This mission makes libraries a unique source of insight into developing perspectives and pedagogy. The authors were curious whether gamification–an increasingly popular design approach–is one of these modern influences. Using online and social media content, the authors developed a list of common youth literacy strategies used by top libraries; this list was then analyzed for elements of gamification. Summer reading clubs, group storytimes, and physical environments stood out as the main initiatives imbued with gamification to better engage and motivate young readers. The goal of the discussion is to help librarians and educators build a foundational knowledge of what gamification is, what it looks like in practice, and what benefits it provides in a learning environment.