Influence of game literacy on gamified library services: A systematic review of literature

Abstract

There has been a continuous rise in the use of gamification in the non-game environment of libraries, however little is known about the influence of game literacy on gamified library services. Hence, this study investigates the influence of game literacy on gamified library services. This study is a systematic review, which adopted the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) to select twenty-three (23) articles. Therefore, the literature search strategies were structured with specified inclusion and exclusion criteria. Critical Appraisal Skill Programme (CASP) assessment tool was used to assess and confirm the quality of the final selected literature. Findings showed that there is low level of game literacy among librarians, highlighting that librarians that are game players have more general knowledge in providing gamified library services. Results showed that the game elements adopted by libraries include points, leaderboards, grades, achievements, communication, rewards, virality, self-expression, competition, immersion, role support, flow enhancement, progress tracking, clues, quests, fun, motivation, and sociability. Library orientation, library promotion, information literacy education, book search and returns, and information retrieval were the library services that were gamified. Findings showed that game literacy influences librarians’ ability to engage in gamified library services. The study concludes that game literacy plays a pivotal role in the successful implementation of gamified library services. Thus, librarians must prioritise developing game literacy to effectively engage in gamified library services. Future studies should explore strategies for enhancing game literacy among librarians, particularly in regions or institutions where it remains low like developing countries.