2008/04/18 by Cason Snow · 13 citations
Psychology · Social Sciences · #Digital Games and Media #Educational Games and Gamification #Library Science and Administration
paper · doi:10.1108/01604950810870218
published in Collection Building 27(2), 63-70 (Emerald)
crossref issued 2008/04/18 · crossref published 2008/04/18 · crossref published-print 2008/04/18 · openalex publication_date 2008/04/18 · crossref created 2008/05/04 · crossref deposited 2025/07/25 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · crossref indexed 2026/07/31 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/31
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to introduce the genre of tabletop fantasy role‐playing games and provide guidance in building an initial collection. Design/methodology/approach The first part of the paper is designed to present the development of tabletop fantasy role‐playing games in a historiographic model, tracing the history of these games from the 1970s to 2006. The second portion is a bibliographic essay and critique of several noteworthy fantasy role‐playing games, including analysis of the settings and systems of each game. Findings The paper provides a history of the development of fantasy role‐playing games and provides guidance on how to start a collection. The study recognizes a lack of academic research on the topic and seeks to provide a brief introduction. Practical implications The paper provides a clear concise history of role‐playing game development and balanced advice for librarians who wish to begin collecting role‐playing games. Originality/value This paper begins to fill the need for academic study of the subject and provides practical advice for collection development librarians.