Today, with the plethora of home improvement shows and lifestyle blogs, many of us want to create stylish rooms, but we do not always have the necessary resources to revamp our living spaces. While many of us are still practicing the art of social distancing, it might be fun to pull old catalogs from the bin, collect some scraps of fabric or textured paper, and grab an old notebook to make into scrapbook doll house.
At the end of the 19th […]
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Ten Reasons Why Play is Essential (for Children AND Adults)
Play is good to do and good for you! That’s why play is universal in humans and widespread throughout the animal world. Here are 10 reasons to play:
1) Play Makes You Smarter
2) Play Strengthens You
3) Play Helps You Make Friends
4) Play Boosts Creativity
5) Play Reduces Stress
6) Play Enhances Attractiveness
7) Play Builds Resilience
8) Play Helps You Solve Problems
9) Play Promotes Discovery
10) Play is Fun
Now if you want to delve deeper to learn the research that supports any of these statements, these […]
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Digitizing and Preserving Toy Trade Catalogs: The Sacred Duty of the Librarians of Play
There are five laws of library science, penned by S. R. Ranganathan in 1931:
Books are for use
Every person his or her book
Every book its reader
Save the time of the reader
Library is a growing organism
The fourth law is easily glossed over, but without it the other laws could not be obeyed. “Save the time of the reader” means, at its core, “make things easy to find.” Librarians have spent hundreds of years refining classification systems, standardizing subject headings, and embracing new […]
Off the Grid: Tron Evolution and DRM Authentication
Digital rights management (DRM) tools have been used on software for decades. Companies install these protections to defend software from piracy or the unauthorized copying of the data. However, although designed with the best of intentions, DRM can have a negative effect on legally purchased software as well.
In 2010, Disney released the game Tron Evolution as a tie-in to the company’s Tron: Legacy movie, and distributed it on console and Windows computer platforms. While the console versions have their own […]
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Unboxing the Past: The Don Daglow Papers
Eight months, 169 boxes, 1,270 folders, 1,314 objects, and a partridge in a pear tree. Minus the bird, these statistics hint at just how large the archives of video game pioneer Don Daglow are and how long it took to prepare them for research use at The Strong’s Brian Sutton-Smith Library and Archives of Play. This collection of video game concepts, development papers, original artwork, never-released game demos, and Stormfront Studios company records provides a behind-the-scenes look at […]
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Costuming for Everyone: Cosplay
Imagine being able to dress up for more days than just Halloween. You could opt for a Renaissance faire, but if your character of choice is a superhero, Jedi, or video game villain, cosplay is a better option. With cosplay comes conventions, school clubs, events, library programming, and just the idea of having fun with those who share a similar hobby as you!
Nowadays you can visit your local fabric or craft store and see items advertised specifically for cosplayers, such […]
Building a Mystery—Spotlight on Jane Jensen
Since 2017, The Strong has directed significant energy toward our Women in Games initiative, which documents and celebrates the crucial contributions of women to the electronic games industry. Under the International Center for the History of Electronic Games (ICHEG), the initiative builds upon the holdings of museum artifacts and archival records which illustrate the impact of women in the field. (If you attended the Women in Games: Inspire! or Women in Games: Create! programs in 2018 or 2019, […]
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Displaying Your High Score With Activision Patches
People play video games for a myriad of reasons. Relaxation, mental stimulation, engrossing plotlines, eye-catching graphics, and much more draw gamers to certain titles. But one goal in particular lures players back to games over and over again: high scores. In the modern world of gaming, it’s easy to share personal accolades. Consoles like the Xbox and PlayStation offer achievements and trophies for completing various tasks throughout their games. Mobile apps often feature badges, online ranking boards, […]
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A Precursor to Wegmans?
Mary Valentine
The Strong Museum Trustee
When I was a kid I loved to play “grocery.” Every Saturday morning, I would hear Mr. Maroni’s old produce truck groan as it came up the hill, turned the corner and slowly limped down my street. I would throw open the screen door on the porch, scamper past the glider, and fly down the steps out front to be there just as the big, uncovered wood-sided truck ground to a stop directly in […]