Video games have gone from a niche hobby to a worldwide phenomenon. Once relegated to the dark, noisy halls of the arcade, video games are now played on everything from home computers to cell phones. To commemorate the cultural impact of video games, we invite you to visit your local library and browse our collection.
Video games? In the library?
Your library is proud to offer a large collection of video games for all major game consoles. If you have a Nintendo, Xbox or PlayStation console, chances are the library has something for you to borrow.
What do parents need to know?
With the wide variety of games available, how do parents know what is right for their kids? Thankfully, there is a rating system similar to the movie rating system to help parents and caregivers navigate the content.
Entertainment Software Rating Board Ratings
The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) is the organization responsible for assigning ratings to video games published in the United States. ESRB reviews a game’s content and assigns it a rating reflecting the appropriate audience for the game. So, be sure to take note of the ESRB rating before checking out a video game. These ratings can be found on the game’s box or, if you’re browsing our catalog online, the ESRB rating is listed in the catalog entry.
Early Childhood (3+)
Titles rated EC (Early Childhood) have content that may be suitable for ages 3 and up and contain no material parents would find inappropriate.
Everyone 6+
Titles rated E (Everyone) have content that’s generally suitable for all ages. They may contain minimal cartoon, fantasy or mild violence and/or infrequent use of mild language.
Everyone 10+
Titles rated E10+ (Everyone 10 and older) have content that is generally suitable for ages 10 and up. They may contain more cartoon, fantasy or mild violence, mild language and/or minimal suggestive themes.
Teen (13+)
Titles rated T (Teen) have content that’s generally suitable for ages 13 and up. They may contain violence, suggestive themes, crude humor, minimal blood, simulated gambling and/or infrequent use of strong language.
Mature (17+)
Titles rated M (Mature) have content that’s generally suitable for ages 17 and up. They may contain intense violence, blood and gore, sexual content and/or strong language.
Adults Only (18+)
Titles rated AO (Adults Only) have content that’s only suitable for ages 17 and up. They may contain intense violence, blood and gore, sexual content and/or strong language.
Rating Pending (?+)
Titles listed as RP (Rating Pending) have not yet been assigned a final ESRB rating. (This symbol appears only in advertising and promotional materials prior to a game's release, and will be replaced by a game’s rating once it has been assigned.)
