What is old is new again! Experience a talk by University of Toronto’s Chris J. Young about the preservation of video games and discover gaming classics in an open game day!
Itinerary
- 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Guest talk at XR Space
- 12 noon – 1:00 p.m. Lunch after the seminar at Faculty Lounge
- 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Game Day at XR Space and Faculty Lounge
[Guest Talk and Roundtable Discussion] – Digital Decay and Cultural Memory: Video Game Preservation in Libraries
Abstract
Stewarding video game collections in academic libraries presents intertwined technical, legal, and curatorial challenges. Rapid hardware and software obsolescence threatens access, while proprietary platforms, network dependencies, and patching complicate preservation. Licensing and copyright constrain copying, emulation, and use. Collection development must account for games as cultural artifacts and interactive systems, supported by documentation, peripherals, and play contexts. With limited resources and expertise, libraries must balance preservation, access, and teaching needs, and pursue collaborative, sustainable strategies to ensure long-term stewardship of interactive digital heritage.
Date: March 31, 2026 (Tuesday)
Time: 10:00am – 11:30am
Language: English
Venue: Arts Tech Lab (Room 4.35), 4/F, Run Run Shaw Tower, Centennial Campus
About the Speaker
Chris J. Young is a researcher of game production cultures and history. He is a librarian and instructor at the University of Toronto Mississauga, where he curates and teaches with the Syd Bolton Collection of video games and the Personal Computer Museum Collection of computer games. His writing has appeared in New Media & Society, Social Media + Society, and the edited volume Game Production Studies.
[Game Day] – Open Game Day
Rediscover classics and enjoy new releases in an open game day! Play on authentic retro game consoles or modern systems with an extensive library of games. No matter the genre, there is bound to be something for you to enjoy!
Date: March 31, 2026 (Tuesday)
Time: 1:00pm – 5:00pm
Venue: Arts Tech Lab (Room 4.35), 4/F, Run Run Shaw Tower, Centennial Campus