Gaming seen as a path to bridging digital divide

A century ago it was saws and sewing machines, now it’s computers, but teaching low–income people to improve their lot through technology is a constant at Erie Neighborhood House on Chicago’s Near West Side. With 60 computers, the long-established social service agency is on the front line fighting to close the digital divide that separates poor and minority families from the middle class. Perhaps surprisingly, that includes learning how to play computer games. Promoting computer games as the path to a new literacy has become a central concern among educators and librarians. Last month, the American Library Association sponsored a national forum in Chicago to examine the growing role of gaming in libraries. Read more at chicagotribune.com.