Document Type
Book
Publication Date
7-2026
Keywords
librarians, video games
Abstract
The role of "librarian" can follow several well-worn tropes within the world of interactive media. These can be referred to as:
*The All-Knowing Guide (teaches the player how to actually play the game, i.e. accessing the inventory menu or revealing which button combination will unlock the ability to cast spells)
*The Lore Keeper (provides exposition and backstory about the game world to the player)
*The Clueless Collector (begs the player for help recovering lost/overdue books)
*The Secret Sexpot (an object of desire for the player to romance/seduce)
*The Unforgiving Tyrant (demands silence at all costs)
And then we have those video-game librarians that defy description ... like an anthropomorphic onion, or a sentient coral reef!
Repository Citation
Camarra, Alessandro, "“A Place for Every Book, Every Book in Its Place … ”: The Portrayal of Librarians in Video Games" (2026). Staff publications. 22.
https://crossworks.holycross.edu/lib_staff_publications/22