Building a Global Archive: Dean Guadagno on the Creation of The Video Game Library

In this exclusive interview with RUDOLF INDERST, Dean Guadagno, founder of The Video Game Library, shares the story behind his mission to build the most comprehensive collection of video game literature in the world. He discusses the challenges of creating a global resource, his personal gaming favorites, and the future of digital games research.

Rudolf Thomas Inderst (RTI): Hello Dean, thank you for taking the time to talk to us. Please briefly introduce yourself to our readers – what does your day-to-day work look like and what projects are you currently working on?
Dean Guadagno (DG): Sure. My name is Dean Guadagno, and I’m the founder of The Video Game Library project.

At 37 years old, I can’t remember a time where video games weren’t a part of my life. Like so many others here in Canada, the NES was where I got my start; the Action Set sitting under the tree on Christmas morning of ‘91. Since then, I’ve steadily been collecting, amassing over 4,000 physical games and most recently, a pretty sizable collection of video game literature. What started off as a fun sub-collection, quickly evolved into me regularly rummaging through the book sections of the local Thrifts in hopes of finding another dusty publication to add to the shelves. It grew to 100 books, then 200 … at 500 I was SURE I had them all. And then one night, huddled in a small corner surrounded by piles I books, I realized two things:

1. There are WAY more video game books than I could’ve imagined
2. There are NO dedicated resources out there to shed light on these amazing reads

Thus, in March 2022, the Video Game Library was born.

RTI: Let’s talk about the Video Game Library. I’m sure our readers are interested in what this is all about. How did it come about and how did the first few years go?
DG: The Video Game Library is meant to be an accessible and globally representative resource for literature written about video games. A single place where you can search for any game, creator, topic or theme, and you’ll be treated to a list of books that cover it.

Most importantly, The Video Game Library is meant for everyone.

• An academic looking to write their thesis on the cultural impacts of gaming
• A gaming historian on YouTube, looking to research a topic for their next video.
• A teacher at an Elementary School, wanting to incorporate video games into their classroom.
• A fan from Europe, wanting to explore more in their favourite JRPG universes.
• A parent who isn’t as familiar with video games, wanting to find that perfect book for their child’s birthday.
• A psychologist, who wants to connect with their patients through a comfortable medium.
• An aspiring cook, wanting to expand their culinary horizons with a fun and familiar twist along the way

I’m striving to make The Video Game Library be THE definitive source of video game literature, from independent printings to major publishing houses. Admittedly, this is a passion project. I have a full-time job (sadly, not in the gaming space), so over the past two years, I’ve averaged around 20 hours per week building out the site, its entries, and sharing books and authors over social media that others might be interested in. The library has grown to over 10,000 books strong right now, covering literature natively written in over 25 languages. The finish line, however, seems to get farther with each new rabbit hole I discover.

RTI: How would you describe the current state and where do you see it going in the next few years?
DG: I’m so proud of what the site has become over the past two years, and how it has introduced me to wonderful new corners of the gaming community. New books are being cataloged daily, and for each new entry, I find two to three more books to add to the list. I anticipate I’ll be doing this for many years to come. Reward comes in the form of hearing from visitors who’ve discovered something new. It’s so validating to see the resource help spark passion, while at the same time, helping to shine a spotlight on the talented authors behind these books. That said, I’ve been surprised and humbled at how difficult it’s been to break into some circles. I viewed the 10,000-book milestone as a legitimizing checkpoint in the project and had hopes it would help propel the word. I reached out to dozens of universities to see if they’d be interested in adding the site as a free resource for their students. I heard back from two. I’ve reached out to a dozen gaming journalists, and even fewer responses. The challenge has helped me recalibrate my expectations but hasn’t diminished my motivation to continue building the resource.

RTI: Do you actually play privately, and which dream project would you like to tackle in the near future?
DG: Yes, I love gaming, and the community that surrounds it. From indies to AAAs, retro to modern, console to mobile – and everything in between. RPGs are my favourite genre. I started with Super Mario RPG and Lufia and Final Fantasy: Mystic Quest – then moved on to the big leagues with PlayStation. Final Fantasy VII has always been my favourite. As for dream projects – I think I’ve found my place of passion for now with The Video Game Library. Every day learning something new, no end in sight, and so much potential to be a valuable resource globally.

RTI: Finally, I’d like to open up the scope a little further – how do you currently see the landscape of digital games research? Do you see any developments or certain trends?
DG: I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not an authority in the world of Game Studies, though from my perspective, the landscape today is richer than ever. More voices, more disciplines, more perspectives, and that’s a good thing, even if we don’t always align. On the site, publications on digital games research have increased year-over-year since around 2001. So much so, that Game Studies books now account for more than any other category in the library. The application areas of this research have also exploded. While early literature was once hyper-focused on the cultural impact of gaming, through the narrow lens of violence or addiction in America, the medium now spreads to studies like game-based learning, health and well-being, ethics and regulation, diversity and inclusion, game preservation, ecology – and so many other fields. Also, critically important, these publications are becoming more readily available in other languages. In my view, it’s through broadening and interconnecting these approaches that will continue to propel this academic field forward.

RTI: Thank you very much for the interview and all the best for your future!

| RUDOLF THOMAS INDERST