Home News by Region Vancouver Island VIRL now lends out games for Playstation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One

VIRL now lends out games for Playstation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One

Aiming for the younger adult clientele

video games, Vancouver Island Regional Library
Video games can be rented from libraries on Vancouver Island.
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Sunday November 3, 2019 ~ VANCOUVER ISLAND

~ West Shore Voice News

Gamers on Vancouver Island, grab your consoles and get ready! There’s a new way to access some of the hottest video games on the market thanks to Vancouver Island Regional Library’s (VIRL) new video game collection.

As of Friday November 1, VIRL has started lending games for Playstation 4, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One to anyone with a VIRL library card.

Ninetendo Switch
Nintendo Switch is among the games now offered at VIRL library branches (Nov 2019).

“We know that our customers are avid media consumers,” says Emily Mathews, VIRL’s Divisional Manager of Collections and Support Services.

“Video games are wildly popular in our communities, particularly with Millennials and Generation-Xers, and it is vital that we provide library content to complement their interests and passions. We are so excited to be offering this service,” says Mathews.

XBox One
Xbox One is among the games now offered at VIRL library branches (Nov 2019).

In addition to lending games to customers, VIRL will also explore opportunities to provide more game-based programming in our branches. These type of programs help promote our branches as social hubs and community gathering spaces throughout our service areas.

VIRL’s Board of Trustees supports the adoption of video games into their collection. A Business case was approved by the VIRL Board of Trustees in 2018 by which funds were set aside start a physical video game lending collection

Playstation 4
Playstation 4 is among the games now offered at VIRL library branches (Nov 2019).

Video games can be borrowed for one week with the option to renew twice if there are no holds.

More information, including game ratings and how to access the full suite of games, see the VIDEO GAMES section of the VIRL website. 

VIRL has branches throughout Vancouver Island (beyond Greater Victoria), including Nanaimo (their headquarters), Sooke, Tofino, and Port Renfrew.