Pokémon Go: 9 questions about the game you were too embarrassed to ask; Vox, 7/13/16

Alex Abad-Santos, Vox; Pokémon Go: 9 questions about the game you were too embarrassed to ask:

"8) What’s this I’ve heard about Pokémon appearing at the Holocaust Museum and ground zero?

According to the Washington Post, there are people using the game at the Holocaust Museum. There are also reports of people using the app at the 9/11 Memorial. Many people are understandably upset that people are flicking their phones and playing Pokémon in a solemn place.

This problem is the fault of both the developer of Pokémon Go and its players.

Basically, the game features landmarks called PokéStops, where you can collect various items that will help you in your Pokémon-catching quest. And the Holocaust Museum and Ground Zero memorial are PokéStops.

And, yes, that’s weird and inappropriate."

Everything Librarians Need To Know About Pokemon Go!; Where We're Going, We Don't Need Shelves, July 2016

Where We're Going, We Don't Need Shelves; Everything Librarians Need To Know About Pokemon Go! :

[Kip Currier: Though the blogger's enthusiasm for welcoming Pokemon Go players to libraries is admirable, nothing in the post mentions ANY of the significant Pokemon Go privacy concerns that have been identified.]

"What does any of this have to do with libraries?

In the Pokemon Video Games, players catch and train Pokemon in order to compete at Gyms. Pokemon Gyms, in the Pokemon Universe, are places where trainers can compete and battle for prestige, earn badges, and make their Pokemon bigger, badder, and better.

In Pokemon Go, Gyms are attached to free, safe, public places that all players can get to.

This means us, the libraries.

Thousands of libraries across the country have been made virtual Gyms, and this has already caused an increase of foot traffic for our buildings, attracting teens and young adults who may not typically be library patrons. Personally, I believe this is a huge blessing. It opens doors for new patrons, it gives librarians the ability to make connections with a section of our demographics we don’t normally get the chance to talk to, and it gives us the opportunity to do some really, really fun programs and displays.

So what do I do with this information?

- Firstly, get the app! You can get it on any Android or Apple IOS smartphone. If you don’t have one, or aren’t comfortable with technology, grab a coworker who is and explore it together. You don’t need to be a fan of Pokemon or a fan of video games to explore and get an idea of what it looks like. It’s also important for you to find out if your library is a Gym or a Pokestop."