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At the Fayetteville Free Library in Fayetteville, New York, a gaming service has been proposed to attract both teens and adults to the library. Since the goal of the library gaming service is to meet the recreational needs of users and facilitate community bonding, the choice of consoles and games must be able to fulfill that goal. Here are some considerations in deciding on a suitable console.

Budget: The amount of money that goes into the gaming service will influence the kind of console that can be purchased. The Nintendo Wii is more affordable than the Sony Playstation 3, although the Playstation may have games that are suitable for a gaming service that are not available on the Wii.

Games: The kind of games to be used in the gaming program is another key factor. In this regard, the library's users should be consulted to determine the kinds of games that will attract them. Also, if entertainment and interaction among users is the desired outcome of gaming events, then a majority of Wii games would fit the purpose.

The cost of the games for a particular console is also a consideration. Can the library's budget sustain the cost of more Playstation games which are more expensive?

Controls: Consoles such as the Nintendo Wii offer a variety of game controllers that will determine the gaming experience. For a game such as Mario Kart Wii, users can either use the Wii remote or the Wii Wheel to play. Is the library willing to purchase the Wii Wheel which may provide a better experience for some users? The cost of game controllers is also a consideration since the library is expected to provide additional controllers for a gaming event.

Online gameplay: Most consoles today allows players to connect with others over the Internet to play on the same game. If the library plans to support interlibrary gameplay across a county-wide library system in a tournament, then a console that supports online gameplay will be necessary.

Based on the criteria above, the Nintendo Wii is the clear choice with the library's limited budget. Popular titles such as Wii Sports and Dance Dance Revolution available on the Wii are also likely to appeal to both teens and adults, thus facilitating intergenerational gameplay and community bonding. The Wii also supports online gameplay should the library decide to collaborate with other libraries in the same system to introduce interlibrary tournaments.