We all need communities. When visiting the library, there are often great opportunities to find that sense of community for all age groups. Depending on the library, one can find physical activities like yoga, or creative groups like artists, and even simple groups like book clubs. But in the wake of the rise of tech, library communities are often left behind in critical ways.
Enter eSports. Much like regular sports, eSports are teams of players who practice and master their skills, playing for spectators and prizes. However, rather than basketball or hockey, eSports players are playing Overwatch and Pokémon. Millions of people tune in to watch eSports tournaments around the world, and thousands participate. For teens, especially, eSports provide a wide range of benefits.
eSports teams have sprung up in schools, at libraries, and community centers and by forming their own organizations. Much like in regular sports, these teams help their players. Participation increases communication skills and encourage friendly competition, building relationships with teammates and encouraging professional conduct in the “professional” gamer space (Freeman & Wohn, 2017). By limiting and focusing their game time, they also gain skills like problem solving and critical thinking, allowing them to perform better in school (Fisher, 2023). eSports also gives a sense of team building to teens who wouldn’t necessarily be able to join traditional sports teams due to disabilities, physical complications, or a lack of skill in those fields. Overall, studies have shown that eSports can provide teens with emotional support, skill building, and even improve self-esteem as they learn and improve (Freeman & Wohn, 2017).
Though there is a cost implementation, the engagement and social benefits of eSports teams could be vital to the future success of library systems. Sponsorships, recognition and prizes could help increase funding. More active and interested patrons can also help libraries petition for resources with their local governments.
Overall, eSports teams are a net benefit to a library and its patrons, especially adolescents. They can provide space and community where it is lacking elsewhere, and encourage the development of skills that can lead to careers in technology, the arts, and even coaching.
The Invisible Game by 
This Is Esports (and How to Spell It) - LONGLISTED for the WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK AWARD 2020 by 
Good Luck Have Fun by 
The Book of Esports by 
OpTic Gaming by 
Esports: Game Design by 
Careers in Esports by 
Esports and the New Gaming Culture by Fisher, M. (2023, April 25). Teens can’t get enough of Esports, but is that a good thing? Esports Tower. https://esportstower.com/news/teens-cant-get-enough-of-esports-but-is-that-a-good-thing/
Freeman, G., & Wohn, D. Y. (2017). Social Support in esports. Proceedings of the Annual Symposium on Computer-Human Interaction in Play, 435–447. https://doi.org/10.1145/3116595.3116635