Skip to content
My Account SettingsClose
MenuClose
  • My Account
  • Read, Watch, Listen
    • Column
      • Read
        • Books & eBooks
        • Magazines & Newspapers
        • Comics
        • Award Winners & Bestsellers
        • Book Club Sets
        • Literacy Kits
        • Sea & Cedar Magazine
        • What’s Your Sign?
      • Watch
        • Learning with Syeyutsus
        • Streaming Movies, TV & DVDs
        • Virtual Programs Portal
        • Virtual Gardening Series
    • Column
      • Listen
        • Audiobooks
        • Streaming Music & CDs
        • Meet Me in the Stacks Podcast
      • Research
        • All Databases
        • Business/Careers
        • Crisis and Support Lines
        • DIY & Crafts
        • Genealogy
        • Health
        • Housing
        • Legal & Government Matters
    • Column
      • Play
        • Video Game Collection
      • by Audience
        • Adults
        • Kids
        • Teens
        • Seniors
        • Français & World
        • Indigenous Interest
        • Newcomers, Immigrants & Refugees
    • Column
      • Spacer
      • Get A Library Card
      • Accessibility
      • Book a Room
      • Donate
      • Suggest An Item
      • Interlibrary Loan
      • My Library App
      • Local Reads
  • Catalogue Tips
  • Events
    • Column
      • Event Calendar
        • All
        • Kids
        • Teens
        • Adults
    • Column
      • Big Events
        • Adult Summer Challenge
        • Kids Summer Challenge
        • Teen Summer Challenge
        • Syeyutsus 2025
        • Virtual Gardening Series
        • Virtual Human Rights Book Club
    • Column
      • Spacer
      • Get A Library Card
      • Accessibility
      • Book a Room
      • Donate
  • Learn
    • Column
      • by Audience
        • Kids
        • Teens
        • Seniors
        • Français & World
        • Indigenous Interest
    • Column
      • Skills
        • Automotive
        • Computers & Software
        • Special Resources – Harbourfront
        • Gardening
        • Language Learning
        • Music
        • Photography
        • Professional Series
        • STEAM
        • Financial Literacy Month
        • Virtual Programs Portal
    • Column
      • Research
        • All Databases
        • Business & Careers
        • Crisis and Support Lines
        • DIY & Crafts
        • Genealogy
        • Health
        • Housing
        • Legal & Government Matters
    • Column
      • Spacer
      • Get A Library Card
      • Accessibility
      • Book a Room
      • Donate
  • Branches
    • Column
        • Branch Information
      • Find a Branch
      • Capital Projects
      • Meeting Spaces
    • Column
      • Book a Room
      • Make a Payment
      • Books By Mail
    • Column
      • Get A Library Card
      • Accessibility
      • Book a Room
      • Donate
  • News
    • Column
      • What’s Happening
      • News and Stories
      • Media Releases
    • Column
      • Get A Library Card
      • Accessibility
      • Book a Room
      • Donate
  • Get Help
    • Column
      • Borrowing Basics
      • Catalogue Tips
      • Crisis and Support Lines
      • Interlibrary Loan
      • Legit Library Hacks
      • Suggest An Item
    • Column
      • Your Library Account
      • Lean on your library
      • Website Feedback
      • Technology Help
      • Book a Librarian
    • Column
      • Get A Library Card
      • Accessibility
      • Book a Room
      • Donate
      • Local Reads
Welcome to Vancouver Island Regional Library

Home / Read, Watch, Listen / Play / Video Game Collection

Play

  • Video Game Collection

It's here!

Your library now offers video games...

 

Video games are now available! Borrow Xbox X One, Playstation 5, and Nintendo Switch games from your local library and check them out today!

Choose Your Console Below

Why Video Games?

VIRL patrons are media consumers. Whether it’s our much-loved DVD collection or films accessed online through resources such as Kanopy, VIRL has a proven track record of offering you the media you crave.

Not only will this collection appeal to a broad range of demographics, it also supports the creation of more regular gaming programs for you, which have proven to be very popular in our branches. These programs help promote our branches as social hubs and community gathering spaces throughout our service areas.

How long can I borrow Video Games?

Video Games must be returned within one week (7 days).

How did this collection come to be?

A Business case was approved by the VIRL Board of Trustees in 2018 setting aside money to start a physical video game lending collection

Beginning November 1, 2019, VIRL will be lending video games for Playstation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One.

What are the fine & circulation rules for this collection?

There are currently no fines for overdue material, including video games.

Lost or damaged fees still apply (if an item is not returned within 120 days, customers will be charged a replacement cost)

Won’t these all get stolen?

Each of our VIRL branches is determining the best locations for the video game collection to minimize theft. As a system, VIRL is employing the same measures as on all media, including DVDs, CDs and Playaway players, and will follow the lead of other library systems in Canada who have introduced identical or similar collections without issue.

What if Video Games are damaged?

Please let any staff know if a video game is damaged. Staff will process it appropriately.

What about future consoles, etc?

At this point in time, VIRL will continue to add games for new platforms as they come out. Many platforms are backwards compatible and still work with older games.

At this time, VIRL does not lend video game consoles (players).

What are ESRB ratings?

The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) is a video game industry body. Their rating system was developed with the help of child development and academic experts.

  • E—Titles rated E (Everyone) have content that is generally suitable for all ages. May contain minimal cartoon, fantasy or mild violence and/or infrequent use of mild language.
  • E10+—Titles rated E10+ (Everyone 10 and older) have content that is generally suitable for ages 10 and up. May contain more cartoon, fantasy or mild violence, mild language and/or minimal suggestive themes.
  • T—Titles rated T (Teen) have content that is generally suitable for ages 13 and up. May contain violence, suggestive themes, crude humor, minimal blood, simulated gambling, and/or infrequent use of strong language.
  • M—Titles rated M (Mature) have content that is generally suitable for persons ages 17 and up. May contain intense violence, blood and gore, sexual content and/or strong language.

Content Descriptors indicate content that may have triggered a particular rating and/or may be of interest or concern, e.g. Blood and Gore; Violence.

See https://www.esrb.org/ for more information.

ESRB ratings will be listed on the spine labels of the games, and are also mapped to the Age Level facet in Encore for filtering searches (see next question for more details)

How do I search for Video Games in our catalogues?

  • To browse the entire Video Game collection in our Encore catalogue (search.virl.bc.ca), use Advanced Search: enter * in the keyword field and select “Video Game” from the Format dropdown list. Use facets to refine your search results.
  • To browse the entire Video Game collection in our BiblioCommons catalogue (virl.bibliocommons.com), use Advanced Search: select “Video Game” from the Format options. Use facets to refine your search results.
  • Use the Audience/Age Level facet to limit results by ESRB rating. E for Everyone games will show up as Juvenile, T for Teen will show up as Young Adult, and M for Mature will show up as Adult.
  • To find titles for specific consoles, click on the Console images above, or
    • search by platform and limit results by Video Game format (e.g. PS4; Nintendo, XBox One)
    • Use the Genre facet to limit results by console
    • Access specific console games from a relevant catalogue record by clicking on the appropriate Subject Headings link (e.g. Sony Video Games)

More questions?

If you have any other questions or need assistance with this new collection, please speak to your Library Manager, or contact us at info@virl.bc.ca.

  • Column
    • Popular Pages
      • Can’t Find It?
      • Books By Mail
      • Make a Payment
      • My Library App
  • Column
    • About The Library
      • Our Story
      • Contact Us
      • Senior Staff
      • Library Board
      • Work With Us
      • Privacy Statement
  • Column
    • About The Library 2
      • Reports and Plans
      • Donate
      • Mission, Vision, Values
      • Policies
      • Media Room
      • Book a Room
Get A Library Card Donate

Follow Us

Copyright © Vancouver Island Regional Library.
All Rights Reserved. Proudly designed by Intent.

Copyright © Vancouver Island Regional Library. All Rights Reserved.