Meta-games in information work

• Introduction. Meta-games and meta-gaming refer to various second-order conceptions of games and gaming. The present article discusses the applicability of the notions of meta-game and meta-gaming in understanding the patterns of how people use, misuse, work and work-around information and information infrastructures. Method. Twenty-two qualitative interviews of archives, library and museum professionals conducted in two Nordic countries in 2009-2011. The interviews were semi-structured and based on the thematic interview approach of Hirsjärvi and Hurme as a part of a larger study of the information work of such professionals.Analysis. An exploratory qualitative analysis based on constant comparative method was carried out on the interview data.Results. The analysis shows that the information work of the interviewed professionals contained a large number of examples of different types of meta-gaming.Conclusions. The analysis suggests that the notions of meta-games and meta-gaming can be used to explain peripheral and second-order information activities and to analyse the aspects of work that relate to gameplay and playfulness.

Subject headings

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Annan samhällsvetenskap -- Övrig annan samhällsvetenskap (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Other Social Sciences -- Other Social Sciences not elsewhere specified (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Biblioteks- och informationsvetenskap

Library and Information Science

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)