Gaming and Digital Innovation (GDI) Lab
The UW-Stout Library Gaming and Digital Innovation (GDI) Lab is a campus space dedicated to video games, video game history, and game development. The GDI Lab is an active learning lab and provides a hands-on opportunity to play, teach, learn about, and research video games throughout gaming history.
The GDI Lab features twenty-five major video game consoles, both new and vintage, as well as three high-end PCs loaded with productivity software and a digital games catalog of more than 250 titles. The GDI Lab also features a growing Vintage Game collection of over 500 titles, and the UW-Stout Library offers a circulating Video Game collection of over 1,600 titles for use in the lab or for checkout. Additionally, the GDI Lab offers the space and systems compatible with VR headsets, which are available at the Circulation desk on the first floor of the UW-Stout Library.
Quick Info
- Location: 1st floor of the Library, room 103.
- Hours: Open during library hours.
- Donate or request video games: Email questions to GDILab@uwstout.edu or contact Cory Mitchell or Zachary Weekes.
- Schedule a class or event: Email GDILab@uwstout.edu at least a week in advance to reserve a time to use the GDI Lab for an event. Please include requests for specific games or equipment as needed.
- Policies on Use: GDI Lab
Video Game Collections
The University Library offers two video game collections: a circulating Video Game Collection and a Vintage Video Game collection.
Circulating Video Game Collection
Students, faculty, and staff may check out these video games for 14 days, for use outside the library or in the GDI Lab. The Video Game collection is found on the first floor of the library and offers games for the following systems:
- Nintendo: DS, Switch, Wii, Wii U
- Playstation: 3, 4, 5, Portable, VR, VR2
- Xbox: 360, One, Series X
Vintage Video Game Collection
Students, faculty, and staff may check out these vintage games for one day, for in-building use only. The Vintage Video Game collection can be played in the GDI Lab and offers games for:
- Atari: 2600, Jaguar
- Coleco: ColecoVision
- Magnavox: Odyssey2
- Nintendo: Nintendo Entertainment System, Super Nintendo, Nintendo 64
- Playstation: Playstation, Playstation 2
- Sega: Genesis, Gensis 32X, Dreamcast
- Xbox: Xbox original
Features and Equipment
Vintage Consoles and Cathode Ray Tube Televisions for an authentic vintage gaming experience
- Atari: 2600, Jaguar
- Coleco: ColecoVision
- Magnavox: Odyssey 2
- Nintendo: 64, GameCube, Nintendo Entertainment System, Super Nintendo Entertainment System
- Playstation: Playstation (original), Playstation2, Playstation2 Slim
- Sega: Dreamcast, Genesis, Genesis 32X
- Xbox: Xbox (original)
Vintage games, featuring hundreds of titles, are available for use with the GDI vintage systems, for in-building use only. Peripheral equipment is also available for vintage systems including a Duck Hunt Zapper, DDR mats, Donkey Konga bongos, and more, available at the Circulation desk.
All Major and Current Video Game Consoles
- Playstation: 3, 4, 4 Pro, 5
- Nintendo: Switch (checkout console at circulation desk), Wii, WiiU,
- Xbox: 360, One, Series X
Wireless controllers and peripheral equipment are available for checkout at the Circulation desk, including additional Switch controllers, Guitar Hero controllers, and Wii accessories.
Raspberry Pi Emulators
Raspberry Pi emulators are miniature consoles with a suite of vintage games preloaded on them, able to be used without cartridges or discs. The GDI Lab has these versions available for use inside the GDI Lab:
- NES emulator
- PlayStation (original) emulator
- SNES emulator
- Sega Genesis emulator
VR Headsets
- Oculus Quest 2 kits (comes in a case with wireless controllers and cable for charging and using with a computer connection)
- Two (2) Quest 2 kits are available for use in-building only
- One (1) Quest 2 kit is available for checkout for use outside of the Library
- PSVR for use with PS4 Pro (in-building checkout only)
- PSVR2 for use with PS5 (in-building checkout only)
Adaptive Gaming Gear
- Blue2 Bluetooth switch
- Motion control joysticks, for left and right hand
- Xbox adaptive controller kit
PC Stations
All PCs are preloaded with a collection of digital games through Steam, Epic, Battle.net, and Riot Games.
- AMD Ryzen 7 5700G with Radeon Graphics
- 16 GB RAM (DDR3-1600)
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti
- ViewSonic 27" Widescreen LED
- Logitech Webcam, Keyboard, Mouse
- Audio-Technica ATH-M30 Studio Headphones
- Intel Xeon(R) (4.10GHz)
- 64 GB RAM
- Quadro RTX 4000
- ViewSonic 27" Widescreen LED
- Logitech Webcam, Keyboard, Mouse
- Audio-Technica ATH-M30 Studio Headphones
- Intel Xeon(R) (4.10GHz)
- 64 GB RAM
- Quadro RTX 4000
- ViewSonic 27" Widescreen LED
- Logitech Webcam, Keyboard, Mouse
- Audio-Technica ATH-M30 Studio Headphones
Virtual Reality (VR) in the GDI Lab
Students, faculty, and staff are welcome to use the VR equipment offered through the GDI Lab.
Gaming PC & VR Station One and Gaming PC & VR Station Two are compatible for use with the Oculus Quest 2 headsets available for checkout at the Circulation desk.
In addition to the Oculus Quest 2 VR headsets, users are encouraged to experience VR through PSVR (for use with PS4) and PSVR2 (for use with PS5), both of which are also available for use in the GDI Lab.
GDI Lab Committee
The GDI Lab is a collaborative effort and is advised by the Gaming and Digital Innovation (GDI) Lab Committee whose membership includes:
- Cory Mitchell, Collection Development Librarian, Chair
- Zachary Weekes, Library Acquisitions & Periodicals Specialist
- Andrew Williams, SOAD, Faculty Representative
- Matthew Winkler, Systems Librarian
- Alex Dill, GDI Student Liaison
Access to Learning (ATL) funds two student workers to help support the GDI lab.
