52 Ready-To-Use Gaming Programs for Libraries

Kroski (director, information technology & marketing, New York Law Inst.) offers a breakdown of 52 games that can be used in libraries, organized into three parts: tabletop programs (17), video game programs (15), and live-action game programs (20). In each entry, written by a working librarian, readers will find information such as age range (tweens, young adults, or adults); library type (public, school, academic); and cost, as well as an overview, a list of equipment and/or materials, step-by-step instructions, and suggestions for what to offer next. Ruth Covington, a publicity and event specialist at Orem Public Library, UT, discusses how school and public libraries can host history mystery programs, where participants work to answer questions such as what happened to the colony of Roanoke or who killed John F. Kennedy. Emily Burkot, a teen librarian at Chesapeake Public Library, walks readers through Pokémon Go events, while Susan M. Hansen describes how librarians can use escape rooms to give patrons a grounding in the library’s services. Though several of the programs could be adapted for virtual use, most are in-person/in-library programs, which make this guide useful for when librarians are able to once more offer in-person programming. The suggestions are fun and useful, and the instructions are detailed, making them ideal for those with little to no experience with gaming programs in the library.