National Gaming Day @ your library

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The second annual celebration of National Gaming Day @ your library is almost here! On Saturday, Nov. 14, the American Library Association (ALA) and hundreds of libraries all across the United States will offer special gaming programs and events for families and people of all ages.

Many people are still under the impression that libraries are places only for education but libraries are also be places to have fun, too. Over 16,700 U.S. public libraries have received copies of the games Monopoly Deal, Scrabble Slam, and Pictureka for the event, which is sponsored by Hasbro.

In addition to having fun, many new video and board game formats now also offer education while entertaining, and create interaction in new and exciting ways. The goal, as ALA President Camila Alire said in an official press release, is to show that “gaming and learning go hand-in-hand,” and therefore help, “build 21st century literacy skills.”

Here’s some great sites to check out for more information about National Gaming Day @ your library:

• The nice folks over at ILoveLibraries.org have set up a Google Map of libraries participating in the event. Check to see if yours is on there!
• The ALA has set up an official blog for National Gaming Day @ your library. Check it out at http://ngd.ala.org
• View the official poster for the event on the ALA Staff Flickr page.
• Check out ALA’s Wiki for Games and Gaming Resources for more links related to this year’s event.

Through our Twitter and Facebook pages, we’ve already heard people talking about some of the interesting events going on, such as giant crossword puzzles and Rock Band tournaments. What does your library have planned? Leave us a comment below or contact us through our Come Join Us page.