Libraries invite gamers to Saturday play events
Posted By Admin on November 17, 2011
Updated: November 11, 2011 2:38AM
Whether it’s Apples to Apples, a collection of word comparisons, or Angry Birds, with its feather-flying, pig-targeting missions, board and computerized games will be the focus of the American Library Association’s National Gaming Day on Saturday.
Libraries in Elgin, Bartlett and St. Charles are taking part in the event, now in its fourth year.
At Elgin’s Gail Borden Public Library, 270 N. Grove Ave., the youth center will be open and community members are encouraged to bring in their own board games or play one of the library’s, according to Catherine Blair, middle school services librarian.
“It’s an opportunity to maybe make some new friends,” said Blair, who added that the library has two collections of games — ones for circulation and ones for use on-site. “We have everything from Apples to Apples, to chess, checkers and Monopoly.”
The variety is educational and entertaining, she said. Monthly, Gail Borden offers gaming meetings to trade card games such as Pokemon and Yugio. Both types of games — hands-on board games and the video/computer kinds — encourage social interaction, Blair said.
“Video games can be a group experience,” she said. “There is a dance game for teens; and with the trading card games, the kids can really rattle off the stats on the cards together.”
At the Bartlett Public Library, 800 S. Bartlett Road, Family Fun takes place at 11 am, when guests have a chance to check out the library’s games; and the Smash Bros. Brawl Tournament will be held at 1 pm
Card-carrying patrons who enter the St. Charles Public Library’s National Gaming Day drawing Saturday — from 10 am to noon or 1 to 4 pm — will have a chance to win a gift card to purchase games from an area retailer, according to A. Denise Farrugia, youth services manager at the library. Anyone is welcome to stop in to the library to play with board games or video gaming options, all of which were donated by community members or acquired with grant money, she added.
“We have board games for 3-year-olds (and) all the way up,” Farrugia said. “And some of our video games are based on books, like ‘Harry Potter’ or ‘Where The Wild Things Are.’ “
The St. Charles Public Library, at 1 S. Sixth Ave., also has a Wii and Xbox 360 with Kinnect.
More information about National Gaming Day, and participating libraries, is available at the American Library Association’s website, www.ala.org.
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