Get Your Game On
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Lauren Barack -- School Library Journal, 10/06/2008
Both video game pros, and those players who favor the more traditional board game style, can get in on the fun with the American Library Association’s first annual National Game Day, set for November 15.A national tournament for the digital set will allow gamers to watch how they’re faring among competitors around the country throughout the day. At the time, librarians are hoping they can set a record for getting the most people to play a board game simultaneously—enlisting patrons to play Hasbro’s Pictureka, a memory game that bills itself as a visual hide-and-seek. The toy manufacturer is donating a copy of the game to every public library in the United States, and branches that want to participate can register online to ensure they receive a copy in time for the big day.
The event couldn’t come at a better time. As the economic gloom descends across the country, some old-fashioned board games could be just the diversion people need. Also, libraries have been big proponents of gaming for years, adopting the use of video games in many branches as a way to bring younger patrons back into the fold.
And for those media specialists looking for something a little more off the beaten track, libraries are being encouraged to visit the ALA Gaming Resources Web site to find a list of free online games, talking points on explaining the connection between video games and literacy to the public, and even novels that feature gamers or gaming in the plotline.
