Celebrate National Gaming Day @ Your Library on November 15

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By SLJ Staff -- School Library Journal, 10/15/2008 2:05:00 PM

No doubt, the kids at your library are wild about gaming—so be sure to showcase your gaming services and programs in support of National Gaming Day @ your library on November 15.

Sponsored by the American Library Association (ALA), hundreds of libraries across the country are invited to take part in this first annual event by registering for two national gaming activities: a national video game tournament and a board game challenge.

The video game tournament uses a GT System, a free service of the Ann Arbor District Library in Michigan, which provides Web-based tools that allows players to compete against those in other libraries across the country. Each player—of any age or experience level—can see how they rank on local, regional, and national leaderboards during the big day.

Libraries also will try to set a record for the most number of people playing a board game at the same time. The toy company Hasbro will donate a free copy of the game “Pictureka!,” a version of finders keepers, to every public library branch in the U.S. by early November.

Libraries interested in completing a survey, participating in either activity, and receiving additional products can register here.

All libraries can also develop their own National Gaming Day activities by using free resources from the ALA Gaming Resources Web site.

Just how much do kids love gaming? According to a new national survey from the Pew Internet & American Life Project, it’s become a huge part of youth culture, with 97 percent of 12- to 17-year-olds saying that they play video games on a regular basis. When broken down, 99 percent of boys and 94 percent of girls say they play video games.

To learn more about National Gaming Day @ your library or to register for national activities, click here.