I saw some kind of magic happen when I took my game night program out on the road in the Summer of 2008.  Sure, we had the hardcore gamers that just wanted to play coming to the program.  But something else happened as well.  I saw older folks getting really excited about sharing the experience.  I had never seen this before.  I thought the cut off age for anyone to like video games was 30.  Boy I was wrong.

While it may not be the most exciting video in the world, I really think this video sums up what I was trying to accomplish with this program.  Gaming is for all ages to share and enjoy.  The experience is what counts.  Getting people together to have a positive experience like this does two thing.  It gets them understand that gaming is a good thing and it also shows the value of the library.

Here’s how I approached the program: Think of yourself as a traveling rock band.  Pack up the van with your gear, gather some bandmates, and head out onto the road for an exciting (yet tiring) week of gaming with your library patrons.  At the end of the week, not only will you have more library users interested in gaming but you’ll finally understand exactly what Bob Seger was talking about in “Turn The Page“.

(a brief glimpse into Game Night on Tour from the Cape May County Library)

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