GAMERT (Gaming) Round Table

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last person joined: 3 days ago 

The mission of the Games and Gaming Round Table is to provide the following:
  • A forum for the exchange of ideas and concerns surrounding games in libraries;
  • Resources to the library community to support the building and maintaining of library game collections;
  • A force for initiating and supporting game programming in libraries;
  • Create an awareness of, and need for, the support of the value of gaming and play in libraries, schools, and related learning communities.
  • Create an awareness of the value of games and gaming in library outreach and community engagement plans.
  • A professional and social forum for networking among librarians and non-librarians interested in games and gaming.

  • 1.  Interlibrary Loan of Board Games?

    Posted Jul 23, 2014 08:22 AM

    Hi,


    I'm new to GameRT and had a question. I am in interlibrary loan at the Chicago Public Library, and I was wondering if any libraries interlibrary loan their board games. I know they have records in Worldcat, and I know GameRT has their own collection that is listed on board game geek. But I wonder if when libraries are deciding if a game fits into their collection they might be able to interlibrary loan the game from another library instead of buying it before trying it. Is the GameRT collection available for ILL from the ALA library? I was thinking of just trying to borrow games on Worldshare just to see if a library would loan them out. 


     


    Mariella Colon


    Chicago Public Library 


     


     


  • 2.  RE: Interlibrary Loan of Board Games?

    Posted Jul 28, 2014 09:25 AM

    Hi,

    I am at an academic library and at this time our games are in-house use only for students. We also let official campus groups use the games for teaching and events. Our concern is that our students might use our games as a way to replace any of their lost pieces if they are allowed to take them home. We don't count pieces each time a game is returned.

    Participating in International Games Day is a great way to start a collection! Plus, I have had great success each year just asking for donations from video and board game companies. If you have a program, many companies are happy to donate demo games for play. 

    We have just started partnering with a few board game groups as well. We provide a space and they bring boxes of their games. This is a good way to learn new games and see what would be worth buying for your library. 

    GameRT does not lend its games through ILL at this time. If you do find a library that lends games, please let us know. 

    --Diane

     



  • 3.  RE: Interlibrary Loan of Board Games?

    Posted Aug 01, 2014 10:45 AM

    That's a good question, Mariella. I work at a small public library and we do circulate games to the public for one week. Since they are not holdable, however, they do not go out for interlibrary or even for holds within our county cooperative. We plan on making some of our games holdable but only for pick up at our location.

    It doesn't hurt to try ILL requests, though. The worst that can happen is that libraries will say no. But, like Diane said, International Games Day is great way to get your hands on some games. We signed up last month and there are a ton of great games we'll be getting!