Tabletop Games in your School Library

I have felt for a long time that tabletop gaming is a valuable activity for tweens and teens to engage in.  I feel like we do not have a lot of time in the curriculum to experiment with gaming, although to a certain extent some teachers do bring gaming into the classroom.  However, I think that the school library is a perfect place to set up a gaming corner for lunch and after school fun.

I'm looking to become a little more involved in the ALA Games and Gaming Round Table (kind of bummed I missed the conference earlier this year).

I do believe that tabletop games provide a positive social experience, they encourage critical thinking, you learn about planning ahead, strategy, bringing in mathematical concepts and depending on the game, being a problem solver.  Above all else, as a librarian, games encourage literacy.  You need to be able to read to play tabletop games.  Many games encourage creativity and imagination.

So, I'll be starting on my journey to acquire some tabletop games for the library.  Listening to some of my favorite tabletop gamers on Tabletop Game Talk and following them on twitter @GameMasterChris @kittenL and @joshisblonde. Oh, and maybe I'll make it to Origins Game Fair again this year ;) They DO have an amazing Educator Hall Pass.  Who can beat $35 for a 5 day conference???