Are you bored of the games you have at home? Do you get burnt out on board games after only a couple plays? Or are you looking to give a board game a trial run before purchasing it?

This month, we are shining a spotlight on our library board game collection! Currently, we have about 65 board games that you can check out with your library card. Keep reading to learn more about your options.

Board games can be checked out for two weeks with your library card and need to be returned to a staff member inside Reed Memorial Library, so that they don’t clog the bookdrop or get damaged.

Our board games are currently shelved near the front door, on the shelves between TV series and Large Print. This makes them easy to access if you’re looking for a board game for your family or friend group. You can view a complete list of our board games on our website or browse them on our catalog.

“The response we have seen about the board game collection has been overwhelmingly positive!” says Anne, our Librarian in charge of curating the board game collection. “For a while we were surveying patrons about their experiences with individual games to get an idea of what they’re enjoying (or not enjoying) about the games. We’ve stopped putting survey sheets in the board game boxes, but I love when I’m up at Public Services and someone asks where the board games are located, or kids getting really excited when they see a great game.”

We have many different types of games to offer– classics like Sorry! and Battleship, strategy games like Catan and Obscurio, and games featuring your favorite characters such as Downton Abbey and Jaws.

I think it’s one of those collections that helps to reset the idea of what a library can be, and that’s one of the goals of having the collection – finding newer and interesting ways to reframe what libraries are all about.

Anne

“When choosing board games I look at websites like BoardGameGeek and The Dice Tower to get an idea of how the game is played and read or watch reviews from people who are knowledgeable and really love board games,” Anne explains regarding how she chooses games to purchase. “I also look at things like how many pieces there are, popularity, and even reviews on Amazon to see what people who don’t review Board Games professionally are saying.”

If you’d like to donate your gently used board games, you’re welcome to drop them off at Public Services. All board games must have all pieces and the instructions with them and the box must be fully intact. There’s no guaratee that we’ll add your game to the collection but if we don’t, we’ll give it to Friends of the Library to sell in the bookstore located in the basement.

Board game lovers can also attend our monthly Gaming Club for all ages, which is the first Monday of the month from 6:30 to 8:00 pm. You can bring your favorite game from home or try one from our collection! The next Gaming Club is Monday, June 5, 2023, or you can view our calendar of events for future listings.