International Games Week @ Your Library was back at Lord Tweedsmuir Secondary after a two year hiatus. While Covid protocols forced us to hold a smaller event than in past years, it was still so very wonderful to bring students into the library to celebrate the fun and educational power of games. Thanks to all the teachers who brought their classes, and to all the student who participated with joy!
*Good OR sick OR groovy OR bussin’ OR rad OR lit OR awesome OR wicked OR choice OR brilliant OR fye OR gnarly OR capital OR fire OR neat OR magic OR cool OR jolly good OR da bomb OR swell OR whatever the latest word for good is. Take your pick.
International Games Week is on at YOUR School Library. Here are a few of our favourite games. How many of these have you tried?
Catan
The original was introduced to the world as “The Settlers of Catan.” This game proved to be so popular it spawned many new versions and expansions, including Seafarers of Catan, Cities and Knights, and much much more. The rise of Catan was part of a resurgence in interest in board games after a decline in the video game era.
Monopoly
Monopoly is often the first game mentioned when people talk about board games. Monopoly was arguably the most dominant board game of the 20th Century and remains a cultural phenomenon that transcends the board game industry. While many modern game enthusiasts are rightly critical of many of the mechanics of Monopoly, the most common criticism, that the game takes far too long to play, is almost always because people don’t follow the official rules. In particular, “house rules” such as the collection of all taxes and penalties to a pot, which has been already seeded with $500, for those that land on Free Parking, serves to keep enough money in the game that it becomes incredibly difficult to bankrupt anyone, making the game go on for hours at a time. If you follow the rules and keep play moving, a good game of Monopoly should be about an hour.
Chess
Unlike most other board games, chess has no elements of chance or “luck,” unless you consider it luck if your mistakes are left unpunished by worse mistakes from your opponent! With no dice rolls, card flips or other random elements, chess is considered to be the most pure game of skill amongst all board games. Chess requires concentration, strategic thinking, time management, pattern recognition, patience, spatial awareness and many other thinking skills and qualities.
Here are some more games of note. How many have you tried?
International Games Week @ Your Library is back at the LT School Library. “International Games Weekis an initiative run by volunteers from around the world to reconnect communities through their libraries around the educational, recreational, and social value of all types of games.” (games.ala.org) Join us as we celebrate the power of games with thousands of people in thousands of libraries all over the world.
Yes there will be adjustments for health and safety concerns. However, as best we can, with such measures as smaller groups, players more spread out, and all students and staff masked up, we are bringing back this awesome event this week in the school library.
Board games, table games, social games, party games– games live and in person!
IGW@YL is back! Sadly, our event will be smaller than in the past, as the Covid situation requires us to diligently put safety measures into place. Even so, after a long hiatus, we are just happy to be back and are looking forward to hosting Interational Games Week @ Your Library for 2021!
International Games Day @ Your Library is coming up soon!
IGD@YL Lord Tweedsmuir Secondary School Library November 7, 2019
This will be the 8th Annual IGD@YL event at Lord Tweedsmuir.
Join with thousands of people at school libraries and public libraries around the world, who are celebrating International Games Week. Ask your teacher if your class is booked in for this amazing event.
It is that time of year again! Join us for our annual celebration of games as we join with thousands of libraries around the world for International Games Week @ Your Library.
After 5 years of hosting International Games Day @ Your Library at the Lord Tweedsmuir Secondary School Library, we joined in with the inaugural International Games Week @ Your Library. Thousands of people at thousands of libraries in dozens of countries all over the globe took part in this international celebration of the educational, recreational, and social value of all types of games.
At our school we had over 400 students come to the library to learn about IGW@YL and to have a chance to play one of our many board games. Thanks to all the students who participated, we hope you had as much fun as it looked like you were having! And thanks to the following teachers who signed up to bring classes: Ms. Mason; Ms. Wilson; Ms. Dubland; Ms. Overgaard; Ms. Konradova; Mr. Dasanjh; Mr. Koshman; Mr. Biggin.
Board games are the only medium in the library’s collection that are explicitly designed to encourage social interaction. At a time when many parents and educators are worried about the passive, isolated consumption of digital media, board games get people of different backgrounds engaging with each other across a table, solving problems, improving a number of practical skills, and having a good time. When looked at from this perspective, board games cannot be dismissed as mere diversions but are instead critical to the library’s mission to foster community and lifelong learning.
International Games Week @ Your Library is a celebration of the amazing educational power of games and the vital role that libraries can play in helping people enjoy them. The history of IGW@YL goes back to 2007 and the first National Games Day in the United States. The event grew to become International Games Day in 2012. This year it has expanded to become International Games Week. Thousands of libraries (public libraries and school libraries) all over the world have participated in these events, including libraries from 53 and countries and all 7 continents. The following associations are key contributors to this event:
Lord Tweedsmuir Secondary School Library 