Randwick City Library

Tabletop Game Collection: attracting ‘non-users’

to the library~ Sam Sbisa

Modern libraries need to provide more than just books to remain relevant and attract new users.

Randwick City Library is known for it’s involvement in gaming. Beginning over 35 years ago with the lending Toy and Game Library.

The free Wizards of the Coast Dungeons & Dragons 4th edition donation packs, started us on the addictive world of tabletop gaming.

We’ve found gaming to be a brilliant way to attract non-users to the library.

Warhammer: School holiday event for youth (ages 12-25)

RPG Marathon: School holiday event for youth (ages 12-25)

The Young Adult In-house Game Collection was initially very popular, but then lagged. Patrons kept asking to borrow games to take home.

Not Bored Games, made use of the ‘in-house collection’ games; again people wanted to take them home.

Time to think about a borrowing collection!

This one Facebook post had a total reach of 1,316 users. It generated 2,239 impressions: • 12 Comments • 66 Likes • 4 Shares

Additional posts after this one resulted in some good discussion and suggestions for new games from the wider community – many of whom had not liked RCL’s Facebook page.

International Games Day / Launch Day Facebook post

This had a total reach of 2,011 users. It generated 3,526 impressions:• 16 Comments (many of which were tags

to friends, or suggestions for new games to add)

• 127 Likes • 4 Shares

In December 2016 (one month after launch day) the Tabletop Game Collection produced 26 unique searches in the library’s OPAC (once search terms were combined).

This was the second highest number of searches within RCC’s OPAC for the month.

OPAC Search Statistics

The collection on ‘launch day’

Tabletop Game Collection – How Does it Work?

• Can be borrowed on any RCC library card except Junior accounts

• Two games per card (this will be increased once the collection grows)

• Two week loan per game• One renewal per game• Must be returned to the location it was borrowed from

(unlike most of our other items)• Patrons need to check all items are in the box before

borrowing• Games cannot be played in the library

Some resources for gaming ‘Reader’s Advisory’ and how to manage a games collectionFacebook• League of Librarian Gamers – ALA https://www.facebook.com/groups/LeagueOfLibrarianGamers/ • Teen Librarians https://www.facebook.com/groups/618059348208569/ • Sydney Roleplaying Gamers Association https://www.facebook.com/groups/8397918579/

Websites• Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tabletop_game • Stanford Gaming Society (good explanation of the different genres of games available) https://

web.stanford.edu/group/sgs/Gametypes.html • Board Game Geek (describes various genres and types of games, as well as detailed descriptions of each game)

https://boardgamegeek.com/wiki/page/Game_Genres

PeopleDon’t underestimate the interest your staff and patrons may have in gaming. Often they area wealth of knowledge and help for those who might not be totally up-to-date with the modern gaming world.

Tabletop Games might also be good for the health of your patrons.

Check out: https://www.tabletopgaming.co.uk/board-games/news/playing-board-games-once-a-week-may-help-stave-off-dementia-and

Want to find out more? Get in touch!

Sam SbisaLibrary Youth Officer

Randwick City LibraryPhone: 02 9093 6400

Email: sam.sbisa@randwick.nsw.gov.au