The Collection
This collection was the brainchild of library employees who sought to create a collection of board games for the benefit of the University of Idaho community. Board gaming in general has experienced a rise in popularity in recent decades and they provide an activity that promotes critical thinking and provides support for mental health through stress relief and collaboration. In this collection you will find games that span the range of classic game that you might have played during your childhood to modern board games that are more strategy based.
What are these games I've never heard of?
Our collection collection contains more than just those games that you grew up with. It is very likely that those games that you don't recognize are games that are considered to be Designer Games, EuroGames, or German Games. These games tend to be strategy based and have relatively simple rules and are easy to learn in one sitting. Many of these games have the ability to appeal to those new to board games in addition to experienced players. Random elements in the games give them excellent replay value.
Alvarez, Vivian. "Engaging students in the library through tabletop gaming." Knowledge Quest. 45.4 (March-April 2017): p40.
Berland, Matthew, and Victor R. Lee. "Collaborative Strategic Board Games as a Site for Distributed Computational Thinking." International Journal of Game-Based Learning, Vol. 1, no. 2, 2011.
Blodgett, Jayne, and Peter Bremer. "Rolling The DICE In An Academic Library." American Libraries 45.11/12 (2014): 50-53.
Crews, Annalisa. "Using Games to Support the Curriculum: Getting Teachers On "Board."" Knowledge Quest 40.1 (2011): 10-13.
"Broadening Our Definition Of Gaming." Library Technology Reports 44.3 (2008): 7-11.
Davidson, Tonya. "Why board games, why now? A sociologist investigates the renewed popularity of an old pastime." Briarpatch Jan.-Feb. 2015: 30+.
Robbins, M. Brandon. "Ticket To Ride." Library Journal 139.5 (2014): 91.
Robbins, Brandon. "Wil Wheaton Talks Tabletop." Library Journal 138.13 (2013): 52.
Slobuski, T., Robson, D., & Bentley, P. (2017). Arranging the Pieces: A Survey of Library Practices Related to a Tabletop Game Collection. Evidence Based Library and Information Practice, 12(1), 2-17. https://doi.org/10.18438/B84C96
Board game studies journal online by
Peer-reviewed international academic journal for historical and systematic research on board games. Its object is to provide a forum for board games research from all academic disciplines in order to further our understanding of the nature, development, and distribution of board games within an interdisciplinary context.
"Board Game Studies is an academic journal for historical and systematic research on board games. Its object is to provide a forum for board games research from all academic disciplines in order to further our understanding of the development and distribution of board games within an interdisciplinary academic context."--Publisher's website.
Annual
In English, with some contributions in French.
Unrestricted online access
Want to take a look at some books about board games?
You'll want to browse the GV1312 - GV1469 section. Or you can check out the selected list below.
It's All a Game by
"[A] timely book...It's All a Game provides a wonderfully entertaining trip around the board, through 4,000 years of game history."--The Wall Street Journal Board games have been with us longer than even the written word. But what is it about this pastime that continues to captivate us well into the age of smartphones and instant gratification? InIt's All a Game,British journalist and renowned games expert Tristan Donovan opens the box on the incredible and often surprising history and psychology of board games. He traces the evolution of the game across cultures, time periods, and continents, from the paranoid Chicago toy genius behind classics like Operation and Mouse Trap, to the role of Monopoly in helping prisoners of war escape the Nazis, and even the scientific use of board games today to teach artificial intelligence how to reason and how towin. With these compelling stories and characters, Donovan ultimately reveals why board games have captured hearts and minds all over the world for generations.
Libraries Got Game by
A much-talked-about topic gets thorough consideration from two educator-librarians, who explain exactly how designer board gameswhich are worlds apart from games produced strictly for the educational market can become curricular staples for students young and old.
Games' Most Wanted by
Ever thought about capturing a queen, amassing real estate gold, or striking down a zombie or two? For centuries, games have stimulated the imagination. They have divided, and they have united. They have driven our competitive spirit and indulged our fancy. Live an entire lifetime in a few rolls of the dice. Push a few buttons and sustain perfect health. Essentially, games have and will continue to provide people worldwide a break from the everyday grind. With more than forty chapters, Games' Most Wanted whisks readers away into the fantasyland of games. Learn more about board games that have been passed through generations, video games that predict the future, and card games that have brought down the house. Ben H. Rome and Chris Hussey also reveal the culture behind the entertainment--the codes of conduct, the language, the conventions, and the workshops-- proving that leisure can be a lifestyle. Something they won't reveal: how to rescue the princess. Regardless of the hand you're dealt, Games' Most Wanted is sure to cure any boredom.
Everyone Plays at the Library by
If you are interested in the why, what, and how of library gaming, Everyone Plays at the Library is the place to start. Scott Nicholson—educator, librarian, game designer, host of the'Board Games with Scott'video series, and founder of the Library Game Lab of Syracuse—shows how gaming programs can be successfully implemented in school, academic, and public libraries, covering all types of games for all age groups. You'll learn how to determine user needs, achieve library goals, gain stakeholder approval, reach out to users, build an affordable collection of great games, assess program effectiveness, bring all ages together, and create the type of memorable experience that gets users talking and keeps them coming back for more.
Games in Libraries by
Librarians are beginning to see the importance of game based learning and the incorporation of games into library services. This book is written for them-so they can use games to improve people's understanding and enjoyment of the library. Full of practical suggestions, the essays discuss not only innovative uses of games in libraries but also the game making process. The contributors are all well versed in games and game-based learning and a variety of different types of libraries are considered. The essays will inspire librarians and educators to get into this exciting new area of patron and student services.
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