Tag Archives: games

Library suggestions for game night

Video Game Barnstar Hires
A library person is looking for suggestions for video games to play in the library for game night. We are sharing the initial question, and the responses. Check them out to see if you can use them in your library. And if you have other suggestions, share them in the comments so we can all try new things!

“We used to have Call of Duty gaming nights to get kids in to play together on our PCs. We were using Call of Duty 1 which worked as it was not particularly over the top graphic.

This version is super old and now fails on our PCs. Do you all have any suggestions on similar group play games that aren’t intensely graphic?  These game nights happen out in the open in a room shared with all age ranges so it can’t be too too.”

Continue reading Library suggestions for game night

Thinking about circulating games? Here are some ideas!

The-Chinamen's-game-board
let’s play!

I know some of our CMLE members are already circulating games in your libraries; and it’s a topic brought up fairly often when we are talking about materials and services to reach out to communities.

Games are great, and very engaging ways to encourage patrons to come to the library! They can be somewhat troublesome to circulate, as everyone wants to be sure they have the materials to share with the next patron – and small pieces or cards can be easy to lose. You can usually buy replacements for missing parts to games, but it is another step to consider when you are including them in your collection development plan.

There were some ideas being shared online about circulating games, so we are sharing them here, to help you think about your own circ policies! Continue reading Thinking about circulating games? Here are some ideas!

Minecraft Competition? Let’s do it!!

Do you have patrons who like to play Minecraft? Let them know about a competition they might enjoy!

Welcome to the 2016 Learning Zone Minecraft Oceans Competition!

The goal is to build the best model of the Sentinel-3 or Jason-3 ocean-monitoring satellites, or get creative and design your own satellite and/or ocean monitoring system with buoys, automatic robots etc.

For the first category, we will provide you with 3D views of the Sentinel-3 and Jason-3 satellites, for you to recreate in Minecraft. Build one, two or both, the choice is yours!

For the second category, the sky is literally the limit! Go crazy thinking up an interesting design for your ocean monitoring satellite.

Show us what it can do and why and you can even design your own ocean monitoring system using the image of the Global Ocean Observing System as your inspiration.

Continue reading Minecraft Competition? Let’s do it!!

Education Portal can help you use Minecraft at school

Tired of hearing all the buzz about Minecraft in schools and want to join the fun? Look no further than Microsoft’s new Minecraft Education Portal. Full of resources and starter lessons, the site gets you into the game quickly and simply.

Looking for inspiration? Check out this story about how a California educator mixed Minecraft with Spanish History. The article details their quest and is especially helpful because it talks about the challenges they faced as well as the enthusiastic play!

Need more? Check out this video about the Minecraft Education Portal:

AASL Recommended App: Kahoot!

kahootEach year, the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) comes out with their 25 Best Apps for Teaching & Learning. The apps were chosen because they foster innovation, creativity, active participation, and collaboration.

This week we highlight Kahoot. Who doesn’t like an interactive quiz or survey? Kahoot is your tool to create just that! With any device, students can answer questions and instantly see the group’s results! AASL’s tip lets teachers know they can control the pace of the Kahoot quiz or survey by imposing a time limit for each question.

The app is recommended for students of all ages and is available through their website for FREE. It works on any device with an internet connection. Check out the video below on how to play a game of Kahoot!: