As it gets darker and colder earlier, this is the perfect time of year for folks to stay in and have a game night at home. The Delaware County District Library (DCDL) has had board games on our shelves for several years now. However, we’ve been busy creating a new way for our patrons to easily find a game that suits their specific needs or desires.
The new games collection can be found at www.delawarelibrary.org/games and features over 160 unique titles that can be checked out with your library card. Whether you’re looking for a simple board game for a toddler, a fast-paced card game for the whole family, a complex role-playing game (RPG) to play with friends, or a party game that will keep you all laughing, DCDL has you covered.
Visit the new games page on our website where you can sort through our entire collection by age, category, number of players, and average game play time. Each game is listed with a brief description, but also has a link to a longer listing with additional details. Once you’ve found the one (or two, or three) that you want, it’s easy to place a hold. Simply click “Reserve” then pick it up from your home DCDL branch.
Of course, you can always pick out a game the “old-fashioned” way, by stopping in to your local branch and browsing the collection in person. You’ll see what’s available right now and can take a game home with you on the spot.
Up to three board games may be checked out at a time for two weeks. Games may be renewed up to three times, so long as there are no other holds on them. To help keep our games in good condition, please remember to return them to the circulation desk rather than placing them in the book return.
I’ve listed a couple games below that may be fun for various ages in your household. If you can’t find one that you’re looking for, let us know. We’re always evaluating our collection and listening to our patrons. Happy gaming!
• Ages 2 & up: “First Orchard.” Can the children harvest the hearty fruit from the orchard and place them in the basket before the raven reaches the end of the trail? Only the lucky rolls of the large wooden die will tell! This game stimulates: free play, recognizing colors and shapes, and first understanding of rules.
• Ages 5 & up: “Fire! Fire! Fire Fighters!” Alarm, alarm! In Firecreek, Bill Butcher’s favorite sausage is in flames. It’s time for Fred Fire chief and his four fire fighters to get moving. Unfortunately, two of the fire fighters overslept… but there’s no time to lose. The fire fighter who puts out the most fires, collecting cards to build the longest street wins the game and is the best fire fighter in the city.
• Ages 10 & up: “Dinosaur Island.” Scientists have discovered a way to clone dinosaurs from viable DNA preserved within the fossil record. Today, it’s the museums that have gone practically extinct, as shrewd investors have turned those initial dinosaur sanctuaries into bustling theme parks, true meccas for dino fans the world over. In Dinosaur Island, each player takes on the role of a park manager at one of these premier destinations. You’ve been handed the reins to a burgeoning operation – bring the fantastic creatures of the Jurassic, Triassic, and Cretaceous periods forward into the modern day. Early retirement is yours if you can make your park bigger and better than the competition!
• Ages 14 & up: “Codenames.” Two rival spymasters know the secret identities of 25 agents. Their teammates know the agents only by their codenames. In Codenames, two teams compete to see who can make contact with all of their agents first. Spymasters give one-word clues that can point to multiple words on the board. Their teammates try to guess words of the right color while avoiding those that belong to the opposing team. And everyone wants to avoid the assassin. Codenames: Win or lose, it’s fun to figure out the clues.
