John Pappas, Bucks County Library System

Small Boxes and Big Fun: Starting a Board Game Collection

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● Information on board games which will work well in your library.

● What types of games to purchase● Topics to consider when considering board

games.● Types of player interaction● Types of mechanisms.● Alignment sheets for 35 games● Really excited!

● The specifics of cataloging or preparing the games.

● The technical process of preparing games for circulation.

● Board to tears...

What will you get? What won’t you get?

The quality of a game is not measured by its complexity but by the depth of the interaction and thought it produces.

Life Boat: http://boardgamegeek.com/image/1083301/lifeboat

Why are modern board games frightening?

Goals of Board Game Events and Collections

Little Boxes• Limited components.• Plays in <60 minutes.

• Plays 2-5+ people.• Easy to teach.• Quick to play.• Takes up little shelf or table space.

Splendor: http://boardgamegeek.com/image/2026075/splendor

• Moderate Player interaction.

• Diversity of mechanisms.

• Not overwhelming in theme or strategy.

• Familiar layout.• Appealing to a variety

of ages (8+).

Big Fun

Machi Koro: http://boardgamegeek.com/image/2367459/machi-koro

● Short playtime. A filler game should

last only last thirty minutes (or shorter).

● Encourages repeated play. A filler

game should not get boring quickly.

● Small ruleset. Teach and learn quickly.

5 minutes tops.

● Play large groups. 2-6 is the average

but it is nice to have some play larger

groups (10+) too.

● Player driven. Players have decisions

to be made. Many filler games are

social deduction games for this reason.

● Small box and table footprint. They

should be easy to store, set up, and

break down.

● Social. Filler games should be

something you can be engaged with but

still converse, laugh, and socialize.

Memory: http://boardgamegeek.com/image/343590/memory

Cash & Guns: http://boardgamegeek.com/image/404671/cah-n-gun

Player Interaction

Ticket to Ride: http://boardgamegeek.com/image/474190/ticket-ride-europe

Patron Needs

Board Game Collection Basics

Top Ten Grown Up Board Game Collection

Go Away, Monster: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/image/212213/go-away-monster

10. The Great Heartland Hauling Company

(Pick up and Deliver)

"Dixit game 0001" by yoppy - http://www.flickr.com/photos/44124362019@N01/7128994841.

9. Dixit (Storytelling)

8. Augustus (Set Collection)

7. Incan Gold (Press Your Luck)

https://boardgamegeek.com/image/846614/incan-gold

6. Sushi Go! (Card Drafting, Set Collection)

https://www.boardgamegeek.com/image/2368807/sushi-go

5. For Sale (Auction Bidding)

https://www.boardgamegeek.com/image/144058/sale

4. Hanabi (Cooperative)

3. Las Vegas (Area Control)

https://www.boardgamegeek.com/image/1391641/las-vegas

2. Skull (Bluffing)

https://www.boardgamegeek.com/image/2065306/skull

1. Mascarade (Memory, Variable Roles)

http://gamesareevil.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Mascarade02.jpg

Bonus! Citadels

Bonus! Love Letter[s]

John PappasLibrary Manager, Bucks County Library Systemhttp://www.boardinthelibrary.comhttp://www.webjunction.org/news/webjunction/board-in-the-library-part-one.htmlhttp://www.webjunction.org/events/webjunction/golden-age-of-gaming.html Feb 26th REGISTER NOW!