Graduate Student – Simmons University – Interviewed by Julie Hornick
Tell us about yourself. I am just this December finishing up my final semester in the dual Masters program at Simmons University where I have obtained a Masters in Library Science, and just need to finalize my Masters in History. I am applying to library opportunities in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and would love to bring my experience and education to bear in a position there. My focus at Simmons has been in Archives and preservation, so my eventual goal is to work in an archive or library that assists with research and education, as those are my passions as well.
How would you define a gamer? To me, a gamer is someone who likes to actively participate in stories. Taking a part of and playing within a world can give an experience that no other medium can, whether it is with friends or by yourself.
What got you into gaming? Gaming has always played a huge role in my life, as my parents instilled a deep love of games in me at a young age.
What game are you excited by right now? Why? One of my favorite games to play at the moment is Deep Rock Galactic, which is a video game about dwarves mining precious materials while fighting off dangerous bug-aliens. It is a cooperative game that focuses on collaborating with your fellow dwarves in order to get in and get out alive. I enjoy it because it lets me spend time with my friends and work together towards a common goal. I also very much enjoy playing table top roleplaying games, such as Dungeons and Dragons. I am a dungeon master for a weekly game with my friends, and play in two other games that meet most weeks, but not all.
Share a program that you have developed or participated in that you were really proud of or excited by. As part of my interest in Dungeons and Dragons, I host a biweekly podcast, called The Clanfire, where me and my friends chat about the prehistoric world of Planegea, a campaign setting for 5th edition Dungeons and Dragons. I also moderate the passionate community around the Planegea setting that gathers in places like Reddit and Discord.
Does your library have a gaming collection? If so, tell us a little bit about it. My local library has a gaming collection that I have made use of plenty of times. It consists of board games and a couple card games, but was a great resource for me when I was younger, especially to have something to play with my friends.
What would you tell someone who wants to bring game programs or collections to their library? If other librarians are considering bringing in game programs to their library, I would suggest looking into tabletop roleplaying games like Dungeons and Dragons and other similar roleplaying games. I find that they are wonderful resources for a community to come together and experience a story that they have a hand in, and can be the focus of outreach events or gaming nights hosted by the library.
Thank you to Adam Beckwith!
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Do you know someone who is an active gamer or who has done a lot to promote games and gaming at their libraries? Please consider nominating them via this link. Self nominations are encouraged – don’t be shy!