Niagara Falls library, Brock, team up for video game expo

What’s the first thing you think about when you think about public libraries? Chances are you don’t think about public libraries that often but if you were to take a moment to give it a try, I’d say the first word to enter your mind would probably be “books.”

We hear it again and again from members of the community, particularly those that haven’t paid us a visit lately: the library is for books. We do have lots of books at the Niagara Falls Public Library, to be sure. The problem with the libraries = books equation is that libraries these days offer a lot more. We do so because literacy in the 21st century goes far beyond books.

Promoting and supporting literacy, after all, is a major part of what public libraries have always been about. And while plain old print literacy is just as indispensable as it was in the days before everybody was walking around with a computer in their pocket, digital literacy — having the skills necessary to navigate the complex information landscape of our superconnected civilization — has become more important than ever.

Video games, which used to be looked upon as thoughtless distractions, the enemies of books and reading, are being recognized more and more as tools that can be instrumental in the development of digital literacy. Young gamers learn to identify and overcome systematic challenges, improving their powers of memory and concentration along the way. They learn to research solutions and workarounds, to build communities online, to collaborate and problem-solve with fellow gamers.

As educational as they can be, let’s face it: video games are fun. That’s why kids love them. That’s why we’ve invited students from Brock University’s GAME program to share the video and board games they’ve been working on all year to the Victoria Avenue branch (4848 Victoria Ave.) on Friday, March 17 from 10 a.m. to noon. Bring the little ones in your life to play brand-new Niagara-made games and speak with the creators. While you’re here, ask about borrowing a Nintendo Switch console or games for Switch and other consoles, to get your little ones gaming during the last weekend of March break.

The Brock Game Expo is a drop-in event, so there’s no need to register. You may have noticed that March 17 happens to be St. Patrick’s Day, which is why we’ll also be doing some fun drop-in activities with a green twist. Hope to see you there.