Name Your Game

The library has board games? Yes, we do! When was the last time you played a "retro game," one that doesn't require a computer, a TV, a game console, or even electric? You know, games you may have played while growing up, like Checkers, Chess, Monopoly, Life, Chutes and Ladders, Candy Land, Battleship, Yahtzee, Sorry, etc. Am I ringing any bells? Maybe some of us have good childhood memories playing those games with our siblings or the whole family together.

Sure, video games (which can also be checked out from the library) are fun and popular today among kids and kids at heart, but there are a lot of good things about board games:

• Unplugging.  Take a break from your phone and other electronic devices. The only thing that should be plugged in is a lamp.
• Togetherness.  Board games require a minimum of 2 people to play, unlike many video games which only need 1 player. Board games give us a good excuse to spend time with friends and family.
• Socializing.  Being together allows us to talk, something that's especially good for kids who can boost their language skills in a non-academic, informal setting.
• Focusing.  The Internet is great for so many things, but lengthening our attention span isn't one of them. Board games force us to focus and think.
• Soothing.  When we're focusing on the game, we forget about work, school, and other things. We relax and feel less anxious.
• Losing.  No one likes losing, but board games teach all of us how to be good losers. We all lose and are disappointed at one time or another, but we also relish working towards a win and succeeding.
• Fun!  Board games are just plain fun, and so many of us get caught up in the stresses of life that we often forget how to just let go. Playtime is important not just for kids, but for teens and adults as well.

So come on over to the library, and besides checking out books, DVDs, and whatnot, check out a board game! We got the classic games you know and newer ones you may not. Perhaps start a game night once a week with your family, or give yourself and your friends something to do on the weekends as the weather gets cooler. And did I mention that board games, as everything else in our library, check out for free??

Wishing you happy board gaming from the perch.

The Book First? Or the Movie?

I recently saw the film adaptation of Where the Crawdads Sing, and I confess that I didn't read the book before watching the movie. Yes, I know it's a popular book, and the reason why I didn't rush to read it is I'm not a big fan of courtroom dramas. So when the movie came out, I thought I'd get an idea of what all the fuss over the book was about.

I admit that even as a librarian, I'll occasionally watch the movie before I read the book. Sometimes the movie will sell me on a book that doesn't immediately grab me. That was the case with The Light Between Oceans, a bestselling book when it was first published. Watching the movie made me want to read the book and get more details of the story. I believe film adaptations have the power to create interest in reading the books on which they were based.

Similarly, books have the power to draw readers to film adaptations. Which fan of Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings didn't want to see Peter Jackson's movies when they first came out in the cinema? I remember sitting in a packed theater on opening weekend with other moviegoers who were also there because they wanted to see Middle Earth and its characters brought to life on the screen. Many readers want to re-live their favorite literary experiences through film and compare their vision to that of others.

Let's face it--books sell their film adaptations, and film adaptations sell books. It's a cycle that's been going on for decades, and I'm sure you've probably watched a movie because of a book or read a book because of a movie. As for myself, I just may read Delia Owens' bestseller because of its intriguing film adaptation. Which movies have sold you on a book and vice versa? Share with us!

Wishing you good reads and good movie-watching from the perch.