Games and Gaming Round Table announces Game On! Grants

CHICAGO – The Games and Gaming Round Table of the American Library Association is proud to unveil a new annual grant program to enable libraries to develop gaming programs or collections for their public. Through the new Game On! Grants $500.00 will be available to be awarded either as one grant of $500 or two of $250 each to assist a library or libraries in developing gaming programs or collections for their communities.

ALA members in good standing currently employed at a public, school, academic or special library in the United States or Canada are eligible to apply. Libraries will need to illustrate a plan for a sustainable gaming program created with the funds as well as financial need and institutional support for the proposed program. The Game On! Grant online application is open now (ALA member login required to access).

GameRT President Jennifer Bartlett said “GameRT recognizes that librarians who are deeply enthusiastic about gaming may not have the funds to start a game library at their present location. At a time when funding - even for books and staff - is continually decreased, finding money for games is not top priority. The GameRT is excited to offer this grant to help those librarians bring gaming to their communities and bring new people not only in to the hobby, but the library as well."

The application period will take place from January 1 to March 1 of each year, and the grant winner will be announced at GameRT’s “ALA Play” event at the annual ALA conference, which will take place this year in Chicago from June 25-30, 2020. Learn more about the Game On! Grants or apply online

About the Games and Gaming Round Table

The Games and Gaming Round Table (GameRT) of the American Library Association provides a venue for librarians interested in the use of games and gaming in libraries of all types a place to gather and share. GameRT was formed in 2011, replacing and extending the pre-existing gaming member interest group. As a round table, GameRT is built around our shared passion for games and the use of gaming within libraries. With members from all types of libraries, GameRT encompasses a wide variety of viewpoints, situations, and user types. Their blog can be found at games.ala.org.

About ALA

Established in 1876, the American Library Association (ALA) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization created to provide leadership for the development, promotion, and improvement of library and information services and the profession of librarianship in order to enhance learning and ensure access to information for all.