GameRT’s 2023 Game On! Grant awarded to Butler Area Public Library (Butler, PA)

CHICAGO — The Games & Gaming Round Table (GameRT) of the American Library Association is pleased to announce Butler Area Public Library (Butler, PA) as the recipient of their 2023 Game On! Grant ($500). GameRT introduced the Game On! grant program in 2020 with the intention of providing libraries with the opportunity to receive funds to develop gaming programs or collections for their community. The grants allow GameRT to award one grant of $500 or two of $250 each year.

Butler Area Public Library will be using grant funds to start a dual-language gaming program. They already offer games programming, but their collection does not have games in Spanish. Because they have a large Spanish-speaking community, BAPL would like to offer more programming and resources in Spanish. Per BAPL’s grant application, “The family game events will attract Latinx community members to the library where they will benefit from all library services and resources. These ongoing events will benefit the broader community by fostering unity and cultural understanding.”

Rebecca Strang, GameRT Past President and chair of the Game On! Grant Jury said, “The Game On! Grant committee is excited to see libraries offering dual-language games programming to encourage community growth. There were several great applications this year, but BAPL’s dual-language plan was unique among the applications, and they presented a clear goal with meaningful outcomes. We are looking forward to hearing their report next year on how the program is received by their community. Given the care and attention to their game selection, we expect the program to be a success that they can replicate for many years.”

Find more information on the Game on! Grant and the application process.

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. Look for more information on the GameRT blog.

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.

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