Throughout my life I have been known to spend a lot of my free time getting lost in digital worlds – unfortunately, this also means I have been known to spend a lot of my money on these experiences as well. When the newest and most impressive video games cost $60-$70, it’s no surprise that gamers have to save up for weeks (if not months) in advance to purchase a new game.

Naturally, as many people are with their hobbies, this would make me stretch the truth and my bank account: “Well if this game takes me 100 hours to beat, but I pay $60 for it, then I’m really only paying less than a dollar per hour of entertainment, right? Plus, they’re having a sale where I can get two games for $90, so I better take advantage of that!”. Of course, this wouldn’t be a problem if I had only done this on occasion, but as anyone who plays video games can surely relate, these “sale traps” inevitably happen multiple times a year.

It wasn’t until after I began working at the library that I was met with an astounding revelation: public libraries carry video games. Not only do they carry video games, but they have modern video games and pay attention to what games are popular. Not only THAT, but the video games are also FREE to rent, just like the books? My mind was blown and my bank account was suddenly a lot safer.

The library carries titles across multiple consoles, including the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 & 5, and multiple Xbox consoles (sorry PC gamers, but you’ll have to keep waiting for those sales). Even better is that if L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library doesn’t carry the title you’re looking for, other libraries in the area may own the game and we can have it shipped right here in Eau Claire for you to pick it up, just like most other items!

Our video games are located right on the first floor of the library, near our DVD’s and other visual media, and are able to be checked out for a week at a time (not including renewals). If you’re less interested in modern games and would like to take a trip back in time, I would recommend that you look into our Library of Things (located to the right of the front door on the first floor of the library) where you can check out some older gaming systems, like a PlayStation 1, with games included.

Lastly, if you’re interested in more about video games than just playing them, you should know that November is International Games Month (IGM) and our library is one of many that chooses to celebrate! We will be having a wide array of programming available to library-goers of all ages, including a course about creating your very own game for the classic Game Boy handheld console (Intro to GB Studio, Sat. Nov. 2nd 3-5 p.m.).

With that being said, IGM isn’t just about video games, it’s also about tabletop/board games too! Consider attending our Adult Game Night (Fri. Nov. 15 from 6-8 p.m., adults only) where library patrons come together at the Brewing Projekt to play boardgames and party games, our MagiKids Magic the Gathering (MtG) event (Wed. Nov. 27th 2-5 p.m.) where kids will receive a starter deck and begin learning the basics of MtG, or take some time to check out the solo-journaling tabletop roleplaying game called “The Librarian’s Apprentice” which will be available all month down in the RCU Dabble Box.

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