Introduction

You’ve got an idea to play a TTRPG in your school or public library, you know your students or patrons want to be engaged, but you need buy-in from senior leadership, your manager or both. You might also need a budget to bring in the games, books, dice, food, whatever you think will make your gaming session a success. This chapter will deal with evidence to show managers and senior leadership why running a TTRPG in your library is a good idea.

As I mentioned in the Introduction, the number one rule you should follow when playing a TTRPG in your school or public library is to have fun. There is more to this than just a word, though. The idea of fun carries with it a lot of weight, today more than ever. Preston (2020) states that the concept of playing and having fun can have significant benefits for learning such as retaining information and being open to new ideas, for example. When someone is attempting to create something and becomes stuck, they will often abandon the framework of rules that they’ve been given and daydream, says Preston (2020). And in schools, assignments and programmes that incorporate playing will hold students’ attention for longer.

TTRPGs can be considered playing just for fun, but, as this chapter will explore, the games are much deeper than that and have many benefits. I have spoken to many teens about why they love playing TTRPGs in our library. One of the main reasons they enjoy it is that it carries with it a certain freedom to explore with their friends. The GM has created a world and they are able to exist within it as they want, with no judgement.

Why collect TTRPGs?

If you are hoping to collect TTRPGs and start a programme in a school or public library, you will be filling a public need. Like the programme or not (and I haven't met anyone who doesn't like it), Stranger Things has, in my opinion, catapulted TTRPGs like D&D into a new realm. I have spoken to both public and school librarians who have said this is the number one thing on their young patrons’ minds when asking about playing a TTRPG: I’m going to be playing the same game as my heroes on Stranger Things.