WEST LIBERTY, W.Va., Nov. 2, 2017 — West Liberty University’s Elbin Library will welcome students for a fun night of gaming this evening from 7 – 11 p.m. The event is the brainchild of new librarian Katy Zane.
Zane joined the university this past August and is a gamer herself.
“I love gaming and I play XBox, Cards Against Humanity, iPad Room series and more. I really enjoy pulp culture and just about any game, including board games,” she said. “After all, who doesn’t need a break from studying and working once in a while?”
Gaming Night at the Library is also in honor of the American Library Association’s observance of gaming week.
Preparing for gaming night are (from left) freshman Ashley Bibey of Parkersburg, Librarian Katy Zane and seniors Stacey Meadows of Bellaire and Dalton Kittle of Moundsville.
“We want to show that the library isn’t just a place to study. We think that what’s important to the students is important to us as well. The library has lots of fun resources too. We are going to hook up consoles to the TVs we have in the instruction area, we’ve purchased some fun Apps for the iPads and we’ll have different tables for board games and card games too,” she added.
Zane added that the WLU student gaming club has been key in developing this activity and she credits its president Dalton Kittle, who is an intern at the library, with assisting in the planning. Zane is now the academic advisor for the student club.
A resident of Bethlehem, Zane is currently finishing her Master of Library Science degree online with Wayne State University. She earned her bachelor’s degree at Brigham Young University and manages all this while taking care of her three children, Tommy, Maddie Kay and Benji in fifth, third and kindergarten grades.
“I got into library science after I had my last baby and I was complaining to my husband Tom about my life and saying that all I want to do is be with books and people. He pointed out to me that was a librarian,” she explained. “I am so lucky to be here. I love to help people find what’s right for them and the library offers something for everyone.”
“We are really hoping that tonight is a success. If it is, we would like it to be regular thing for the students,” Zane said.
Zane said that she started gaming when she was about 10 years old and her husband enjoys it too.
She also said that the gaming night is a dry run for the new iPad service that the library wants to start. The plan is that students can check out a library iPad and use it in the library (which is two big floors) to do homework assignments or even Skype their family and friends.
“They can go wherever they want in the library and use it. We have many international students and students who need an iPad and we want to help,” she said.
Elbin Library will even provide some snacks for gaming night, supplied by Library Director Cheryl Harshman and Library Assistant Stacie Groch.
Hundreds of students use the library on a daily basis and benefit from its technology, research and reference tools.
The library collection features over 250,000 items in print, audio, and video formats; plus two special collections – The Henry Lash Sheet Music Collection, and the Nelle M. Krise Rare Books Collection. The library staff assists students and visitors with research, reference, course work and other informational needs. For more information, please call 304-336-8261 or visit westliberty.edu/library.
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