By Katie Warrener

Evan Kruger enjoys exploring Minecraft Stop-Motion.

WARSAW — The Warsaw Community Public Library joins a thousand libraries around the world to celebrate the transformative power of play in lifelong learning. International Games Week is Oct. 29 to Nov. 4, and like many libraries across the country and around the world, the library offers programs for the whole family.

Monday, Oct. 30, WCPL kicks off International Games Week with a special Family Games Day. Drop in between 3:30 and 6:30 p.m. to play chess, board games, card games, puzzles or video games. The library provides games suitable for all ages. You are also welcome to bring your favorite game to share with a friend. 

From 4:30 to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 31, is Minecraft for middle and high schoolers. Teens can challenge themselves and collaborate while playing Minecraft Education Edition on the library laptops. 

Wednesday, Nov. 1, the fun continues with the monthly Drop-In Zone, where you can hang out with peers and enjoy playing a variety of video games and board games. Drop-In Zone for teens — ages 13 to 17 — is 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Drop-In Zone for adults — 18 and up — is 5:45 to 7:45 p.m. 

From 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Nov. 4, is the Library’s volunteer-run Chess Club for beginners and experts alike. Bring a chess set, if you have one, and enjoy playing chess with your local community. 

Libraries are a great community resource for sharing culture in the form of books, music, movies and technology. More and more they are also a place for the community to gather and play games, an activity that supports lifelong learning and makes learning fun. 

International Games Week is a worldwide library initiative supported by the American Library Association. For more information, check out the Games in Libraries website at games.ala.org. For more information about Warsaw Community Public Library game programs, visit online at warsawlibrary.org or call (574) 267-6011.