Game on! Library unveils new gaming room

NORTH BALTIMORE — A new gaming area at the North Baltimore Public Library is all about having fun. There are pictures of painted crayons on the wall and a rug with 10 brightly colored butterflies surrounded by alphabet letters. There's also a 55-inch smart TV on which the library's smallest patrons can play interactive video games and watch movies. "We are so excited to have a gaming area," said library director Holly Emahiser Ryder. "We opened the space a few days before we had to shut down in March. We have since reopened it, and children play Wipeout and other fun games — socially distanced, of course." The gaming area, located in the children's room, is named in memory of Kevin Welch, a North Baltimore resident who died in October 2019. "His family has always used the library, and he always donated to our snack after school," Ryder said of Welch. "So it was really cool that he was a library supporter for a long time." Memorial money for Welch was used to purchase the smart TV that is used for storytime sessions and movie viewings. The library also has a PlayStation that can be hooked up for gaming. Ryder said the popular game Wipeout is similar to the TV show in which contestants compete in an obstacle course. "You're not sitting there with a controller in your hand. You're jumping over obstacles and playing, so it really gets their blood pumping. So they go play that, then they go back and do their homework," Ryder said. Since there are no controllers to touch, the children can be kept distanced as they rotate in and out of the games. Ryder added that the gaming area will allow for more pop-up programming. "If kids are bored at home, they can come in almost any time. And as long as we're available, we'd be glad to turn it on," she said. "So we can have smaller groups more frequently, and you don't need a staff person in another room to monitor the whole program." Cheryl Heilman, assistant director and youth services coordinator, said she has also been using the area for her twice-weekly storytime sessions. Storytime is open to infants through age 5, along with a caregiver. "There are different YouTube videos, so we can sing and dance during storytime, which is great," she said. The library staff hopes to eventually offer gaming tournaments, and may even open a teen gaming area. Currently, the gaming room is open to youth up to about sixth grade. "So we'd like have grades six through 12 be able to play and game and do a little different gaming," Ryder said. "My ultimate goal is to play other libraries, too. So, like, the North Baltimore library takes on the McComb library or Wood County or Findlay. It would just be really cool." Ryder said the staff appreciates the Welch family for being willing to work with the library to provide the new area. "Those donations allowed us to create that vision that we had. Sometimes it's just takes that special family, that community support, to get the vision going," said Ryder. Wolf: 419-427-8419 jeanniewolf@thecourier.com