[Michlib-l] Dungeons and Dragons and Libraries

[Chris Wells]

I don't have much experience with Dungeons and Dragons in the library, but I have done a bit of DM'ing for groups of teenagers, so I will base my comments on that.


1.       I would say that success could be a problem in this case because as you stated, more than 5-6 players can be difficult to manage, especially if they try to split the party during a session (it can be a lot of fun to split, but wow, a bit confusing too). In my opinion in a setting such as you are describing you should always be training up another individual (or two) to start DM'ing at some point. When you have a second and/or third individual who can DM it relieves a lot of pressure for those nights you are unable to DM, or for when you need to break out another table and have a concurrent session. I would say that requiring registration for the event could be good for preparation sake, but maybe only after you have an established group and are starting to see some fluctuation in attendance.

2.       My first foray into DnD was about 5yrs ago when my daughter chose to play as an elective for her home school curriculum. We went to a local game store together and had a lot of fun, even though it was with a bunch of middle-age men. The guys toned down some of the intensity and seemed to really take satisfaction in helping a younger player get into a hobby they themselves enjoyed quite a bit. I also found that my daughter would bring up ideas that would often surprise and intrigue the other players because her inexperience and age brought interesting solutions that weren't as clichéd as what the other players had become accustomed to. At the same time, when several middle-school kids joined another table at the store it brought a bit of chaos and unhappiness. In my experience groups of kids like to show off to their peers (in doing "stupid" stuff in game) and they also like to test their limits (what will happen if I kill this NPC?). This often frustrates older players. The flip side is that groups of adults, without youth present, might push into more GoT type scenarios, which may or may not be appropriate for your library environment. In the end, I think having a mix of players of different ages, backgrounds, and experiences is a great thing, but it might requiring splitting groups up into multiple sessions as described above.

3.       Miniature printing/painting, map making, conlang creation, DM howto seminars, cosplay creation/show, etc... I have included two links below for finding good 3D models for printing.

4.       N/A

5.       I would recommend using the Adventurers League campaigns for your sessions as they are usually more episodic in nature, in part to facilitate exactly what you're doing. You can find more information here: https://dndadventurersleague.org/start-here/dungeon-masters/ and you can purchase the campaign pieces on the Dungeon Masters Guild, here: https://www.dmsguild.com/browse.php?filters=45470_0_0_0_0_0_0_0 . Each "chapter" of the season is about $3.99, with the entire season going for a discounted price of about $40 (using DDAL05 "Storm King's Thunder" as an example, as seen here: https://www.dmsguild.com/product/230535/DDAL05-Storm-Kings-Thunder-BUNDLE?filters=45470_0_0_0_0_0_0_0)


3D modeler Miguel Zavala, has created models for all the monsters in the Monster Manual and Volo's Guide to Monsters. They are available for free download (requires free signup) here: https://www.shapeways.com/designer/mz4250

Hero Forge is a great website for designing custom characters and they provide an STL download of your model for $9.99. See here: https://www.heroforge.com/

Hopefully you find the above comments somewhat useful. I would love to hear how things turn out for your group. Good luck!

Thanks,
--
Chris Wells
IT Manager, Genesee District Library

THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN THIS EMAIL ARE MY OWN AND DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE VIEWS OF THE GENESEE DISTRICT LIBRARY.

From: michlib-l-bounces at mcls.org [mailto:michlib-l-bounces at mcls.org] On Behalf Of Patrick Cook via Michlib-l
Sent: Tuesday, September 24, 2019 8:50 PM
To: michlib-l at mcls.org
Subject: [Michlib-l] Dungeons and Dragons and Libraries

Hello there!

I'm attempting to build a program for my library so that we have a consistent game of Dungeons and Dragons (5E, for those who care). I'm looking for anyone with information or experience in running library programs which play Dungeons and Dragons. I have a lot of questions about the logistics of playing and running a game, as well as unexpected pitfalls or experiences which may be helpful to know in advance. Some of my concerns and thoughts include:

  1.  What do you do when the volume of players becomes too high? As of right now, I'm the only librarian on staff who is working on the program, and I'm assuming I would play the role of Dungeon Master for the program. For those familiar, it's difficult to manage more than 5-6 players, so what do I do if the program is successful enough to gain more players?
  2.  What is your experience with running or attempting to run such programs? Should their be age brackets for potential players? What methods have you used to limit or mitigate the damage from more toxic players? What are the demographics of your groups?
  3.  Any ideas for integrating library resources to keep patrons coming around? Our branch has a 3d printer, for example, which could be used by patrons interested in making a model of their character.
  4.  How was your program received by the community? Did parents complain? Did it get new players?
  5.  On a less important note, how do you manage when players come/go unexpectedly? I can foresee a group being pretty fluid as people come and try the game for the first time and then decide they don't want to continue, or simply can't make it frequently.
Any insights you could offer me would be really helpful. I'd also love to hear about ways of creative materials use, means of holding attention for various age brackets, etc.

Thanks in advance!

Patrick Cook
Clerk; Bedford Branch of the Monroe County Library System

"Fantasy is hardly an escape from reality. It's a way of understanding it." -Lloyd Alexander
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