Dragons in the Stacks

April 1, 2015

In this professional resource for both public and school librarians, Torres-Roman and Snow give a concise yet thorough look at tabletop role-playing games (RPGs) and their role in library collections and programming. Starting with a gentle introduction to old school tabletop RPGs by way of their history and a rundown of the most popular titles, the authors walk librarians through the complete process of adding these games to their collection, discussing the qualities one should look for when considering what games to select, the technical aspects of cataloging them, and cementing RPGs as a bona fide resource rather than a bait-and-switch diversion. Torres-Roman and Snow aren't afraid to give real, practical advice about dealing with problem patrons and the potentially emotionally charged environment of gaming. Appendices include a guide to current games, with an easy-to-understand ratings system that allows review of the game's key parameters at a glance, and a list of games tagged by genre. VERDICT Librarians who have been successfully integrating role-playing games into their programs for some time won't find much new here, but those who are just experimenting with the medium will see that as an invaluable guide, and even those seasoned pros could use it as a handy desk reference.-M. Brandon Robbins, Goldsboro H.S., NC

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