Second Annual Gaming Event Held at UH Libraries

Over 160 students, faculty and staff, alumni and visitors from the Houston area attended Game On, Cougars! at the University of Houston Libraries this month.

The event, now in its second year, offers a full day of open gaming, complete with board games, card games, miniature gaming, puzzles and video games.

The second annual Game On, Cougars! was a hit with gaming enthusiasts.

This year, UH Libraries partnered with FoodMachine Houston to hold a food drive during Game On, Cougars! benefiting the Houston Food Bank. Attendees contributed over $1600 in food items and cash donations. The group also taught board games, ran raffles, and managed Warmachine miniatures.

Members of Houston Pathfinder Society also attended, and gave participants tutorials on role-playing games. Several organizations donated games for play at the event, and game stores were also on hand to run demos and sell games, including Ettin Games.

Game On, Cougars! is hosted as part of International Games Day @ Your Library, an initiative of the American Library Association that encourages communities to connect with their libraries through the educational, recreational and social value of games.

View photos from Game On, Cougars! 2014.

UH Libraries + Games = Student Success

Last year, over 130 gaming enthusiasts gathered at the University of Houston Libraries for the first-ever Game On, Cougars!, a day of open gaming for the UH community. This year, the event levels up with a legendary alliance for an even more epic experience.

UH students are invited to Game On, Cougars! 2014

FoodMachine Houston, a non-profit organization comprising gamers whose mission is to make a positive impact on the community through charitable acts of gaming, will be volunteering alongside UH Libraries staff at this year’s event on Saturday, November 15 at the MD Anderson Library Rockwell Pavilion. The group will teach board games, run raffles, and manage Warmachine miniatures and video game tournaments for UH attendees, and accept donations for the Houston Food Bank as well.

FoodMachine Houston

“We are thrilled to be working collaboratively with FoodMachine Houston on the planning and running of Game On, Cougars!, and we expect that it will be at least twice as big as last year’s event,” said Rachel Vacek, head of Web Services and co-chair of the event.

Houston Pathfinder Society will also be attending to give participants a crash course on role-playing games. Game developers will also showcase prototypes in need of play-testers, and vendors will display merchandise. Attendees will have plenty of chances to win prizes, too.

Beyond a fun day of gaming at the UH Libraries, Game On, Cougars! is also designed to promote student success, which “is about helping students acquire the skills they need to become lifelong learners and be successful both in college and on the path they have chosen after graduation,” Vacek, an avid gamer herself, said. “I believe that playing games – whether board games, video games, or role-playing games – strengthens social bonds and builds trust between people. Games also encourage players to find innovative solutions, teach them how to persevere through challenges, and collaborate effectively to reach shared goals. Many games require critical thinking and problem solving skills. All these benefits of gaming translate into having better study skills and more effective interactions within the classroom and beyond.”

Game On, Cougars! is hosted in conjunction with hundreds of libraries around the globe in celebration of International Games Day @ Your Library, an initiative of the American Library Association. Sponsorship opportunities are available for Houston-based developers, publishers and sellers.

Who: You! All UH students, staff and faculty are invited to attend.
What: A FREE day of board games, card games, war games, miniatures, role-playing games, and video games; prizes, refreshments and more!
When: Saturday, November 15, 2014
Where: MD Anderson Library Rockwell Pavilion