SOUTHAMPTON — Abby Thibodeau wants Valley residents to rediscover personal connection through board games — so the 12-year-old Girl Scout has started a board game check-out program at the Edwards Public Library.
Thibodeau, a seventh-grader at Hampshire Regional High School, said she and her family often play board games after dinner, and she wants to encourage others to have quality time together by playing games.
“With all the electronics these days, people don’t seem to be playing board games,” Thibodeau said.
The program launched at the library in August, and will eventually include about a dozen games, including Exploding Kittens, Kitty Paw, Concept, Apples to Apples, Toss Your Cookies and Monopoly. Some games are still in the process of being cataloged before being put into circulation.
The project was the final step for Thibodeau to earn her Girl Scout Silver Award, the highest recognition for achievement for a cadette, the Girl Scout tier for girls in sixth through eighth grade.
Thibodeau said she was inspired by a library in central Massachusetts that she visited during a day trip, where she noticed board games could be rented.
She said she reached out to the Edwards Public Library, and library staff agreed as long as the games didn’t have a lot of easily misplaced pieces. Thibodeau has attached labels on each of the games with a list of pieces, so people will remember to return them in complete condition.
Librarian Johanna Douglass said Thibodeau’s idea is creative and shows initiative. She said it’s beneficial for the library to have young people as shareholders.
To gather games, Thibodeau reached out to businesses as well as Girl Scout troops for game donations.
Businesses donated a game in exchange for promotional advertising. Thibodeau featured the companies logos on web posters, which she shared on social media and community forums, and mentioned the company at each game night.
Game publisher The Oatmeal donated their Exploding Kittens, a card game where players avoid drawing the “exploding kitten” card. A2Z Science & Learning Store in Northampton donated Concept, a board game which involves solving riddles.
Modern Myths in Northampton donated Kitty Paw, a dexterity and reaction game where players must quickly arrange game pieces in a specified pattern. Thibodeau said the shop’s owners also gave tips on running game nights.
Thibodeau hosted game nights during the summer to spread the word about the games provided at the library, and to teach people how to play each one.
She said she was nervous about leading the game nights and public speaking, but had fun meeting people. Seeing the expressions on people’s faces was great, she said, especially when they realized they could use a cunning move on an opponent.
Caitlin Ashworth can be reached at cashworth@gazettenet.com.