This Saturday, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m., marks MPL's 3rd Annual Games Fair. We will be celebrating National Gaming Day in Libraries along with over 1,200 other libraries. Many might wonder what games are doing in a place of learning, and why Libraries expend energy on promoting them.

I would answer that games are more than frivolous entertainment, and are a crucial part of our culture, both past and present. Games teach skills such as cooperation and perseverance, and are a form of social interaction that is immensely popular. Video games introduce players to new technologies, board games stress strategic thinking, and card games require ingenuity and creativity.

Games are also everywhere now. In 2008 a Pew Research Study showed that more than half of adults are regular video game players, and that number is only growing. The average age of a game-player is now 35 or more, meaning that video games aren't just for kids.

Are games a replacement for books? Of course not. Are they enjoyable and thought-provoking and a great way to make friends, like books? We think so.

So if you love games of any kind, or would like to know more about why people can't get enough of their favorite games, come play and learn at our 3rd Annual Games Fair. Bring your children, bring your parents, and most importantly bring your sense of fun.