Have you ever wanted to start a TTRPG (tabletop role-playing game) program at your library? Perhaps you’ve never played a game yourself before, but you know that youth at your library would be interested. Perhaps you were not a theater kid and are worried that you just aren’t a good actor or good at improv. Or, maybe you have completed a few campaigns with a local D&D group, and you know how much preparation goes into a successful campaign. You worry that you just don’t have enough hours in the day to prepare something fun and engaging for your library patrons. This morning at #alsc26, Youth & Teen Services Librarian Elizabeth Sanderson aimed to help with these common challenges, and more!
In her session, “Mastering the Dungeon: How to Incorporate RPGs into Your Youth and Teen Services Programming,” Sanderson shared a plethora of resources for beginning DMs. She highlighted a few different paths for librarians looking to bring games to their own libraries: using preexisting campaigns, creating new campaigns, or adapting a world into a TTRPG. She also highlighted pros and cons of each option, which are outlined below!
| Path | Pros | Cons |
| Preexisting Campaigns | – Saves time – Structured – Play-tested – Existing resources – Authentic and consistent feel | – Inflexible – Predictable – Lack of personalization – Reliant on existing written materials |
| Creating a New Campaign for an Existing RPG World/Title | – Less preparation required for world-building – Personalized to players | – Time-consuming (preparation) – Imbalanced or inconsistent gameplay |
| Adapting a World Into a TTRPG | – Personalized to community interests – Flexible | – Time-consuming (preparation) – Imbalanced or inconsistent gameplay |
If you’re interested in building your own world, or adapting an existing one, Sanderson recommends including an introduction that hooks players into the game, a conflict-driven rising action that includes sidequests and skirmishes, a conflict to defeat “the big boss,” and a clear denouement that allows for a resolution and end to the gameplay. To illustrate these concepts, and what your first campaign meeting (Session Zero in RPG terms) might look like, she walked us through character creation with an 80s classic: The Breakfast Club.
After using the character sheets that Sanderson created and participating in the group discussion of the film, I feel more confident in my own abilities to host an RPG event. I am excited to review the resources that she shared and learn even more about existing worlds and games that might interest my community.
Annaliese Melvin (she/they) is a children’s librarian at a neighborhood library in Washington, D.C. Originally from Pennsylvania, she moved to the DC-area in 2020 to become a special education teacher after graduating with her bachelor’s from Arcadia University. In 2023, she graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi with a master’s degree in Library and Information Science and transitioned into the library field. Annaliese currently works to bring more inclusive programming to DC Public Libraries for children of all ages. She is passionate about equity, inclusion, reading, and Philadelphia sports.