Thank you, everyone, for the very generous responses to my request about circulating board games. As always, I’m in awe! Some of the responses included attachments. Hopefully, the tech gods were smiling on me today and they’ll all be included at the end of the text. Thanks again! ***** We started a board game collection about a year ago, and it's gone . . . fairly well. The patrons really like it, but there have been some headaches for staff. I've attached the template I created for cataloging the games, and examples of the content and name labels we put on the inside of each box. I looked at how other libraries had cataloged the games in their collections -- some were bare bones records, just a title and a subject; some were very elaborate and detailed -- and took things I liked from a bunch of different places . . . I figured if I was going to have to spend the time creating a record from scratch, I was going to include enough information to make it worth my while. It was slow getting started, but having the games on a shelf where patrons could see them helped a lot -- not behind the desk or someplace else where patrons would have to ask to see them. Also, we've invested in tons of Ziploc bags -- the small snack-sized ones and the sandwich-sized. When we're processing the games, we put all the parts into bags (dice, tokens, cards -- anything that fits in them, really). It helps keep the games organized, and hopefully helps patrons return all the pieces. Then you have to decide how much staff time you want to put into the collection, and if you care if pieces are missing when the games are returned. Since we purchased all of the games for our collection, we decided that it mattered that all the pieces were brought back. That means I count all the pieces when processing the games, and desk staff counts the pieces when they are returned. That also means desk staff has to take time to call patrons and ask about missing components, and we had to figure out a way to charge patrons fairly for missing pieces. We charge $0.10 per missing piece if we have a replacement or can find a replacement (we now have a stockpile of timers, marbles, RISK army men, etc.), but some games (especially those for teens and adults) have specialty pieces that are needed to play the game, so we charge the full replacement cost if those pieces are lost . . . thankfully that has not happened yet. This is probably way more information than you wanted, but hopefully some of it is helpful, ***** My previous library circulated board games and puzzles. We let them circulate for 2 weeks with a limit of 2 per family at one time. We made a list of the pieces that needed to be returned with a note of a $.25 charge for missing pieces (games only). We also had it stated that if they told us of a missing piece when they returned it (the assumption was that the previous patron lost it), then we would not charge them. Puzzles with missing pieces were just removed from the collection. Most board game companies offer replacement parts at little or no cost - you just have to contact them. Only once did we have to charge a higher replacement cost when a game came back severely damaged. ***** We have circulated board games for almost a year. In general, they come back intact, with all pieces. We do a few things to help with that. Our board games go out for 2 weeks. We tape the box edges but also put them in plastic storage cases (mostly because ours go in our delivery trucks between branches). All games have a label that gives a list of all the game's contents. It helps patrons make sure they have everything. We also laminate the rule books for each game. Any cards that can be sleeved are, we purchase MayDay Games card sleeves. All of these things cost quite little compared to some of the games we circulate. As for replacement pieces, it really depends on the game. We try hard to make it as convenient and cost-efficient for patrons as possible. For instance, when a card for Ticket to Ride was chewed on by a patron's dog, they were willing to pay for the whole game, however we contacted Days of Wonder (the manufacturer), and they actually sent an entire deck of replacement cards free. For other games, I always look online for replacement parts first. There are a lot of sites that you can purchase pieces from. ***** We've just started to circulate board games. They can be checked out for one month (I personally think that's too long..a week would be adequate), and we have a sticker on the front of the box and the inside cover explaining that if all the pieces are not returned or damaged, the patron will be responsible for the cost of replacing the entire game. I think it's going to be tricky keeping track of cards, play money, etc. but we'll see. ***** Just a thought…. Instead of circulating the games, start a gaming club so adults can meet and play at the library… using your games or bringing their own. ***** We circulate our board games. If I can find a record in OCLC I will use it. If one isn't there then I do original cataloging. Our games have a special collection code for Games. We circulate them for 1 week. So far we haven't had any problems with this. I would be happy to answer any other questions you might have. ***** Board Game Template 024 a UPC barcode 040 a bdl b eng e rda 090 a BG ABC [First 3 letter of title] 100 a Game designer [last name, first name], e game designer. *More important for teen/adult games; info can be found on boardgamegeek.com 245 a Title h [game] / c Name of game designer. 246 a [If necessary] 264 a City, State : b Company, c Copyright. 300 a 1 game ([description of components from box (general – 240 cards, 6 pawns, etc.; will be expanded in 505 line)]) : b material type [cardboard, plastic, etc.] ; c in box [l x w x h] cm. 336 a three-dimensional form 2 rdacontent 337 a unmediated 2 rdamedia 338 a object 2 rdacarrier 500 a Number of players statement from box 500 a Playing time statement – “Playing time: x minutes” *Can be found on boardgamegeek.com 500 a Choking hazard warning from box 505 a Game box – [detailed list of contents; expand from 300 line (240 cards (120 green, 120 red); 6 pawns (1 of each: black, blue, green, red, yellow, white)] 520 a Short phrase or summary provided on box or rule book. 521 a Age information from box 650 a Topic x Games. *Rarely used except for specialty games for teens and adults 655 a Genre [ Strategy, Card, Children’s, etc.] games. 655 a Board games. [last 655] *Always use even if item is not a board game – allows user to pull up entire game collection Board Game Template 710 a e publisher. ***** To avoid additional fees upon return, the game should include: Instructions 63 Green Apple Cards 441 Red Apple Cards To avoid additional fees upon return, the game should include: Instruction Insert Gameboard 6 Dice 24 Marbles (4 of each: blue, green, orange, pink, white, yellow) To avoid additional fees upon return, the game should include: Game Guide Gameboard 5 Armies in War Crates (40 infantry, 12 cavalry, 8 artillery of each: blue, green, indigo, orange, & yellow) 5 Dice 56 Cards in Card Box To avoid additional fees upon return, the game should include: Instructions (in English & Spanish) Gameboard 104 Sequence Cards 135 Playing Chips (50 blue, 50 green, 35 red) To avoid additional fees upon return, the game should include: Rulesheet Gameboard 95 Door Cards 73 Treasure Cards 10 Player Tokens (5 male, 5 female) 1 Custom Die Apples to Apples 11/2017 $14.79 Aggravation 11/2017 $19.99 Risk 11/2017 $29.99 Sequence 11/2017 $17.99 Munchkin 11/2017 $29.95 -- Sharon Crotser-Toy Director *Watervliet District Library* 333 N. Main Street Watervliet, MI 49098 269-463-6382 Connects People, Inspires Ideas, Transforms Lives