COLORADO SPRINGS — For more than a decade, teenagers have been utilizing tales of swords and sorcery shared in the crucible of collective storytelling to develop real-world skills as well as meaningful communities at Library 21c, a branch of the Pikes Peak Library District (PPLD) located off Chapel Hills Drive in northern Colorado Springs.
The above-mentioned collective storytelling efforts are, of course, a reference to an ongoing Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) program, where cooperation and creativity are the (most useful) words of the day.
According to senior librarian Christa Funke, the long-running tabletop adventures constitute the branch's most highly attended program aimed at the teenage demographic. "We have multiple campaigns going on," added Funke.
Watch the Full Story in the Player Below
While other libraries across the district have, in recent years, adopted D&D programs of their own, Library 21c and East Library have the largest programs. Funke says that, as of mid-August, the district has hosted nearly 100 D&D sessions and seen 1,132 attendees; of that number, 531 attendees were participating in sessions at Library 21c.
Of course, Dungeons and Dragons only constitutes one program out of a large and diverse pool of programs made for and aimed at the teenage demographic. The Pikes Peak Library District also offers opportunities to pursue:
- Creative writing efforts
- Various artistic endeavors
- Video production pursuits
- 3D printing and more
According to Funke, the goal with all of these programs is to provide a space for growth in a world where those spaces may be becoming fewer and further between, "And so libraries are really important spaces for them to have that space where they can be around other teens, where they can make those connections, they can try new things, [and] discover new things about themselves and the world around them."
The fact that this journey takes place in a magical, fantasy setting doesn't seem to be a hindrance to facilitating real-world benefits.
"Yeah, absolutely! I've made friends that I wouldn't have if I hadn't come here," said one participant. "It makes me feel like I'm a part of this community of people my age, playing this game,having fun; it provides a really nice sense of community," said another participant.
Click the following link to learn more about programming across the Pikes Peak Library District.
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Right to Hunt and Fish? Amendment 83
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