Actual tabletop games are making a comeback in Wellsville!!
From the DAH, pictured is the Dungeons and Dragons club!!
The David A. Howe Public Library is pleased to announce the receipt of a grant award in the amount of $11,383 from the Rural Library Grant Program, powered by the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation. These funds have been allocated to repurpose an underused space in the library – the Tech Room – to create an accessible and immersive tabletop game room which, when not in use for gaming, can be converted into a private meeting space for local community groups, small businesses, non-profit organizations, and individual patrons, at low or no cost.
Generous funding from this grant program will allow the library to purchase a new table purpose-built for tabletop gaming, matching chairs, a wall-mounted TV, paint, drapes, and decor to transform what has been the Tech Room into a multipurpose space. The grant also includes funding to purchase tabletop games, tabletop role-playing game resource books, maps, polyhedral dice, and mini-figures that will enable library staff and patrons to create immersive TTRPG gaming experiences. Assistant Director Kate Elliott and Youth Services Coordinator Ally Fesmire will be collaborating closely on the room makeover, which they plan to complete by September. As work begins on the physical space, Kate and Ally will be reaching out to the community for input on decor choices and game recommendations.
This project uplifts two of the focus areas of the Rural Library Grant Program: preparing for success and entrepreneurship and economic development. Having a dedicated and accessible room for tabletop gaming will give the library more opportunities to engage students in after school gaming programs that spark curiosity and teach transferable skills, such as problem solving, reading comprehension, math, pattern recognition, dexterity, vocabulary, and knowledge on specific topics. Having an additional meeting space available at low or no cost will give the library greater ability to support local entrepreneurs developing their businesses as well as individual community members taking steps to advance their careers.
Kate and Ally plan to keep the community updated, via additional articles and social media updates, as the game room progresses and look forward to having even more spaces in the library in which to welcome community members and engage them in fun (and useful) activities.
The Rural Library Grant Program, powered by the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation (RCWJRF), will provide support for rural public libraries and library systems, recognizing them as key community hubs. The Foundation is providing $1.5 Million in support for a three-year period (2026-2028) in Western New York.
The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation is a grantmaking organization dedicated primarily to sustained investment in the quality of life of the people of Southeast Michigan and Western New York. The two areas reflect the devotion of Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. to his hometown of Detroit and greater Buffalo, home of his beloved Buffalo Bills NFL team. Prior to his passing in 2014, Mr. Wilson provided that a significant share of his estate be used to continue a life-long generosity of spirit by funding the Foundation that bears his name. Based in Detroit, the Foundation began with a grantmaking capacity of $1.2 billion over a 20-year period, which expires January 8, 2035. This structure is consistent with Mr. Wilson’s desire for the Foundation’s impact to be immediate, substantial, measurable, and overseen by those who knew him best. For more information about the foundation visit www.rcwjrf.org.
