Welcome (Back) to the UGL!

The start of the Fall 2018 semester is almost here, and the UGL is excited to welcome new and returning students to campus! We’ve been busy this summer planning events and improving our services for the fall semester. Read on for details, and be sure to follow us on Twitter (@askundergrad), Instagram (askundergrad), and Facebook (@UndergradLibrary) to stay updated on all things UGL throughout the year!

UGL Tabletop Gaming  and Pathfinder Event

Did you know that the UGL has a large collection of tabletop games? Did you know that we host regular Pathfinder Roleplaying Game events during the academic year? Play some old favorites, or learn a new game, at our event this upcoming Saturday.

Date: Saturday, August 25

Time: 1-4 p.m.

Location: Upper Level of the UGL

Details

  • Tabletop Games: Bring your i-card to play games from the UGL’s tabletop collection. Featured games include Chess, Monopoly, Ticket to Ride, Go, Checkers, Dominoes, and much more!
  • Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: New and old players are welcome to play Pathfinder Beginner Box quests (1-4 p.m.), or you can join the Pathfinder Society for the Heroes for Highdelve module (1:30 p.m.).

Book It

You can reserve all of the UGL’s unique services in advance, and this summer we made the task even easier by bringing together all of our bookable services in one place. Introducing, Book It.

Free use of loanable technology, audio and video production studios, group study rooms, and research and writing consultations are just a click away!

Service Desk Updates

Image of the new Loanable Tech Desk location

The view from the new Loanable Tech Desk

To better serve you and expedite the checkout process, the UGL has new homes for our two service desks. The Circulation desk remains adjacent to the Upper Level entrance of the UGL, and the Loanable Technology desk has moved to the Media Commons space on the North side of the Upper Level.

New Hours

Starting Tuesday, September 4, the UGL’s new hours are:

  • Monday-Thursday 7:30 am-2:30 am
  • Friday 7:30 am- 9 pm
  • Saturday 10 am-9 pm
  • Sunday 10 am-2:30 am

We will remain open 24 hours the week of final exams each semester, and beginning September 10th, Grainger will once again operate 24/5 if you need a 24 hour study space.

Written by Kirsten

Edited by Zander

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From the TV to the Table: Table Top Games to Check Out Based on Your Favorite TV shows

Is your school work starting to weigh you down? Do you need something to do besides binge watch your favorite TV shows? Good News! The UGL has a collection of table top games that you can check out to help you destress. If you need help picking one, here are some recommendations based on some of your favorite TV shows!

Do you love Game of Thrones? Try playing Risk!

Risk board game

Risk

Are you missing Jon Snow, Daenerys, and all your favorite conquers from Westeros? While you wait for the final season, you can come check out Risk at the UGL Circulation Desk. The objective of this game is to conquer all the territory on the board’s map with your political savvy, attacking strategies, and defensive techniques. You can form alliances with your friends and come up with schemes to sabotage your enemies. In the Game of Thrones, you either win or you die. In the game of Risk, you either win, or you lose and don’t get stabbed in the stomach. Leave the swordplay to Arya—check out this game and enjoy all the power with none of the northern frostbite. Also, If you want to watch Game of Thrones, you can check seasons 1-6 out here at the UGL when you come pick up the game!

Jon Snow gif I'm Ready

If you liked The Handmaid’s Tale, give Scrabble a try.

The Handmaid's Tale A Hulu Original Cover

The Handmaid’s Tale

Looking for a way to relieve your stress and show off your wit? Do what Offred does, and play a game of Scrabble. This game is made up of 225 squares, and the objective is to accumulate the most points with your vocabulary (you can also reach for goals like longest word or most triple letter words). If you find yourself in need of some intellectually stimulating entertainment, come check this game out. You can also do one better than Offred, and play the game with someone who isn’t keeping you prisoner. Praise be! You can find Scrabble at the UGL Circulation Desk, and you can stream The Handmaid’s Tale on Hulu. In the mean time, read up and build that vocabulary!

Offred reading gif

Are you a Parks and Recreation fan? Honor Ben Wyatt and play Settlers of Catan.

The Settlers of Catan game board

Settlers of Catan

Have you ever wanted to play Ben Wyatt’s original table top game, The Cones of Dunshire? Well, it isn’t actually a real game yet (still hoping for the Kickstarter). Instead, you can play one of Ben’s personal favorites: Setters of Catan. The goal of this game is to create a civilization that surpasses all the other players’ settlements on the fictional island, Catan. If you do check this out, be sure to find a good group of friends (like Ben’s) to play with you. Also, if you want to enjoy some Parks and Recreation while you play, you can pick up seasons 1-7 in the UGL’s media collections here.

Ben Wyatt celebrating

If you’re missing Stranger Things, you might find solace in a Pathfinder session.

Stranger Things Season 1 cover image

Stranger Things

Do you find yourself in need of some adventuring? Do what Mike, Dustin, Lucas, and Will do: play a fantasy role-playing game. At the UGL, we have Pathfinder. You can check out the Core Rulebook or a Beginner’s Box to help you start designing an adventure for you and your friends. You can even stream Stranger Things on Netflix to help you get prepared. In addition to that, you can come to the UGL for short sessions run by our Graduate Assistants! Stay tuned and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram to find out when these sessions will take place. Either way, come ready to fight dragons, goblins, and trolls—and if the lights start to flicker, you might want to grab a baseball bat and run.

The boys from stranger things slay the demogorgon

One last piece of good news: these games are just the beginning! Check out our full list of table top games at the UGL! Have an idea of something we should add?  Reach out to us on our Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram pages, and give us your suggestions!

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If You Like Netflix, You’ll Like These Board Games

We love Netflix as much as the next person, but there are only so many hours you can binge before even TV gets boring. Don’t be afraid to mix it up this week! We’ve got a list of favorite TV shows—and board games to match.

Join us on Wednesday, October 12th for the UGL’S Board Game Night from 7-9pm! We’ll have our games out for you to play, along with staff to teach anyone who wants to try something they’ve never played before.

If you like The Walking Dead, try Pandemic.

Pandemic, from Z-Man games

Pandemic by Z-Man Games

It’s the game that’s trying to kill you. After selecting a card assigning you a job, it’s up to your team of players to use those skills to defeat four infectious diseases. While you fly from city to city to create cures, the cards you draw bring the world closer to destruction. You’ll have to work together if you want to survive.

If you like The Americans, try Codenames.

Codenames, from Czech Games

Codenames by Czech Games

You can’t trust anyone at your table. Codenames is a game of spies—teams compete to see who can locate all their agents first. The players chosen as spymasters can only use one-word clues to try and get their teams on their side—but if the spies guess wrong they could end up in enemy hands, or killed by the assassin.

If you like House of Cards, try Diplomacy.

Diplomacy by Avalon Hill

Diplomacy by Avalon Hill

This strategy board game is fraught with tension–in order to win, you have to betray the other players before they can betray you. Taking place during World War I, you’ll have to create alliances if you want to win, but with none of the players able to trust each other, you’ll need to break out your inner Frank Underwood to succeed in negotiations.

If you like Firefly, try Race for the Galaxy.

Race for the Galaxy by Rio Grande Games

Race for the Galaxy by Rio Grande Games

Would you be a browncoat, or join the Alliance? Players draw cards to determine the fate of their worlds. What planets will your people settle on? Will you have technology? Resources? This fast-paced card game is a race to find who can build the strongest galactic empire before you run out of cards. Will you have a few, strong planets or a large empire to colonize?

Try out these games or some of the other games in the UGL’s board game collection at the UGL Game Night on October 12, or check them out any time! Got a favorite board game you’d like to play? Let us know on our Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram pages.

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