Joining in on the Pokémon Go craze, the Chestermere Public Library held a Pokémon Go party Aug. 25.
“Part of what we do at the library is to try to connect people with the things they are into,” said Librarian Andrea Pflug.
With something that is popular in the community, the way Pokémon Go is, the library tries to find ways to celebrate it and give people an opportunity to check out the library and what it has to offer.
“That’s part of what we do, make those connections,” she said.
In the case of Pokémon Go, the connection to the library was easy to make. Chestermere Public Library is a PokéStop in the game.
“That was a bit of a surprise for a lot of libraries to find out they were part of this game they didn’t know about,” said Pflug.
For those who aren’t playing, Pokémon Go is an augmented reality game played on smart phones. Based on the popular Pokémon franchise, the game encourages players to explore the world with their phones to collect Pokémon.
A GPS map similar to Apple or Google maps is displayed on the phone indicating real world locations of important places in the game that people have to go to, to interact with.
These locations include, PokéStops, Gyms and the appearance of Pokémon that can be caught by players.
PokéStops, like the Library, are places players can stock up on virtual supplies needed in the game. Gyms are locations players can go to battle other players for control over it for one of three teams that a player can be affiliated with.
Pflug said that since discovering the library is a PokéStop staff have noticed players coming through the library.
“Sometimes they’re a little sheepish about it,” said Pflug.
She wants players to know that as long as they are respectful they are always welcome at the library.
Special events like the Pokémon party are another way the library is welcoming players.
The Pokémon party combined the game experience with other related activities. There was a scavenger hunt, pin the tail on the Pikachu, a map for people to mark where in Chestermere they have found PokéStops, Gyms and interesting Pokémon and a design your own Pokéball colouring sheets.
Seven-year-old Zachary Leshchyshyn likes playing the Pokémon Go with his parents.
“It’s super fun and I like it,” he said.
At the Pokémon party, his favourite part was the scavenger hunt.
“It’s kinda cool that the library did something like this,” said his dad, Jason Leshchyshyn, “All the kids are getting a big kick out of the scavenger hunt.”
Pflug was happy to see the families participating.
“It’s really a better game when it’s shared,” said Pflug.
She thinks they did a good job creating a night where fans new and old could come together and share their appreciation of Pokémon.
Also included in the event was a series of safety tips for players. Pflug reminds people to always be mindful of what’s around you in the real world when playing the game.
