Samuels Library’s SAMICON Video Gaming Event a BIG hit with the kids

On Saturday, May 7^th, Samuels Public Library hosted its annual SAMICON event. Even tho Royal Examiner’s roving camera arrived mid-late afternoon to see numerous children enjoying the Superhero décor the library was fitted out with for the occasion, and still playing video games brought in for the event, we were told things were relatively calm compared to earlier in an apparently very successful day’s event.

‘Ready, Set, GO’ – check in for SAMICON 2022 at Samuels Library main entrance. Below, they must be security for the event; and further below, event organizer Erin Rooney, costumed center, keeps an eye on the late-afternoon gaming. Royal Examiner Photos by Roger Bianchini

We asked event coordinator Erin Rooney about the history of SAMICON and its role in the life of the library. “We’ve tried to turn it into a kind of COMICON-type event, of course we can’t call it COMICON. But it’s kind of a pop culture event where we are able to show the library to people that may not normally come into the library, and showcase our collections. And it’s not just books, we’ve got movies people can check out. And we actually just started our new board game collection as well.”

That might be a smooth segue for some of us older gamers, as well as those youth drawn to this year’s event. Rooney explained: “We do a different theme each year. So, this year’s theme was video games, it’s to level up with their library cards; so it’s gaining experience through reading and such” that the event is geared toward.

The video games in place for the day’s event were provided by “Play Favorites” located in the Martin’s-anchored Royal Plaza Shopping Center. But not to worry, older, more traditional library goers – Rooney noted the games were “on loan”, so will not be a permanent fixture to distract us older generation library users.

Still, it looked like an awful lot of fun was being had Saturday, including some dress ups, perhaps for gaming character role playing.

Some were dressed for the occasion, and excited to be so.

Now, there’s an idea for us various older generation readers – we can start dressing up like characters in the books or movies we’re going to check out, or return – on time of course. Maybe setting up a daily generational competition for best character costumes in the library that day. What do you think, Erin – a Boomers/Generation X/Millennial COSTUME-ICON for next year???

There was not only gaming and costuming, but dancing too. Below, this art project looks like it has been a group effort over the course of the day; and our final shot appears to be a Viking ship manned by a helpful library crew.