Are you a UW student that enjoys playing board, card, or TTRP games with others? Want to explore both familiar and fresh games, meet other players, or maybe just take a break from studying? Then join us at the library during the quarterly Odegaard Game Breaks!

We’ve got dozens of games to choose from, whether you like to solve mysterious puzzles, best your friends in high-stakes strategy games, or get immersed in a world of adventure and exploration. You can read more about the start and success of Odegaard’s Game Breaks on the UW Library blog!

• Games can be checked out for 14 days.
• There is a checkout limit of 2 games per person.
• If a game you want is checked out, you can use the Request UW Item button in UW Libraries Search to place a hold.
• Check out and return games at a library service desk. Please don't put them in a book drop (unless the game takes the form of a book, such as an RPG manual).
• Double-check all game components (boards, cards, pieces, dice, instructions, etc.) against the list provided in the game before returning.
• Be kind to the games! Keep them away from food and drink, and protect them from rain and other weather. Lost or severely damaged games will be assessed the same replacement charges as other library items.

You can browse the browse the entire Game Collection and place holds on specific games in UW Libraries Search, or browse just board and card games or role-playing games.

Want to check if Odegaard has a specific game in the collection? First, start by browsing either the board and card games or the role-playing games in the library database. Make sure to click the lock on the left side to remember all filters! Then type the name of the game you're looking for into the section of the search box labeled "enter a search term." Watch out for typos! If we don't have the game you're looking for, you can always submit a suggestion.

If you want to learn more about a game before you place a hold, visit Board Game Geek and RPGGeek. These hobbyist sites provide tons of information on games, including how many players a game works best with, how long games take to play, how complicated games are, and lots more.

Need to learn how to play a specific game? Rulebooks and manuals are OK and you can often find online versions on the game publisher's website and discussion threads on BoardGameGeek, Reddit, or other online discussion sites.

However, you can also go to YouTube and search "how to play <Game Title>" for a video showing how to set up and play the game. YouTube is also a good source of game reviews and playthroughs -- seeing a game in action will give you a sense of whether this is a good choice for you. 

There are tons of gamers in the UW community! If you're a current student, check out the listing of Registered Student Organizations (RSOs) for a start. Some RSOs are dedicated to specific games like Chess, Magic the Gathering, and Pokemon, but there are also more general game clubs like Board Games at UW, the Husky Gaming Nation, and the Pen and Paper Gaming Association.

Are you also interested in console gaming, arcades, or esports? Check out the Hub Games for more ways to play!

Photo credit: Linda Whang, Sept. 2023. Used with permission.

You can use the Libraries' Purchase Request Form to suggest a new game for the collection. Add "Attention: Odegaard Game Collection" in the notes field of the form. Please note that our funding is limited, and we will not be able to purchase every game suggested.