Learn to play, enjoy, borrow: welcome to Monaco’s games library
Frédéric Chauvy and Nathan Tibaut work together at Monaco's Ludothèque. © Monaco Tribune
One of the constituent parts of Monaco’s médiathèque (media library), the ludothèque (games library) has a wide selection of games for all ages.
This month, Monaco’s Médiathèque will be promoting video games of all types. Workshops, round tables, activities, gaming sessions… There has been plenty to see and do, and there’s more to come! You can see the programme on this page.
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“Our aim is for video games to be seen here at the media library as a medium for dialogue and social interaction.” Having qualified as a games librarian 6 years ago, Frédéric Chauvy has been working at the Monegasque games library since November, arriving a few weeks after his colleague Nathan Tibaut. The pair helped put together this special month focusing on video games, a game format that is an integral part of the range on offer at the library. Over 80 video games are available to borrow, for Nintendo Switch, Playstation 4 and 5 and Wii U.
The library organises video game sessions every Monday, Tuesday and Friday from 4pm to 6pm. ” We give people the chance to come and play, and we set up a dedicated area with our different consoles ,” says Frédéric, adding that these post-school activities have been a great success with many youngsters. “We get all kinds of profiles: experienced players who come to try out a game, people who perhaps can’t play at home or even some who don’t know how to play.”
Advice and support are also part of the day-to-day activities of the games library team, for all ages. “Depending on the behaviour we observe in the younger children, we may have a word with the parents. The ludothèque also provides support for parents, who can react to video games in different ways, to the point of ‘demonising’ them in some cases.”
Frédéric tells us that mediation is an integral part of the games library’s work. This is reflected in the evening events organised on the premises, such as one entitled “Battle of the generations: parents versus children.” The aim: to collect points by pitting the little ones against the adults on Tetris, Mario Kart, Street Fighter or Just Dance. With 64 points each, it was a draw between the parents and the children. “We try to bring everyone together, with games that are about having fun and sharing,” adds Nathan, who is looking forward to Monaco’s Médiathèque ‘moving house’. The future premises will bring together the four arms of the current media library: the Louis Notari library, the games library, the music and film section and the Princess Caroline library, which is for our youngest readers. Everyone will have more space and a better layout, but the transition is not without its challenges!
Because, in addition to video games, the games library stocks some 1,100 games and toys of all kinds. Most are board games, with an impressive collection to delight enthusiasts, but which also needs to be replenished. “Games and ranges change a lot,” says Frédéric, who attended the ‘Festival du Jeu’ (games festival) in Cannes in February. The games librarians need to try out each game and understand the basics before making it available to the public.
As far as events are concerned, Frédéric tells us: “the concepts go down well.” In addition to video gaming evenings, there are also evenings devoted to board games, belote and role-playing. “We want to offer as many different things as possible, and we have our regulars every week,” says the organiser with a smile. To make sure you don’t miss any of the action, check out the Médiathèque de Monaco website.
Frédéric Chauvy and Nathan Tibaut have put together a selection of must-play video games from the games library, with more to come in the future.
Hogwart’s Legacy
An open-world game for fans of the saga, Hogwart’s Legacy takes players into the world of Harry Potter. In it you are a Hogwarts pupil, and you can choose one of the four prestigious houses: Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Gryffindor or Slytherin. You learn magic, explore the school and the different locations in the Potteresque universe while following the main storyline, which takes around thirty hours to complete. You can borrow it from the Ludothèque for three weeks and play it on your PlayStation5!
It Takes Two
Nothing’s going right at home for Rose. Her parents May and Cody can’t work things out and have decided to divorce. Rose doesn’t agree with the adults’ decision and is convinced that her parents still love each other. She makes two little figures, effigies of the couple, and makes a wish that things will work out for the best. A few minutes later, the parents’ spirits enter the two figures their daughter created. This is where It Takes Two starts, a cooperative game that was voted Game of the Year at the 2021 Games Awards. To get back to their human form, Rose’s parents have to go through a series of tests in their own home and work together to figure out what’s wrong in their relationship. It Takes Two is for two players, each playing one of the parents. You can borrow it to play on your Nintendo Switch.
The Many Pieces of Mr.Coo
Mr.Coo lives in a surreal world, where the little yellow man is searching for the different parts of his body. This is a ‘point’n’click’ game, increasingly rare in recent releases. The idea is to solve puzzles by clicking on each item on the screen. Then, Mr. Coo’s head, legs or torso will move around to try to find and free the other cartoon body parts. The Mr. Coo character and the game were created by the artist Nacho Rodriguez, a 2D animator who was awarded the Goya Prize for his short film ‘A lifestory’. Try it out on the PlayStation 5!
Deep Rock Galactic
Intergalactic travel anyone? Deep Rock Galactic is a first-person shooting game, played cooperatively on line. In a futuristic universe, the players in your squad can be an engineer, a soldier, a scout or a driller. Together, you must defend yourselves against a host of creatures and discover rare metals to take back to your ship. A great game to enjoy with friends, Deep Rock Galactic is available on PlayStation 5.