Celebrate International Games Week with our Games Library

Our library service has a jam-packed week of events to celebrate International Games Week.

International Games Week runs from 7 to 14 November. The week aims to reconnect communities through their libraries around the educational, recreational, and social value of all types of games.

Last year, our Library service launched its Games Library during International Games Week, but this year, we want to go bigger and better, hosting a range of events across all our libraries in Westminster and Kensington & Chelsea.

International Games Week events

Date, time, location and game information for events across the week.
Date	Time	Location	Game
Date Wednesday 6 November	Time 6pm to 8pm	Location Paddington Library	Game Board Games Bonanza
Date Thursday 7 November	Time 3:30pm to 7:30pm	Location Chelsea Library	Game Candela Obscura with William
Date Thursday 7 November	Time 4:30pm to 7:30pm	Location Brompton Library	Game Role Play Haven D&D
Date Thursday 7 November	Time 4:45pm to 6:45pm	Location Church Street Library	Game Miniature painting with Everstromn
Date Thursday 7 November	Time 4:45pm to 6:45pm	Location Church Street Library	Game Tabletop Games with Michaela
Date Thursday 7 November	Time 5 to 7pm	Location Victoria Library	Game Role Play Haven D&D
Date Saturday 9 November	Time 2pm to 4pm	Location Maida Vale Library	Game Role Play Haven D&D
Date Saturday 9 November	Time 3pm to 4pm	Location Kensington Central Library	Game History of Games talk by James Wallis
Date Sunday 10 November	Time 1:30pm to 4:30pm	Location Marylebone Library	Game D&D with Casper
Date Monday 11 November	Time 5pm to 7pm	Location Pimlico Library	Game Miniature painting with Everstromn
Date Monday 11 November	Time 5:30pm to 8pm	Location Westminster Reference Library	Game Sherlock Holmes mystery game with Lucy
Date Tuesday 12 November	Time 5pm to 7pm	Location North Kensington Library	Game Miniature painting with Everstromn
Date Tuesday 12 November	Time 5pm to 7pm	Location St. John’s Wood	Game Role Play Haven D&D
Date Tuesday 12 November	Time 6pm to 8m	Location Paddington Library	Game Role Play Haven D&D
Date Tuesday 12 November	Time 6pm to 10pm	Location Charing Cross Library	Game MTG Commander Night with Bowie
Date Wednesday 13 November	Time 5pm to 7pm	Location Queens Park Library	Game Role Play Haven D&D

Events taking place in Westminster libraries require registration. You can register to attend on Eventbrite.

What is the Games Library?

Library members can borrow a variety of tabletop board games to play at home. Games can be borrowed directly from Kensington Central and Pimlico libraries, or reserved for collection at any branch free of charge.

Tabletop gaming is a fun and sociable way to spend time with family and friends. It can help young people and adults develop social skills, collaboration, creative thinking, strategic thinking, and more.

The Games Library has over 150 games available for people to borrow and take home. These include Catan, Ticket to Ride, Azul, and many more. A full list of the games can be found in our online catalogue.

In Westminster, the Games library is based at Pimlico Library only, while at Kensington and Chelsea, Kensington Central Library. However, library members can reserve games to pick up from any of the Westminster Libraries. Please note that library members must be aged 10 or older to reserve and borrow games.

Borrowing a game

What to know when borrowing a game:

games are free of charge to borrow
you can borrow one game at a time
the loan period is three weeks
games can be renewed twice, each time for a further three weeks
any library member aged 11 and over can borrow a game

For more information on your local Games Library, contact Libraries@westminster.gov.uk

Come along to our weekly game events

Pimlico Library: Dungeons and Dragons club

every Wednesday
from 4pm to 6pm
ages 11 to 16
advanced booking is required; please get in touch with the library

Kensington Central Library: Role-play gaming

every Thursday
from 5:30pm to 7:30pm
ages 16 to 25
advanced booking is required; please get in touch with the library

Kensington Central Library: tabletop board gaming

every Thursday
from 5:30pm to 7:30pm
for ages 11 and over
no booking is required, just drop in

Other ways to get involved

If you’d like to become a games volunteer, please get in touch with libraryvolunteers@westminster.gov.uk
Would your group enjoy visiting the library to play board games? Please contact the selected libraries above. We can arrange a suitable time and advise on the best games for your group’s needs.

Published: 1 November 2023

Last updated: 30 October 2024