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Bingo’s back at little free libraries across Greater Victoria – with prizes

Online card generator for #LFLBingo offers adult and kids’ options
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Bingo is back at little free libraries across Greater Victoria, including this student-built one near Bowker Creek behind Oak Bay High. (Christine van Reeuwyk/News Staff)

Get the daubers out, bingo’s back at book boxes across Greater Victoria.

The Greater Victoria Placemaking Network (GVPN) launched a bingo card generator specifically designed for little free libraries network that encourages people to get out and explore.

The generator builds on last summer’s successful distribution of physical bingo cards around the region, allowing people with internet access to generate their own unique cards.

READ ALSO: Victorian makes gridlock fun with traffic bingo

It works like normal bingo, you generate a card and then head out to visit little free libraries around town, explained John Threlfall, who came up with the idea. “You can then play by line, cross or blackout as you find the various items. You can play on your own, as a family, or challenge a friend.”

The local writer and arts advocate also runs a colourful Fernwood library.

The online generator was designed by students at Connecticut College as part of a computer science class, and it includes options to generate kid-friendly cards as well as for a general audience. Cards feature squares with items someone might encounter at a little free library – books by specific authors, about certain topics and things beyond books such as seeds, puzzles or art.

READ ALSO: Students, teacher, community members in Oak Bay, Victoria replace library

Prizes are up for grabs, and the GVPN encourages people to share their bingo adventures on social media with the hashtag #LFLBingo. Photos of completed cards posted to Instagram or Twitter using #LFLBingo will also be entered into a draw for additional prizes.

“The goal of the project is to encourage people to explore the region’s little free library network and in so doing, explore Victoria. Depending on the neighbourhood, it’s pretty easy to visit three or four little free libraries in a single walk or bike ride.” Threlfall said.

READ ALSO: Student shares love of literacy with Oak Bay library project

Since 2017, the GVPN Pocket Places Project has been promoting and mapping out little free libraries in the Capital Regional District. The organization also helps create and stock the book boxes.

More than 615 little free libraries are mapped across the region.

Visit mford51.wixsite.com/lfl-bingo to generate a bingo card. Visit victoriaplacemaking.ca/little-free-libraries for the full map of more than 600 little free libraries across Greater Victoria.

READ ALSO: Greater Victoria group delivers reconciliation materials to Little Free Libraries

c.vanreeuwyk@blackpress.ca


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Christine van Reeuwyk

About the Author: Christine van Reeuwyk

I'm dedicated to serving the community of Oak Bay as a senior journalist with the Greater Victoria news team.
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