Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

A lot of us will be visiting family and friends virtually this year. It’s a necessary sacrifice to keep loved ones healthy and safe.

The library has entertaining videos, programs and games available for children, adults and families on its Facebook pages that are perfect for virtual get-togethers.

The address for the Adult Services Facebook page is www.facebook.com/clarkbooks. The Youth Services Facebook page is called “CCPL Youth Services,” and its address is https://www.facebook.com/ccplyouth.

I encourage you to scroll through those Facebook pages to discover what’s available.

If you’re looking for a way to engage and amuse up to 10 people, check out the Virtual Mystery Games posted to the Adult Services Facebook page. You’ll see a picture of a young woman using a Mac and the caption will read, “Check Out a Virtual Mystery Game This Holiday Season, Created by CCPL.”

The games are: Disney Villains, “The Chronicles of Narnia,” “Pirates of the Caribbean,” “Avatar the Last Airbender,” Classic Rock, “The Office” TV Series, “Supernatural” TV Series, Art Mystery and Wild West Mystery. All of the games, except Wild West Mystery were created by CCPL Youth Services Librarian Tasha Perkins. The Wild West Mystery was created by Kadell Piersall, who was a member of CCPL’s Youth Advisory Board.

At the Virtual Mystery Game post, you will find a request form link. Click on that link. Fill out the request form and submit. The person who submits the form will be the game facilitator. Everything needed to play the game will be emailed to them, along with an instructional video.

Tasha designed these games to be entertaining for players of all ages, late adolescent through adult.

The Art Mystery Game suggests they are pretty informative, too. Reading the character cards for the game, I learned a few things I never knew about artists I admire.

As Tasha says in the instructional video, the goal of each game is to have fun. Tasha’s teens loved playing the games. She says they can also be used as ice-breakers for adults who may be putting together virtual collaborative teams.

Turn your Zoom platform into playtime. Check out CCPL’s Virtual Mystery Games.

The CCPL Youth Services Facebook page is loaded with story-time and craft videos for young children. Just log onto the page and scroll down through the posts. There are videos for every age group.

Really, accompany a child you love to a virtual story-time. I think you’ll find you feel a lot happier afterward.

The library’s Thanksgiving gift came early, last Wednesday, when a group of patrons pulled up to the front door and a girl got out holding a sign that said “We appreciate y’all.” That means a lot to everyone at the library.

Thank you. If anyone who was in that van reads this, please contact me. You really brightened up our week. We wish we could have thanked you in person.

We wish we could have walked patrons to the cooking section to find just the right recipes for their feasts; or to the CD books and Playaways they would have used on road trips they gave up to keep loved ones safe this year.

It’s been a rough year. Let’s hope for a really thankful Thanksgiving next year.

So, wear a mask, stay away from large meetings, curtail unnecessary travel, social distance and wash your hands.

Happy Thanksgiving. We appreciate y’all.

John Maruskin is director of adult services at the Clark County Public Library. He can be reached at john.clarkbooks@gmail.com.