Pokémon GO: Catch ’em all at NYPL

The New York Public Library is using thePokémon GO craze to get kids to the library this summer.

In order to “catch ’em all,” PokeSpots will be set up at different NYPL locations this summer. The next activation will be on Saturday 5 p.m.-5:30 p.m.at the Bronx Library Center,310 E.Kingsbridge Road. You can score a freesummer gift, too, according to the center’s website.

“What’s really amazing about this game, beyond the childhood dream aspect, is that it encourages both exercise and an awareness of the tiny, missable, beautiful details in the world around you,”Lauren Weiss, a NYPLsocial media marketingassociate, wrote.”In my neighborhood, Jackson Heights, PokeStops included a statue of a lion I’ve never seen in the five years I’ve lived there, a pretty detail on a building facade, a mural of a Hindu goddess, a local ice cream shop, and a historical map. Some include a bit of historical information, some are just the name of the landmark.

“So I was very excited to get to work the next day and see what would be featured at NYPL’s Stephen A. Schwarzman Building. Sure enough, there were quite a few PokeStops around, including statues at our main branch, the Picture Collection at Mid-Manhattan Library (on the 3rd floor), our Gutenburg Bible, and a few other neat locations.”

You can tag @nypl on Twitter and Instagram when you visit a NYPL PokeSpot, Weiss added.

By hiding Pokémon cards in books, our Westchester Square branch is urging their youth patrons to catch em all…and catch a new book! With their finds, these kids dive into some new books #ireadeverywhere ? #Repost @westsquare_nypl ・・・ ??? #ireadeverywhere #nypl #eastbronx #summerreading #librariesofinstagram #pokemongo

A photo posted by The New York Public Library (@nypl) on Jul 28, 2016 at 5:34pm PDT

Happy #Caturday! We’ve been spotting all kinds of Pokemon doppelgangers in our Digital Collections, including this Persian! (Image IDps_prn_820)Search our collections andtag us in your finds:http://on.nypl.org/DCpokefinds ?

A photo posted by The New York Public Library (@nypl) on Jul 23, 2016 at 10:10am PDT

It turns out there are quite a few Pokemon in our Digital Collections: https://t.co/28mXVNu0OF pic.twitter.com/T8fLJiaQtX

— NY Public Library (@nypl) July 28, 2016

Librarians are teaching teens how to stay safe while enjoying #PokemonGo: https://t.co/r1Lf95gYpp pic.twitter.com/x4TU3umyfn

— NY Public Library (@nypl) July 18, 2016

Playing #PokemonGO? Screenshot your pokefinds at NYPL PokeStops: https://t.co/m6RJSTEdJ6 pic.twitter.com/t9x8uWQR3Z

— NY Public Library (@nypl) July 14, 2016

Love #PokemonGo? Here’s another map overlay app that’ll guide you to amazing details in NYC: https://t.co/4qeYTx80pe pic.twitter.com/Qr4LAwX1rT

— NY Public Library (@nypl) July 7, 2016