Not even a power outage could stop gamers from participating in National Gaming Day @ Library West on Saturday.
They were still using wingless birds to seek vengeance against pigs in the popular puzzle video game "Angry Birds" at around 2:30 p.m., shortly after power went out in a few areas on campus.
"We'll be playing until my laptop battery runs out," said Keivan Zolfaghari, 20, a UF Google student ambassador, as he demonstrated how to play "Angry Birds" in Google Chrome.
However, Zolfaghari and all Library West patrons were cleared from the building shortly before 3 p.m. per the library's emergency and disaster procedures.
The "Angry Birds" flash mob was part of the first-ever UF celebration of National Gaming Day, an initiative of the American Library Association.
"This is an effort for the libraries to reach out to their constituents," said David Schwieder, event supervisor and political science librarian. "We're trying to reach people with an event people would enjoy."
The event featured game demonstrations by Zolfaghari and local video game developing company Puppy Punch Productions.
About 20 visitors played video games such as Punch Productions' Chicken Coup Remix HD. Board game classics such as Apples to Apples and Monopoly were also available for use.
Aron Lewis, Puppy Punch Productions public relations representative, said these events are beneficial because they help promote gaming, which can be used as an educational tool.
"Gaming is a different way to experience the world," Lewis said. "It's a lot more interactive and requires player feedback."
