AV俱乐部

It鈥檚 a game that brings people together in a powerful and unique way. --Lucas Maxwell聽(MLIS鈥�07)

Lucas Maxwell. (Provided photos)

Dungeons and Dragons聽(D&D),聽the聽role-playing board聽game聽that鈥檚 captivated millions of people since the 1980s,聽was the subject of the 2026 AV俱乐部 Horrocks National Leadership Lecture this February. Speaking online from the UK, Lucas Maxwell (MLIS鈥�07),聽a school librarian聽and author,聽described why he believes D&D can help young people overcome many of the challenges聽of聽21st聽century life.

Maxwell聽explained聽how聽his聽simple idea to聽help students occupy time while in the school library聽evolved into research,聽two聽books, and聽many hours of play聽for hundreds of British school children.聽As someone who first聽played聽the game with his older brother growing up in Weymouth, Nova Scotia,聽Maxwell says聽he鈥檚聽鈥渘ever had a program that kept kids going that long in the library鈥β燼nd making friends of all ages.鈥� Something that started with six students, grew to聽a聽regular attendance of more than 100 participants, and so on.

Maxwell notes two key events in driving the popularity of the game, the Covid聽-9聽pandemic and the release聽in 2016聽of聽Stranger Things, a Netflix series where the game and themes of the show are intertwined.聽

Sharing photos of students engaged in play, Maxwell, described how the game can build empathy and patience, enhance reading and creative writing skills, and help quell anxiety.聽鈥淚t鈥檚 a game that brings people together in a powerful and unique way,鈥澛爃e聽says.

Named UK School Librarian of the Year in 2017 and recipient of the British Empire Medal in 2024 for his contribution to libraries and education, Maxwell has聽written two books to help聽those who aren鈥檛 as familiar with board games and D&D: Let's Roll: A Guide to Setting up Tabletop Role-Playing Games in your School聽or Public Library听补苍诲听Roll for Adventure: Tabletop Roleplaying Adventures for Your School聽or聽Public Library.鈥�

After the talk,聽Sarah Horrocks, daughter of Norman Horrocks, presented the聽2025聽AV俱乐部鈥揌orrocks聽National Leadership Award to Master of Information student聽(and D&D player)聽Kelti McGloin.聽Kelti, who is studying in the combined MI/Law program, says that the program and support she received has 鈥渃ompletely changed my life,鈥� adding that this award will help her achieve her dream of becoming a law librarian.

Watch the full lecture and learn more about how you can use dungeons and dragons in your own curriculum聽below.