LAC LA BICHE - For those seeking a unique, exciting experience, the Stuart MacPherson Public Library in Lac La Biche will be hosting the Secret Tomb Escape Room on Sept. 28 and 29.
Laney Smith, program coordinator for Lac La Biche County Libraries, explained that a considerable amount of work and inventiveness goes into creating these unique, and challenging events, which in popular culture are also known as escape games or puzzle rooms.
“We spend almost the entire year planning, writing scripts, creating puzzles and crafting props,” Smith told Lakeland This Week. “All of this is done from scratch by library staff. On the days when the escape room is held, we have multiple staff and volunteers running rooms, taking pictures, and other tasks.”
The concept of an escape room entails pre-set rooms that hold clues and hints that require players to complete a variety of challenges within a set time. Teams are given a 45-minute time slot to complete the entirety of the escape rooms. There are four rooms to play in.
Those aged 10 and older can go into the escape room, with most participants being youths and adults.
“Younger patrons may find our puzzles difficult but not impossible. Many people have found them challenging, while others find them quite easy,” she stated.
The escape rooms use a sizable chunk of library space, not to mention a lot of staff to operate them, which is why they are only offered on the two specific dates.
“This will be the seventh year that the library has run escape rooms,” Smith says. “During the previous six years, the community has been very receptive to this event.”
Participants for the escape rooms must sign their teams up ahead of time via the library’s online registration form. Teams are comprised of three to four players.