April 15, 2019 – When you turn off your phones and TVs, what else is there to do? During Screen-Free Week this year, the Nevada County Community Library has you covered.
The international celebration, hosted by the nonprofit Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, takes place April 29 through May 5th. Schools, libraries, communities, and families around the world will organize events designed to help children turn off screens to connect with family, friends, nature, and their own creativity.
Every branch will have Screen-Free pledges to support reflection and healthy habits around screens. At the Truckee Library, everyone who fills out a pledge gets a free book.
For parents looking to learn more about screen-time and their children, the Madelyn Helling Library is hosting two events: a screen-time chat with a librarian, where participants can get access to the latest research and resources on Thursday, May 2 from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 .p.m, and a special free screening and discussion of Screenagers, a documentary about the impact of the digital age on children and how to help families minimize harmful effects on Thursday, May 9 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Attendees can get raffle tickets to win family fun packs.
People looking to get outside during Screen-free Week can enjoy a Storywalk® in downtown Nevada City. Read the award-winning picture book Dreamers by Yuyi Morales as you stroll through Nevada City’s Downtown! Pages of the book will be posted in participating businesses’ windows. Start the 0.7 mile long Storywalk® at Harmony Books at 130 Main St, Nevada City, CA, and end it at the Doris Foley Historical Library. Each page will have information on where to find the next page and will be up between April 8 and May 6.
Celebration of the Storywalk® continues with an art-making session inspired by the beautiful art in Dreamers at Madelyn Helling Library on Tuesday, April 30 from 3-5 pm. Participants will be challenged to make art about their dreams for themselves and for the world, and art will be displayed in the library.
Teens ages 13-18 are invited to the Treats Book Club, a book discussion and ice cream fest at Treats Ice Cream in Nevada City on Thursday, May 2 from 5-6 pm. Join the Teen Advisory Group to discuss the book Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz.
For more information about Screen-free Week programming, contact Lisa Nowlain at Lisa.nowlain@co.nevada.ca.us, 530-265-1541.