A literacy event later this month urges families to step away from electronic devices and take some time for play.
From Jan. 22 to 26, the Summerland Library will hold Unplug and Play, a series of activities in conjunction with Family Literacy Day on Jan. 27.
“We’re urging families to unplug and do something that doesn’t require power,” said librarian Sue Kline.
During the week, those who visit the library are invited to solve a puzzle and enter a draw. There are prizes for all ages.
“This is one simple way of reminding people they don’t need to be plugged in to read,” Kline said.
Library patrons got a brief reminder of this in October, during a lengthy power outage.
On Oct. 16, power in Summerland was out from 11:15 a.m. to 7 p.m. Kline said the library was open until 4:30 p.m. and patrons were inside reading until then.
“As long as we had daylight, we had people in here,” she said.
Over the past few years, the Okanagan Regional Library has had a marked increase in the number of e-books it circulates, but print books remain popular.
“Our circulation of paper books was up in 2012,” Kline said.
In addition to the Unplug and Play promotion, the library book club will hold its first meeting on Saturday, Jan. 19. The theme is A Poem Out Loud. Members will choose and read aloud from their favourite poems, beginning at 11 a.m.