DOWNIEVILLE – The Wiggles-N-Giggles playgroup meets every Tuesday at the Downieville library from 10:30 to Noon. The Sierra Nevada Children's Services sponsors the gathering of newborns to school-age children in a relaxing setting to socialize, read and participate in arts and crafts. Parents and caregivers should note this is not a "dropoff" activity, and they are to "stay and play," per the host Shelly Fischer. On a good day, there can be as many as eleven children on site, but usually, the group averages around six youngsters. Fischer promotes a "go with the flow" session and the importance of allowing children to read, play, craft, and create at their whimsy and delight. Folks entering the library at this time may have to step over a train track that spans the length of the library. Future engineers, doctors, artists, and sculptors are busy with the important work of play.

Why is this weekly community event a big deal? Families need the resources necessary to enable the successful development of their children. During a child's first five years, their brains develop faster than at any other time. Young children in our town and surrounding areas have few opportunities to interact with their peers preparing them for a successful Kindergarten year as Downieville is without a preschool. A preschool offers an environment for a child to learn how to socialize, listen, develop fine motor skills, and much more. The Wiggles-N-Giggles playgroup is essential, a tiny drop in the bucket of what a growing child needs before entering academia, prompting even residents from Sierra City to load up youngsters and bring them. Transitional Kindergarten offered at the school can exclude a child based on their date of birth, a child right on the cusp age-wise to join fellow Kindergarteners but missing the cut-off by a mere handful of days. Secondly, kids meeting at the library is good for the library. Librarian Peggy Daigle is pleased the weekly group raises the number of visitors to the library, checking out more books and sifting through the "FREE BOOKS" box. Book sales have the potential to increase, yes- the library has two shelves of books one can peruse through and purchase. Daigle vocalized the presence of the youth "elevates the friendliness of the library."

Twice a week, all year long, the Downieville library is open for book enthusiasts. Tuesday 10-2 and Thursday 12-4. The Two Rivers Summer Reading Program, organized by the Downieville Library, is a program shared by both Downieville and Sierra City libraries. This educational opportunity is a big hit for the youth, and last summer held the most participants thus far. The Sierra County Arts Council provided a grant in 2022 to the library, which enabled the reading program to provide top-notch prizes and incentives for reading. As with bigger cities, our mountain town library also provides internet service. Whether visitors bring their own devices or wish to utilize the library computer, it is another hot spot for the internet. Tuesday nights, the Twelve Steps group meets at the Downieville library at 5.p.m.

The Mountain Messenger wishes to clarify the entrance to library is located at the bottom of the stairs found on the north side of the Native Daughters of the Golden West (NDGW) building at 320 Commercial Street. It is not inside the street level, main entrance to the historical NDGW Hall.

It is hard to believe this incredible selection of good reads, now administered through Plumas County, was at one time based out of a handful of homes in our tiny mountain community.