Written by Beverly Ewart
Hidden Health Costs of the Digital Age?!?
What a delight to open a new book delivery and find Manoush Zomorodi’s book right on top! I was first introduced to Zomorodi’s research through the May 15, 2026, episode of TED Radio Hour. Her presentation was so compelling that I decided to try the 30-minute sitting / 5-minute gentle movement exercise myself. As a very active person, I assumed I had already found the right balance between screen time and movement—but it turns out I was mistaken about best practices. Now I’m conducting my own screen time/movement experiment and hoping for the kind of positive results described in the book. You might want to check it out yourself:
Body Electric: The Hidden Health Costs of the Digital Age and the New Science to Reclaim Your Well-Being by Manoush Zomorodi. “In today’s world, a normal day means sitting in front of a screen for eight to ten hours. Meeting after meeting. Email after email. We leave our desks drained, overstimulated and unfocused, only to go home, sit down again, and scroll some more. The result? Headaches, back pain, restless sleep, and rising rates of preventable disease. We know technology is breaking us down, so why can’t we break away? It’s a question that Manoush Zomorodi has always wanted to answer. As the host of the TED Radio Hour, she has interviewed experts, conducted citizen experiments, and sought out research about how our digital lives are changing the way we think, learn, and feel. Now, in Body Electric, she presents an eye-opening investigation into the impact technology and sedentary living has had on our bodies and brains, from breath and eyesight to blood pressure, posture, and productivity, and shares what science (and tens of thousands of participants in a groundbreaking study with Columbia University Medical Center) have taught her-it’s the small shifts, not the digital detoxes, that will make us healthier.”– Provided by publisher.
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SATURDAY, JUNE 6, 2026, from 2:30pm – 4pm in our Paige Room, Cornell Cooperative Extension/St. Lawrence County will present a free workshop on Invasive Species in and Around the Home. Call the front desk at the library for more information. Register: bit.ly/invasives2026
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Chess Club at CFL meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3–4. Tuesday is free play with Ryan Nolan and designed for those that have some experience.
Thursday’s weekly session is with Zachary Woodley-White and is designed for beginners who would like to learn how to play. We offer rudimentary instruction and a judgement free space for younger players to establish and build on their fundamentals. No registration needed, ages 12 and below. Questions? Contact Zach at zwoodleywhite@ncls.org
Grab a board, find a friend, and start a game at any open table in the Main Reading Room. Other board games are available or bring your own.
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TEEN ANIME meets on Thursdays from 5-7pm.
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Dungeons and Dragons: The Canton Free Library is running a Dungeons and Dragons campaign! This program is a beginner level program aimed at teens who are looking to learn how to play Dungeons and Dragons. Limited to ages 13-18, with no registration necessary. We will meet on the last Wednesday of each month from 4-6. Contact Zach at zwoodleywhite@ncls.org for any questions. Currently playing Dungeons and Dragons 5th edition.
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Children’s Programming at the Canton Free Library will take a break for the month of June.
For questions, email Ms. Val at vwhite@ncls.org or
call 315-386-3712 ext. 4
Programs are sponsored by the Friends of the Canton Free Library and the St. Lawrence County Youth Bureau.
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MORLEY BRANCH is open Tuesday 1pm-3pm; Wednesday 4pm-6pm; Thursday 10am-12pm. Call for more information: (315) 379-0066.
RENSSELAER FALLS BRANCH is open on Tuesdays from 11am – 5pm. Call the library at (315) 344-4155 for more information.
CANTON BRANCH is open 9am-6pm Monday – Friday; 10am-3pm Saturday. Contact us at (315) 386-3712 or cantonfreelibrary.org.