Starting a home-based business?

Wed, 12/27/2006 - 10:00am by ulrich

If you're thinking about starting a home-based business, you might wish to sign up for the 'Starting Your Home-Based Business: What You Need to Know' workshop being offered by the Washtenaw County office of the Michigan Small Business & Technology Development Center. The workshop will provide a step-by-step approach to planning, opening and growing a new home-based business. Call the MI-SBTDC office at (734)547-9170 to preregister [there is a small registration fee]. The program will be held at the MI-SBTDC office at 301 W. Michigan Avenue, Suite 101, Ypsilanti, on January 31, 2007 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. In the meantime you can also prepare using some of the library's home-based business books.

Wired & Inspired

Fri, 12/22/2006 - 5:55pm by iottJen

Have you seen jewelry made from old computer parts? A combination of art and tech, it's sleek, one-of-a-kind wearable art--especially when you make it yourself! Learn how at the hands-on workshop for teens and adults, Wired & Inspired, at the downtown Library on Wed., Jan. 3 from 7 - 8:30 pm. We'll have the parts, you bring some needle nose pliers, if you have them!

Silly Stories

Wed, 12/20/2006 - 2:46pm by StoryLaura

In the mood for a cozy, crazy family storytime this holiday season? Join us on Wednesday, December 27 at 10:00 am in the Downtown Youth Story Corner for silly stories for all ages. Sing along in an old favorite from the Appalachian Mountains and a dancing folktale from Panama that has lots of opportunities for audience participation.

Open Play and DS Fest

Wed, 12/20/2006 - 2:32pm by lola

Bored during school vacation? Come to the first every DS Fest at the Downtown Library Multipurpose room on December 26, 27, and 28 from 5-8 PM. Bring your Nintendo DS and any game you want to play like Star Fox Command, Advance Wars DS, New Super Mario Bros, or Big Brain Academy for an impromptu tournament among friends. Eight gaming stations and DDR will also be set up for drop-in open play.

Pokemania Tournament

Wed, 12/20/2006 - 11:58am by lola

Looking for something to do when you are out of school? Bring your Game Boy Advance and your copy of Pokemon FireRed, LeafGreen, Ruby, Sapphire or Emerald, and battle it out among your friends.

Join us in the Downtown Library Multipurpose room for four days of Poke-mayhem starting Tuesday, December 26 to Friday, December 29 from 1-4 PM. Come at 1 PM to register for the tournament. Prizes will be given out daily. Program is for age 6 and up.

“The Big Freeze”

Tue, 12/19/2006 - 12:52pm by lola

Discover the science of cold at the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum December 26 through December 31. Make ice cream, try on blubber gloves and watch liquid nitrogen demonstrations (12, 2, and 4 PM), as well as enjoy other games and activities. All activities are free with museum admission.

Also check out these special days:
Dec. 27 Artic Artifacts (1 and 3 PM)
Experience Artic culture while viewing artifacts from the Toledo Zoo

Dec. 28 Cold Blooded Encounters (1-3 PM)
See live reptiles you can touch with Brian Cressman

Dec. 31 IceScapes (1-3 PM)
Free ice cream treats from IceScapes

Whimsical Nutcrackers

Fri, 12/15/2006 - 3:35pm by StoryLaura

Stop in to see the small collection of wonderful Nutcrackers in the youth department glass display at the downtown library. A friendly elf was kind enough to share these colorful characters for the holiday season. There is a bohemian artist, a pirate and other surprises!

AA/Y Reads ’07: Book Discussion Leader Training Sessions

Fri, 12/15/2006 - 1:26pm by iottJen

Mountains Beyond Mountains is the book we’ll all be reading and talking about this winter for Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Reads. If you would like to learn how to moderate a book discussion, attend a training session at AADL, Ypsilanti District Library, or the Ann Arbor Senior Center and get some great tips on how to lead a successful discussion at your book group. You’ll also want to mark your calendar for the special appearance of author Tracy Kidder at Washtenaw Community College on Thursday, January 25, 7:30 – 8:30 pm. Mr. Kidder will discuss his book and its subject, Dr. Paul Farmer. A book signing will follow.

Sancho’s Scene: Community Events that Wander off the Path

Wed, 12/13/2006 - 11:20am by Sancho Panza

Early birds (har har!) gear up: the Washtenaw Audubon Society is conducting their 60th annual Christmas Bird Count this Saturday, beginning at 6am. Experts and novices alike are welcome, so grab one of our bird watching books, and join the holiday fun!

Those Tibetan prayer flags on your porch looking worn and faded? For something truly off the beaten path, hit up the Himalayan Bazaar in my Garage, also this Saturday, hosted by Of Global Interest’s Heather O’Neil, who stocks the bazaar with brightly colored items from her travels. Happy trekking!

Tournament Weekend: Monkey Ball, DDR, and the Grand Championships!

Wed, 12/13/2006 - 10:42am by eli

This weekend, we'll have three video game tournaments at the Downtown Library, with something for everyone, including food and prizes. First, we'll have an All-Ages Super Monkey Ball Tournament, Friday Night, 12/15, from 6-8:30 PM. Come play Super Monkey Ball, Monkey Target, Monkey Bowling, Monkey Dogfight, and even try your hand at Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz on the one and only Nintendo Wii! Read on for full details about the Monkey Ball event.

Then, on Saturday, 12/16, it's the biggest gaming event in town; the 2006 AADL-GT Super Smash Double Dash Grand Championships! The event starts at noon, with the Clan Cup for the top 8 clans from the regular season. Then we'll have the Wildcard Tournament for players in grades 6-12 who are new or didn't finish the season in the top 64. 8 wildcards will join the top players in the Grand Championship itself, with First Prize: a Nintendo Wii, Second Prize: a 2gb iPod Nano, and Third Prize: A Nintendo DS! It all comes down to this, have you got what it takes? This event will be broadcast live on CTN Channel 18, so a signed release form is required. Preregister before you come, and you can use self checkin and skip the line!

Finally, we'll wrap up the weekend with an All-Ages Dance Dance Revolution Tournament, Sunday, 12/17, from 1-4 PM. Prizes for the two best standard/heavy players, and for the best adult/child team! All events in the Multipurpose Room at the Downtown Library. Plus, stay tuned for Pokémon and DS Fest events during Winter Break!