It looks like Spring is just waiting for Festifools this year! The library gang of Robots always invades the foolery on Main Street and, thanks to our friends at 826michigan, the Scrap Box, and our library patron penchant for joy, we should be well equipped! Come to the Downtown Library at 2:00ish on Sunday, April 7 and get all gussied up in gear for the Robot Invasion on Main Street!

festifools

Thursday, April 4 | 7 - 8:30 pm | Downtown Library | Grade 9 - Adult

John Farah and Nelson Williams, authors of Let's Pick It Up A Bit: A Guide To A Running Lifestyle, return to AADL to discuss fitness as a lifestyle, including ways to get in shape and get healthier. They will also review general run-training concepts and answer questions about the training plans in their book.

John and Nelson have been active in marathons for years. Let's Pick It Up A Bit is more than a collection of their tips for runners -- it is about creating a strong foundation to keep active, fit and healthy, not just physically but mentally, emotionally and spiritually as well. The challenge of life is to learn how to keep growing to keep getting better! Books will be on sale at this event, which will also include a book signing.

This event is for adults and teens (grade 9 and up).

We are celebrating the culture of the Himalayas on Thursday, April 4th at 2 pm during school vacation week. Come check out Ann Arbor’s only Nepali Rickshaw, hear stories, see story ladies dressed in traditional sherpa dresses and beautiful jewelry from the Himalayan Bazaar, and make your own rainbow colored rickshaw picture at the Downtown Library.

Thursday April 4, 2013: 6:45 pm to 8:45 pm -- Traverwood Branch: Program Room

Amigurumi is very popular in Japan where it means the art of making small crocheted (or knit) toys. We'll give you the supplies and show you how, using our "crochet cam." Unless you're a pro, the project will take the entire time.

This event is for adults and teens (grade 6 and up).

Thursday April 4, 2013: 2:00 pm to 3:30 pm -- Traverwood Branch: Program Room

Paper beads are made from scraps of paper rolled up to create easy, beautiful beads that can be added to string to make a fun necklace. Come to Traverwood next week and learn how! We will provide the supplies.

This event is for teens and pre-teens in grades 4 - 12.

Wednesday April 3, 2013: 2:00 pm to 3:30 pm -- Downtown Library: Multi-Purpose Room

Need a decoration for your home? Make your own unique, stormy rain cloud mobile for a special corner of your house. We'll provide all of the supplies.

This event is for adults and teens (grade 6 and up).

Tuesday, April 2 | 7 - 8 pm | Downtown | Grade 6 - Adult

Discover the truth about bats and how they live at this multi-media presentation by the Cranbrook Institute's Organization for Bat Conservation.

Learn how bats use sound wave (echolocation) to navigate in the dark; the bat's role in the food web; and about conservation and ecosystems from Michigan and around the world. Meet bats from North and South America and Africa - some with a 3-foot wingspan!

Check out these video clips of the Organization for Bat Conservation on Ellen, The Tonight Show, Conan, and more. Also, learn more about bats with these books from the AADL.

This event is for adults and teens (grade 6 and up).

Spring Break! Time away from school and daily routines. Time to do fun things! Come to the Pittsfield Branch Library at 2:00 p.m on Tuesday, April 2, 2013 for a magic show by Baffling Bill. This Michigan-based artist will be returning to Ann Arbor for an amazing performance. What a great way to spend an afternoon!

Then try a few magic tricks of your own by checking out some of these books.

Matt de la Pena's debut novel, Ball Don't Lie was an ALA-YALSA Best Book for Young Adults and an ALA-YALSA Quick Pick.

He's also the author of the award winning picture book, A Nations' Hope: The Story of Boxing Legend Joe Louis which is illustrated by Kadir Nelson.

Matt received a MFA in creative writing from San Diego State University and his BA from the University of the Pacific where he attended school on a full basketball scholarship.

He teaches creative writing and visits high schools and colleges throughout the country. Matt is also a Judge for this year's It's All Write short story writing contest for teens.

The panel of 10 judges will look at the finalists in three grade categories of 6-7-8 (Middle School), 9-10 (High School) and 11-12 (High School) and select the winners who are announced at an Awards Ceremony on May 11, with A. S. King as our guest speaker.

At the prime age of 26, Esperanza Spalding won the 2011 Grammy for Best New Artist, and for good reason. The jazz musician may be best known for her rad skills on the bass guitar, but she also both sings and composes her extraordinary tunes. The Grammys weren't the only ones to take notice to Spalding's sharp musical skills - at 20 she became one of the youngest faculty members ever at the world renowned Berklee College of Music.

The Ann Arbor District Library has several of Spalding's albums in our collection, including the winner of the 2012 Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Album, Radio Music Society.

Now, the city of Ann Arbor will have a chance to see her shine in action on the eve of Saturday, April 6th at the Michigan Theatre, starting at 8pm. For more information, see the UMS's website.