Manuscript Bible
Today I had the opportunity to visit the current exhibit in the Audubon room of the Hatcher Graduate Library, A History of the Bible from Ancient Papyri to King James. As a bibliophile, I loved seeing the ancient papyrus manuscripts dating back almost to the very beginning of Christianity, as well as the illuminated medieval manuscripts. The history of the Bible is a fascinating microcosm for the evolution of the written word. One of the highlights of the exhibit for me was a leaf from a Gutenberg Bible, which was printed in the 1450s by Johannes Gutenberg, the inventor of movable type. I also enjoyed seeing the progression of the language in the English Bibles on display from Middle English into Early Modern English in the 15th century. Another interesting piece in the exhibit is a 1611 King James Bible, which had such an impact on the Christian world that it is still considered the standard translation of the Bible by many Protestant churches today. The exhibit will be open everyday until the end of March and is located inside the Library Gallery, which is just off the North Lobby of the Hatcher Library.

Naturalists and artists may also be interested in another codex on display in the Audubon room. It is John James Audubon's famous Double Elephant Folio, Birds of America. It contains hand colored, life sizes engravings of many American birds and is now worth more than $8 million, although when it was purchased new, as the first book in U of M's collection (before the University opened), it cost $970. If you want a closer look at some of the illustrations, check out The Audubon Society baby elephant folio.

If you haven't yet visited The Future of Our Past: The Evolution of Multicultural Children's Literature, do it before this magical exhibit closes Nov. 29. Among books on display are In the Beginning: Creation Stories From Around The World and More More More Said The Baby: 3 Love Stories. This joint exhibit of AADL and the University of Michigan Special Collections Library includes books from the UM Children's Literature Collections and material highlighting world cultures. The exhibit is in the glass cases on the lower level of the downtown library. Don't miss it!

I recently had a conversation with Holly Sorsher, the creator of our downtown exhibit: The Future of Our Past: The Evolution of Multicultural Children's Literature. Holly is a U of M School of Information student with a special interest in children's books. She worked with librarians and curators at the U of M library Special Collections to create a display of children's books representing the evolution of the genre in its representation of cultures. In our conversation, Holly highlights some of her favorite books and what she sees as the trend towards a more integrated vision of culture and diversity in books for young people.

Take a look at the exhibit while it's still here.

Motion

Now until December 6, the Gallery Project in Downtown Ann Arbor will be displaying an exhibit called Capturing Motion. The exhibit features twenty artists, including two of American's top creators of kinetic art, who have created works which pertain to movement. Some pieces move while others simply capture the essence of motion. This exhibit is innovative, exciting, and definitely a worthwhile stop on your night out downtown.

More information can be found here.

wright

Looking for something fun and educational to do? Check out a Museum Adventure Pass. One of the many places you can visit using the pass is the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History in Detroit. Current exhibits include a tribute to Joe Louis, photography of women of Detroit, mixed media artist Timothy Orikri and more!! While you're there, swing by the gift shop and get 10% off with your pass!

Cottonball Clouds

Check out the photo show on the 3rd floor of the Downtown Library this month. Like many eager volunteers from around the country, Emma Raynor decided to move down to New Orleans for a few months and help with rebuilding. She had never visited NOLA before the storm. She fell in love with the city as it was, and her show represents a new generation of young adults who are exploring and discovering New Orleans in the raw post-Katrina phase. Ok, I should admit right here that I am the photographer’s proud Mom, who just happens to work at the library, but I know these photos are a tribute to an amazing place! While you're here, check out Patricia Smith’s inspiring poetry collection about Katrina.

On display at Malletts Creek Branch, July 31- August 30

Amy Gieschen-Thill is a photo-representational landscape and figurative painter who has studied fine art with a focus on painting at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit and the Kendall College of Art & Design in Grand Rapids.

7th Annual Teen Graffiti Art Contest

All of the entries in the 7th Annual Teen Graffiti Art Contest are now on display at the Downtown Library Multi-Purpose Room and Third Floor Exhibit Area through August 30. You can also check out all of the entries in our online gallery from both this year and last year's contests.

During the 2009 Art Fair, teens from across the area gathered in the Downtown Library’s parking lot to try their hand at the art of Graffiti. Each artist was given a 4' x 4' canvas and a variety of colors of spray paint. Come see the end result, on display through the end of the summer.