Wednesday May 29, 2013: 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm -- Downtown Library: Multi-Purpose Room

T.J. Smith, of the local web design firm Boxcar Studio, presents a lecture and demo on do-it-yourself websites using third-party commercial and open source solutions, including WordPress and Squarespace. These sites make creating and maintaining a website very straightforward, even for the novice.

Sunday June 2, 2013: 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm -- Downtown Library: 4th Floor Meeting Room

Cartoonist and teaching illustrator Joe Foo will discuss the creative process of building characters out of abstract forms and never setting limits on your creations. Joe is the creator of "Desmond's Comic". He also is working on a series of books and videos that will teach kids the joy of drawing.

Join the Forum to get fresh ideas for your next comics and network with other cartoonists. Drawing supplies will be provided, so drop in.

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

Saturday June 8, 2013: 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm -- Downtown Library: Multi-Purpose Room

Sensory loss is visible in the blind and the deaf, but what about people who lose their sense of smell?

Michelle Krell Kydd, editor of Glass Petal Smoke, spent time talking to congenital and acquired anosmics to get a better understanding of how the absence of the sense of smell has affected their lives. What she's learned will inspire you to pay attention to a sense that is closely linked to memory.

Learn how olfactory calisthenics, via Smell Mapping, can keep your smelling abilities and your mind in tip-top shape!

Sunday June 9, 2013: 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm -- Malletts Creek Branch: Program Room AB

Richard LeSueur, opera lover extraordinaire, will provide a delightful introduction to Mozart's "Le Nozze di Figaro."

He will discuss the plot, the relationship of the characters and the music of one opera's greatest comedies. There will be recorded examples highlighting some of the great music composed Mozart and the subtle plot twists devised by librettist Lorenzo da Ponte.

This event is held in conjunction with Arbor Opera Theater's production of "The Marriage Of Figaro" at Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre, June 13-16. For information about the production or Arbor Opera Theater, visit their website at arboropera.com.

Monday June 10, 2013: 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm -- Downtown Library: Multi-Purpose Room

Twelve years ago, Ron Tanner and his then-girlfriend, Jill, did the impossible. They bought condemned property -- a big Baltimore Victorian brownstone - and vowed to bring it back to its original glory.

The house had been home to Baltimore's most notorious fraternity for a decade and now, wrecked and abandoned, it was filled with garbage. If that weren't daunting enough: Ron and Jill had been dating for only six months and they knew nothing about fixing up old houses! Friends, family, and concerned onlookers told them not to do it - they would surely lose their shirts and their love in the bargain.

In 2003, Ron and Jill were married in the house. In 2008, This Old House magazine did a feature about the couple and their house. Ron also wrote a book about their experience - "From Animal House to Our House: A Love Story," which was published in 2012....and the adventure still continues.

Join us for a delightful evening as Ron provides some hilarious tales and sound advice about fixing old houses -- including an awesome slide show! The event includes a book signing and books will be on sale.

Tuesday June 11, 2013: 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm -- Downtown Library: Multi-Purpose Room

Whether you call them franks, wieners, or red hots, hot dogs are as American as apple pie, but how did these little links become icons of American culture?

Join hot dog scholar Bruce Kraig and photographer Patty Carroll for a fascinating and colorful look at the history, people, decor, and venues that make up hot dog culture and what it says about our country! Their 2012 book "Man Bites Dog: Hot Dog Culture In America" will be on sale and the event includes a book signing as well as hot dog tastings from a local Ann Arbor venue!

In this fascinating book, world-renowned hot dog scholar Bruce Kraig investigates the history, people, decor, and venues that make up hot dog culture and what it says about our country. These humble sausages cross ethnic and regional boundaries and have provided the means for plucky entrepreneurs to pull themselves up by their bootstraps. Hot dogs, and the ways we enjoy them, are part of the American dream.

Bruce Kraig has loved hot dogs since his first bite at Nathan's when he was 5 years old. Since then he has studied hot dogs, and for over 25 years, has been the leading authority on the culture of Hot Dogs. As the authority on the culture, lore and history of hot dogs, he has appeared often in national media, including documentaries by the History Channel and the Discovery Channel. As the leading expert on hot dogs, Kraig has appeared on ABC Nightline, Martha Stewart Radio, ABC National News and NPR's Talk of the Nation, and in the spring of 2009, CBS News, WGN and NBC News Chicago, as well as BBC News and Radio New Zealand-all about hot dogs.

Patty Carroll, currently Adjunct Full Professor of Photography at the School of The Art Institute Of Chicago and at Columbia College Chicago, is a distinguished photographic artist with a deep interest in American popular culture. She has published and exhibited widely on American cultural topics including Elvis Impersonators, American suburban lawns, and resorts at night, as well as hot dog stands. Her books include: "Living The Life: The World Of Elvis Tribute Artists," "Culture Is Everywhere" and her hot dog stand photos are included in "Changing Chicago."

Wednesday June 12, 2013: 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm -- Downtown Library: Multi-Purpose Room

The P.L.A.Y. Project (Play & Language for Autistic Youngsters) is an evidence-based developmental intervention for families of young children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Founded in 2001 by Richard Solomon, M.D. in response to the lack of intensive early intervention services for children with ASD, the P.L.A.Y. Project is a practical approach to autism intervention that has helped thousands of families in close to 30 states and seven countries.

During this presentation geared to parents and professionals, Dr. Solomon will provide an overview of The P.L.A.Y. Project model, including video examples, and will answer questions.

Richard Solomon, MD, has nearly 20 years of experience working with children with autistic spectrum disorders as a developmental and behavioral pediatrician. He is an adjunct associate professor at the University of Michigan and the Medical Director and founder of The Ann Arbor Center for Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics and The P.L.A.Y. Project (Play and Language for Autistic Youngsters).

Tuesday June 25, 2013: 11:00 am to 11:45 am -- Downtown Library: Multi-Purpose Room

Paul Sikorski from Michigan Peak Performance will demonstrate to parents how metronomes increase focus by learning to tune out distractions. This training can also significantly increase reading and math fluency scores.

While Paul chats with parents Steve Osburn, of Oz Music fame, will lead children in rhythm and musical games.

This event is for parents and caregivers with youth in grades K - 5.

Thursday June 27, 2013: 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm -- Downtown Library: Multi-Purpose Room

Last summer a delegation of architects, urban planners, and interested citizens visited Tubingen Germany to learn about Architecture and Sustainable Urban Development, in a trip co-sponsored by Huron Valley AIA and the Tubingen-Ann Arbor Sister City Partnership.

Come see a presentation of trip highlights presented by some of the participants including: Janis Bobrin, Anne Cox, Celeste Novak and Grace Shackman. This event was originally scheduled for April, and had been postponed. Concepts noted included a well-defined and protected historic core complete with a pedestrian zone; sustainability requirements including green roofs and solar collection panels; and the adaptive reuse and infill housing of the building cooperatives. Side trips to Stuttgart and the Swabian Alps were also fun and instructive.