Wednesday February 8, 2012: 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm -- Downtown Library: Multi-Purpose Room

What is it like for partners when their family is all grown up? When the kids leave the nest? Changes of later life bring new challenges and opportunities to our relationships as we age together.

Join us, as we approach Valentine's Day, for a lecture exploring the differences in the post-parenting aging process for men vs. women with an emphasis on the relational aspects of adaptive aging. Sue Watts, LMSW, ACSW and Jeff Urist, Ph.D. will lead the session, which is co-sponsored by the UM Institute For Human Adjustment.

Thursday February 9, 2012: 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm -- Downtown Library: Multi-Purpose Room

This second in a series of four monthly discussions co-sponsored by the City of Ann Arbor, centers on Land Use And Access and includes discussion on infrastructure, transportation, built environment, public spaces, and land use.

Panelists include Wendy Rampson, Planning Manager; Joe Grengs, Associate Professor of Urban and Regional Planning; Susan Pollay, Downtown Development Authority Executive Director; Eli Cooper, Transportation Programs Manager; Jeff Kahan, City Planner; Ginny Trocchio, Ann Arbor Greenbelt Program; and Evan Pratt, Ann Arbor Planning Commission.

Each of the four monthly sessions will examine past successes and challenges, discuss possible future priorities and feature a think tank of local stakeholders (UM faculty, representatives from community organizations, city commissioners, City of Ann Arbor staff and the public). The ensuing discussions will help guide the city's sustainability planning efforts.

Details of this series are posted online at www.a2gov.org/sustainability. For Ann Arbor's current environmental goals, check out the State of Our Environment Report at www.a2gov.org/soe.

Thursday February 9, 2012: 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm -- Traverwood Branch: Program Room

Are you a writer or an aspiring author? Did you know that the theme for Ann Arbor Ypsilanti Reads 2012 is Language: How We Communicate - - and that you can discover tips on how to communicate YOUR work through eBooks and self-publishing at this event?

Local authors Lara Zielin and Margaret Yang will share their tips, tricks and successes with the brave new world of electronic self-publishing.

Lara Zielin is the author of two books for Young Adults, "Donut Days" and "The Implosion of Aggie Winchester" as well as the forthcoming "The Waiting Sky." Margaret Yang is the co-author (under the name M.H. Mead) of "Fate's Mirror," "Good Fences" and other short fiction.

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

Saturday February 11, 2012: 2:00 pm to 3:30 pm -- Downtown Library: Multi-Purpose Room

Mark Hodesh, along with folks from the Lunch Room and San Street Carts discusses Ann Arbor's first food cart courtyard, presents some sample tastes, and lets you know what you can look forward to, culinary and otherwise in 2012!

Mark's Carts is a brand new food venture in Ann Arbor, open in spring through fall, offering an array of fresh ethnic dishes in an intimate courtyard garden on Washington Street between First and Ashley. Each food cart is individually owned, and each presents a different style of ethnic or regional food. Join us and learn about this exciting new Ann Arbor venture!

The Lunch Room is run by Phillis Engelbert and Joel Panozzo. Their mission: to provide high-quality, delicious, and nutritious vegan food that demonstrates the breadth and versatility of plant-based whole foods.

Ji Hye Kim and Kristen Hogue Jackson own San Street and take their fond memories of home cooking and Asian street market treats to the streets of Ann Arbor, dishing up some really great Asian street food with the freshest ingredients.

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

Monday February 13, 2012: 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm -- Downtown Library: Multi-Purpose Room

Disturbing facts on homelessness in Washtenaw County: 2, 756 people will experience homelessness within a year in the county; 26% of these are families; 41 people in the county in any given week become homeless.

Join service and housing providers across the community as they discuss the current state of homelessness in Washtenaw County, the innovative partnerships that have been created to address the need, and the next steps needed to end homelessness in our community.

The Washtenaw Housing Alliance (WHA) is a unique coalition of ten non-profit organizations that serve those experiencing homelessness or those at risk of homelessness. The WHA and its member agencies have created a collaboration that harnesses the commitment, energy and resources of a major hospital system, the cities of Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti, Washtenaw County, three major institutions of higher education, the private sector and the community at large to end homelessness in Washtenaw County.

Wednesday February 15, 2012: 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm -- Malletts Creek Branch: Program Room AB

Have you ever wondered why a cheese looks or smells the way it does? Or why cheese has mold on it?

Learn the answers when Simone Jenkins from Morgan & York Fine Wines & Specialty Foods tells us about traditional hand-made cheeses from around the world. You'll get to taste a selection of cheese to discover how great cheese is made and aged, learn how best to store it, and lots more. Bring your favorite cheese quote from a story to enter in a drawing for a $25 gift card from Morgan & York!

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

Wednesday February 15, 2012: 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm -- Downtown Library: Multi-Purpose Room

The theme for Ann Arbor Ypsilanti Reads 2012 is Language: How We Communicate. Award-winning journalist Stephen G. Bloom, the UM Howard R. Marsh Visiting Professor of Journalism, will discuss how he communicates through non-fiction writing - including his December piece "Observations From 20 Years of Iowa Life" in The Atlantic which set off a firestorm of controversy placing him in the national spotlight. Bloom will also discuss the role of journalists today, touching on the future of journalism and nonfiction writing.

Since 1993, Bloom has been on the faculty of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Iowa, where he is Professor and the Bessie Dutton Murray Professional Scholar. Prior to joining the Iowa faculty, Bloom was a staff writer at the Sacramento Bee, San Jose Mercury News, Los Angeles Times, and Dallas Morning News. He was a Brazilian correspondent for the Field News Service and national news editor at the Latin America Daily Post.

He is the author of "Tears of Mermaids: The Secret Story of Pearls," "The Oxford Project" with photographer Peter Feldstein, "Inside the Writer's Mind" and "Postville: A Clash of Cultures In Heartland America." His work has appeared in numerous magazines and newspapers, including The Atlantic, Smithsonian, The New York Times Magazine, Washington Post, Wilson Quarterly, Salon, Chronicle of Higher Education, American Journalism Review, International Herald Tribune, Chicago Tribune Magazine, Money, Journal of Health Communication, Annals of Clinical Psychiatry, Journalism and Mass Communication Quarterly, American Editor, and National Public Radio's All Things Considered.

Thursday February 16, 2012: 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm -- Downtown Library: Multi-Purpose Room

The theme for Ann Arbor Ypsilanti Reads 2012 is Language: How We Communicate. But, what happens when communication is difficult? Are you concerned about your child's speech and language development?

Janice Pagano MA CCC Speech Language Pathologist and Clinical Director of Building Bridges Therapy Center will present information about signs and symptoms any parent can look for to determine if there is an area needing further attention. The guidelines presented will be applicable to children of all ages from birth through high school. Handouts, charts and practical rules of thumb will be provided.

Janice Pagano is the Clinical Director of Building Bridges Therapy Center. She has experience with diagnosis and treatment of multiple types of speech and language challenges and also has experience working within school settings.

Sunday February 19, 2012: 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm -- Downtown Library: Multi-Purpose Room

Award-winning chef Brian Polcyn, nationally recognized for his creativity and culinary talents, is the visionary behind some of Detroit's most acclaimed restaurants (including Birmingham's Forest Grill and Milford's Cinco Lagos) and is the author of two books: "Charcuterie: The Craft of Salting, Smoking and Curing" (nominated for a James Beard award) and the upcoming "Salumi: The Craft of Italian Dry Curing."

Join us as he prepares an incredibly delicious sample dish and discusses his life and his books. This event, cosponsored by the Culinary Historians of Ann Arbor, includes a book signing and books will be on sale.

Chef Polcyn's numerous awards include three gold medals and a silver medal from The American Culinary Federation. The Hiram Walker Corporation recognized him as a Rising Star in American Cuisine. In 1990, he was first runner-up in the semi-annual American Culinary Gold Cup Bocuse d'Or, a competition that seeks America's top native-born chefs. He was also nominated for Best Chef Midwest in 2006 by the James Beard Foundation.

The Culinary Historians of Ann Arbor (CHAA) is an organization of scholars, cooks, food writers, nutritionists, collectors, students, and others interested in the study of culinary history and gastronomy. Their mission is to promote the study of culinary history through regular programs open to members and guests, through the quarterly newsletter Repast, and through exchanges of information with other such organizations.

Monday February 20, 2012: 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm -- Downtown Library: Multi-Purpose Room

Do not miss UMS Night School: 90-minute "classes" at AADL through March which include introductions and discussions of each performance on the UMS Pure Michigan Renegade series and hosted by Prof. Mark Clague, Associate Professor of Musicology and Director of Research at the U-M School of Music, Theatre & Dance.

Each session includes a presentation by a genre expert, an interactive exercise to draw you into the themes behind the performance, and a takeaway reading to enjoy on your own. Sessions are designed to engage you both with the performances and with other audience members.

Session 3 will feature discussions of The Tallis Scholars and Random Dance. The 60-minute introduction portion of this event will center on the Hagen Quartet.

Regarded internationally as one of the foremost string quartets of the day, the Hagen Quartet consists of the two brothers Lukas (violin) and Clemens (cello) and their sister Veronika (viola), along with violinist Rainer Schmidt. On Thursday, February 23 at Rackham Auditorium, the Hagen Quartet will present a program of Beethoven quartets.

Join us for this fascinating discussion and introduction to several Renegade events!

Tuesday February 21, 2012: 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm -- Malletts Creek Branch: Program Room AB

Tax season is right around the corner, and it's a great time to take care of any back tax issues you may have.

Come learn from student attorneys at Michigan Law School's Low Income Taxpayer Clinic as they discuss the basics of the federal income tax, common disputes people have with the IRS, and what can be done about them.

The University of Michigan Law School's Low Income Taxpayer Clinic represents people with IRS problems through administrative advocacy and litigation in United States Tax Court. They provide assistance with a broad range of issues, such as earned income tax credit, dependent, and head of household status denials, issues with the first time homebuyer's credit, cancellation of debt income, retirement plan early withdrawal penalties, complications caused by fraudulent preparers, and injured and innocent spouse determinations.

Thursday February 23, 2012: 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm -- Downtown Library: Multi-Purpose Room

Want to know more about consumer bankruptcy? Local Attorney Greg L. Dodd explains everything about the bankruptcy process including: how it works and how you may qualify; what debts are wiped out and which ones are not; what happens when a house is foreclosed on and what you will still owe, and how bankruptcy wipes this out; what information you need to provide to start a bankruptcy case; costs of filing bankruptcy; and how bankruptcy affects your credit.

Do not miss this informative session.

Monday February 27, 2012: 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm -- Downtown Library: Multi-Purpose Room

Privatization of services is a growing trend in today's government. But, what factors should be identified when considering privatizing departments or functions? What policy issues should be considered in connection with transferring these departments/functions to a company within the private sector?

The League of Women Voters is currently undertaking a study of privatization to examine these issues as well addressing the community impact and strategies to ensure transparency and accountability.

Join the League as they host this community forum, which features panelists: 1st Ward Ann Arbor City Council Member - Sabra Briere; Former Washtenaw County Administrator - Bob Guenzel; Ann Arbor Public School Board Member - Susan Baskett; and Lois Richardson who serves as mayor pro tem of the city of Ypsilanti and is in her third term on the city council.

This event is cosponsored by the Ann Arbor Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta, Inc.