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.

Monday, April 1 | 10 - 11 am | Malletts Creek | Preschool - Grade 3

Tricia Kjolhede is an amazing entertainer with years of classroom experience and knowledge of child development. She doesn't perform FOR kids; she performs WITH kids! Tricia brings music and movement, allowing for differing learning styles, many opportunities for self expression, and a chance for all to develop self confidence. She uses songs that make playtime learning time too.

Explore the fun of musical expression with Tricia at Tunes 'n' Tales!

Morgan Grubola, author and Teacher of Tiny Toes: a creative movement class for young children, will lead "Tiny Toes" dance at Malletts Creek Library on Saturday, March 30, 2013. The program runs between 10:00 - 10:40 am. in the Multi-Purpose Room. Morgan is back after her fall 2012 program because people loved her. "Tiny Toes" is a program for children ages 1-6 years, and their guardian. Morgan is formally trained in Ballet. Her program/technique inspires children to form ballet positions, using imagery from animals, nature, and stories. Each segment is accompanied by classical music for pace and flow. It is a wonderful opportunity for little ones to exercise their big muscles.

Are you looking for a challenging, in-demand job in Michigan? Looking for an innovative way to connect to great Michigan companies and business leaders across the state for job opportunities? Business in Michigan is thriving, and MiVirtualCareerFair is the State of Michigan’s hottest new way to find exciting jobs. MiVirtualCareerFair is an online career event where job seekers and employers can interact with each other in a live, 3-D virtual environment. The next MIVirtual Career Fair is on March 27th from 10am to 4pm. Register for MiVirtualCareerFair to connect to top Michigan employers in a variety of industries.

Due to circumstances beyond our control - this concert - which was to have taken place on Thursday March 28, 2013 from 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm at Kerrytown Concert House has been cancelled for this evening due to illness.

It has been rescheduled for Friday, May 10 at 7 pm in the Downtown Library Multi-Purpose Room and will now be the final event for the 'America's Music' series.

We apologize for any inconvenience.

Wednesday March 27, 2013: 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm -- Downtown Library: Multi-Purpose Room

UM Professor Mark Clague leads this screening and discussion session on Broadway and Tin Pan Alley Music focusing on the film "Broadway: The American Musical, Episode 2: Syncopated City (1919-1933)." Episode Two of this award-winning series on the history of Broadway focuses on the 1920s, Broadway's most prolific era.

America's Music has been made possible by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities: Exploring the Human Endeavor

Is inequality making us sick? It turns out there's more to our health than bad habits, healthcare or unlucky genes. The social conditions in which we're born, live, and work affect well-being and longevity. Two episodes from the documentary series Unnatural Causes will be screened at this event: Episode 2: 'When the Bough Breaks,' highlights how racial justice and civic engagement are instruments for improving health and birth outcomes, and Episode 7: 'Not Just a Paycheck,' shows how layoffs, unemployment, and job security have a negative effect on health.
Unnatural Causes is the acclaimed 2008 documentary series broadcast by PBS tackling the root causes of our alarming socio-economic and racial inequities in health.

A discussion after the film will be led by UM faculty and physicians, Terence Joiner, MD, and Matthew Davis, MD.

This event is co-sponsored by the University of Michigan Community Scholars Program.

March 26 | 6 - 8:30pm | Downtown Library 4th Floor Meeting Room | Grades 9 and Up |

The Washtenaw Community College Spring Job Fair will be held on March 26, 2013 from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm at the Morris Lawrence Building. Over 75 actively hiring employers are expected to participate. At the job fair, you'll be able to speak with employers face-to-face about opportunities and build your professional network. The fair is open to the public. Register now, and read up on WCC's job fair tips for success before you go!

Saturday March 30, 2013: 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm -- Downtown Library: Multi-Purpose Room

Learn how to make your own dreamcatcher and if you'd like, bring a treasured object to weave into it. Plan on using the entire time to finish your project.

This event is for adults and teens (grades 6 & up). The project is intricate in nature and will likely take the entire time provided to complete.