Blog Post
Great summer walks with Brenda Bentley
by annevm
Don’t miss meeting Brenda Bentley, author of Riverwalks Ann Arbor when she speaks at the downtown library 7-8:30 p.m. Friday, July 10. Her book is gaining plenty of attention, and she recently spoke to city council against removal of Argo dam, according to the Ann Arbor Chronicle. Her library program is called "Walking For Fun, Exercise And Cultural Edification In The Ann Arbor Area." Books will be on sale, and a signing will follow the presentation.
Blog Post
Sustainability Safari
by shannon riffe
On July 8 at 6:45pm, this 1.5 mile walking tour of sustainable techniques in Ann Arbor, led by the Ann Arbor Chapter of Wild Ones will include a look at the sustainable elements of Malletts Creek Branch, The Buhr Park Children’s Wet Meadow, and Mary Beth Doyle Park, among others. This event is held in conjunction with the Library’s summer reading program, Local Motion - which encourages the use of local neighborhoods, organizations gyms, recreational facilities and outdoor areas to move and get fit.
Blog Post
Photowalk: Capture the Beauty of Ann Arbor
by andrewjmac
AADL is proud to be hosting our first Photowalk this Saturday! Start by joining us for a panel discussion featuring portrait and festival photographer Myra Klarman, fine arts photographer and Crappy Camera Club cofounder Michael Myers, and Ann Arbor News photojournalist Leisa Thompson at 10 am. Then, stick around as we go out in groups to find the interesting things in Ann Arbor and document them with our cameras. You can come back to the Downtown Library Training Center to edit your photos on our iMacs and upload them to your Flickr account or our pictureAnnArbor collection. Bring your camera and join us!
Blog Post
Take a Hike! @Lakewood Nature Area
by shannon riffe
Tonight at 7pm, join the City of Ann Arbor Natural Area Preservation staff in a botanical walk through Lakewood Nature Area. Meet in the parking lot of Lakewood School, 344 Gralake. This event is held in conjunction with the summer reading program, Local Motion, which encourages the use of local neighborhoods, gyms, recreational facilities and outdoor areas to move and get fit!
Blog Post
Unpaid Furloughs Will Affect Michigan State Government Services
by Debbie G.
Most Michigan state government offices, including local Secretary of State and MichiganWorks! offices, will be closed due to the state budget crisis on the following days:
Friday, June 19 Friday, August 7
Monday, July 6 Friday, August 21
Friday, July 24 Friday, September 4
Vital public health and safety services like State Police road patrols, correctional facilities, psychiatric hospitals, veteran's homes and youth facilities will not be impacted. Unemployment Insurance Agency offices will also remain open. The State hopes to save $21.7 million with the furlough program.
Blog Post
Metroparks, Recreation, and The Quality of Community Life With Robert Marans, Metro Parks Commissioner
by shannon riffe
On Wednesday, June 17, at the Downtown Library at 7pm, Professor Robert Marans, President of the Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission and the Commissioner of the Huron-Clinton Metropolitan Authority, will discuss his current research about the impact of the built and natural environments on metroparks throughout southeastern Michigan. This event is held in conjunction with the Library’s summer reading program, Local Motion - which encourages the use of local neighborhoods and outdoor areas to move and get fit!
Blog Post
Gardening for Everyone
by Beth Manuel
If you love to garden but don't have the space, read on! Project Grow provides space for area residents to create garden plots as well as planting and growing advice. They are now offering offering garden openings for seniors, children and people with disabilities with their Discovery Gardens. The space is available through a simple application process and plots are all over town! There is a sliding fee for space. Just think of all the food you can grow!
Blog Post
Top of the Park 2009
by ErinDurrett
Looking for something to do this weekend?
Top of the Park kicks off this evening at 6:30pm. Tonights entertainment includes opening act Fubar, , and After Dark at TOP featuring DJ Special K. Bands play every evening and movies show Sunday through Thursdays at dusk (10 pm). Some of the movies featured this year include: Iron Man, Twilight, Quantum of Solace, Airplane!, Forbidden Kingdom, and The Sound of Music: Sing-a-long Edition.
You can view the entertainment schedule at the Festival Website. For a printable Calendar, click here.
Top of the Park is located at Ingalls Mall, directly in front of the Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studies on Washington Street near the Burton Memorial Tower.
Don't forget to check out the performaces at our Mainstage as well. Artist/Comedians that are performing at the Power Center include: Ahn Trio, Los Lobos, Diana Krall, Gladys Knight, and Whose Line Is It Anyway?
The Ann Arbor Summer Festival runs till July 5th, so come prepared to dance, sing along and have a good time!
Blog Post
Housing Counseling 101
by Beth Manuel
Join a panel of experts from Housing Bureau for Seniors, Washtenaw County Treasurer's office and MSU Extension for a Town Hall style meeting Tuesday June 16 from 6:30-8:30 pm at Ypsilanti District Library . The panel will include housing counselors, bankers and loss mitigation experts to discuss the housing crisis and strategies to deal with it. There is no charge but registration is required by calling 997-1678.
Blog Post
New Documentary, "Up From Ashes," Chronicles the Construction of the Traverwood Branch
by shannon riffe
What goes into building a library? See the behind-the-scenes process that went into the construction of the Traverwood Branch in the new documentary, "Up From Ashes." The developers of Ann Arbor District Library’s Traverwood Branch took a unique approach to the building process by harvesting hundreds of ash trees devastated by the Emerald Ash Borer and reusing the trees in the construction of the building. Since opening in June 2008, Traverwood has become one of the busiest branches in the Ann Arbor District Library system and recently won a 2009 AIA Michigan Building Design Award.
The hour-long documentary "Up From Ashes" will be broadcast on Detroit Public Television (channel 56) on Thursday, June 11 from 8 to 9:00 p.m. A special viewing of the film, with an audience discussion led by Director and Cinematographer Bill Kubota, will take place at Traverwood Branch on Tuesday, July 21 from 7:00 to 8:30 pm.