Teens and Adoption: Books, magazines, meetings

Sat, 03/06/2010 - 11:14am by annevm

Issues of identity and social life can complicate adolescence for adopted teens. Fortunately for families, there is lots of information at the library and support in the community. Check out Adoptive Families magazine in which the March-April issue has the article "Between Worlds" by Fran Eisenman. In Ann Arbor, a new group is beginning for adopted teens, "Connections," co-led by an adoptive mother/psychologist and her 22 year old daughter. The group will be a place to reflect on challenges, opportunities, relationships and adoption. For details, call Kristine Freeark, 668-0140 or email kfreeark@gmail.com.

Germantown: Old but in the news

Wed, 03/03/2010 - 3:16pm by annevm

Among articles called out in the recent “Proposed Fourth and Fifth Avenues Historic District Study” is Grace Shackman’s Old West Side Story: The Germans in Ann Arbor. In this article, Grace carefully traces the longstanding German influence, back to 1825 when Mannheim baker Conrad Bissinger apparently became the first German to set foot in town. Reading this article, you can see why some people want an historic district that might include Bethlehem United Church of Christ and nearby historic homes. Click here to read a news story from AnnArbor.com. The actual report about the proposed historic district is here.

Filing Online for Unemployment

Tue, 03/02/2010 - 11:55am by monkk

Need to file for unemployment? Have no idea where to start? This step by step video from the State of Michigan's Unemployment Insurance Agency will tell you exactly how to file your claim. For more information on filing for unemployment or looking for a new job, visit AADL's Small Business & Job Search Toolkit.

Ignite Ann Arbor 3: This Thursday!

Sun, 02/28/2010 - 12:50pm by eli

5 minutes, 20 slides; what would you say? Come find out what some passionate locals are most passionate about at Ignite Ann Arbor 3, this Thursday, 3/4, at the Blau Auditorium at the UM Ross School of Business at 7 PM. Ignite was started in Seattle by Brady Forrest, and has been promoted and expanded by the O'Reilly Media Group. Ignite is an evening of short, fast, fun talks on any and every subject sure to ignite your interest in some exciting ideas. Ignite Ann Arbor 3 takes place during Global Ignite Week, when Ignite events have been planned in over 60 cities on 6 continents. AADL gets in on the action by offering Ignite Second Stage, an opportunity for the best 5-minute talks to be expanded into longer programs at the library. Our first Second Stage event just happenend this past weekend, but we've got our eyes on some of the Ignite Ann Arbor 3 talks coming this week, so read more, drop us a comment and let us know which of these talks you'd like to learn more about, and don't miss Ignite Ann Arbor 3 this Thursday at Blau!

Ignite Ann Arbor 3 Program:

How to Kill a Mastodon, by Jim Gilligan
Food Here Now, by Jeff McCabe
Natural dyes: The movement towards smaller, slower, & sustainable, by Kim Demick
Movies by Radio! by Suzanne Fischer
Welcome to Lunch, by Edward Vielmetti
Keeping it Simple … Beating the big guys at building EVs, by John Harding
Why Your Representative is Obsolete, by James Borda
A2 Fiber. A Faster 5-Minute Talk, by Derek Mehraban
Running with Lasers, Mike Gould

Intermission

Building the World’s Most Popular College Football Blog, Brian Cook
Hardcore Parkour! by Matthew Oishi
The Singularity is Near, by Anthony Oliver
Home Funeral is So Much Nicer, by Merilynne Rush
An Introduction to British Slang, by Darren Landrum
Massive Molecular Bandwidth, Naturally, Alexander Honkala
Leave Some for the Fish, by Elizabeth Riggs
Bolognese: You’re Doing it Wrong! by David Zuidema

Let us know which of these you'd most like to see at AADL, and thanks for your input!

Ignite Ann Arbor 2: This Friday!

Sun, 02/28/2010 - 12:46pm by eli

Five minutes; twenty slides. What would you say? Ignite Ann Arbor 2 is coming up this Friday, 11/6 at 7 PM at Blau Auditorium at the Ross School of Business on campus. Ignite is a series of events that began in Seattle and has spread all over the world that invites members of the community up on stage and gives them 5 minutes and 20 slides to talk about their passions. Ignite Ann Arbor 1 included talks on building your own weather balloon, DIY camping equipment, the Golden Mean, the future of News in Ann Arbor, the under-representation of Women in technology, and many more cool things; Ignite Ann Arbor 2 has an amazing lineup including estimating how many licks it does take to get to the center of a tootsie pop, Rosicrucians and Barber-orators, How to Spin A Rope, Why Sex is Great, Wildcrafting, Gelato, Librarianship, Wood, and many other amazing, exciting, inspiring talks.

Also, the best presenters of Ignite Ann Arbor 2 will be invited to the Library over the next few months to give expanded versions of their talks and get deeper into the subject matter. Ignite is an illuminating, entertaining evening that showcases some of the most exciting things going on in town. RSVP for free now and don't miss it this Friday 11/6; then come back to ignite to let us know which talks you'd most like to see expanded at AADL!

What makes an interesting work of art?

Thu, 02/25/2010 - 11:24am by amy

Fiber artist and EMU art professor Brooks Harris Stevens will tell you what, in her estimation, constitutes an interesting work of art as she leads a guided tour of the Art of the 2010 Ann Arbor Women Artists' Exhibit on Monday, March 1, from 7-8:30 p.m. in the Downtown Library Multi-Purpose Room. Stevens, juror for the AAWA's 2010 exhibition (which will be on display at AADL from the time of this event through April 14), will also announce the winners of this year's show.

Great Lakes, Great Times Reading Series

Mon, 02/22/2010 - 5:37pm by manz

Great Lakes, Great Times is a monthly reading series that, according to the host, “showcases the best established and up-and-coming writers working today.” The February reading will take place at 826Michigan, and will feature readings from authors Blake Nelson (Author of teen titles, Girl, They Came From below, and Gender Blender, among others), Kevin Sampsell, and Chelsea Martin.

Check here to see which authors are up next in the series. So many authors are visiting! I hear January’s event had quite the turn-out.

The monthly event is geared towards adults, admission is FREE, and anyone is welcome. It's all happening Saturday, February 27, 7pm at 826michigan/ The Liberty Street Robot Supply & Repair Shop at 115 East Liberty.

Public Hearing Notice: Tonight

Tue, 02/16/2010 - 2:50pm by Beth Manuel

The Ann Arbor City Council will devote some of their meeting time tonight soliciting non-profit providers and community participation for input on the 2010-11 Annual Action Plan for the General Fund budgets for Housing and Human Services. In other words: If you have an interest in hearing about Federal Funding for affordable housing in our community or have something to say, come early and sign up to share your comment tonight.

Film & Discussion: Of Civil Wrongs and Rights

Tue, 02/16/2010 - 1:26pm by Bertha

This Emmy-winning documentary, Of Civil Wrongs and Rights: The Fred Korematsu Story is the story of a forty-year legal fight to vindicate Fred Korematsu, a shipyard welder, who refused to obey an Executive Order sending thousands of Americans of Japanese ancestry into internment camps.
Discussion after the film will be led by May Watanabe, internee; David Yamamoto, internee; and Lori Saginaw, daughter of May Watanabe and third generation Japanese American. This event is for Grade 9-Adult, and is cosponsored by the UM Community Scholars Program.

Thursday, February 18 | 6:30-8:30 PM | Downtown Multi-Purpose Room | Grade9-Adult

Don't Believe a Word He Says!

Fri, 02/12/2010 - 8:53am by StoryLaura

The Smithsonian Center for Folk Life says “Bil Lepp is a side-splittingly funny man” and Michael Feldman from Whad’Ya Know says “He’s terrific…fantastic…he’s a good one!” You can learn how storyteller Bil Lepp “lies well” on Saturday, February 20th at 10:00 am at the Downtown Library. Then treat yourself to the Ark’s 23rd Annual Storytelling Festival that same evening. The library partnered with the Ann Arbor Storytellers’ Guild for this wild workshop.