Ages 11-18
Blog Post
It's Easy Being Green: A Sustainable Living Expo / Sunday, September 27, 12:30-5:30 PM
by erin
It's Easy Being Green is a day-long learning, local buying, and eating exposition celebrating living a life that’s better for the planet and not so hard on the wallet. From supporting efforts to reduce your carbon footprint to learning homesteading skills for living a more hands-on, DIY life, It's Easy Being Green has you covered!
Join us on SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, from 12:30-5:30 PM. The library is open from 12:00-6:00PM. FREE Parking on Sundays too!
The Expo features:
A Keynote presentation, "Plants, Pollinators, and Why They Matter," plus 11 learning sessions on a variety of topics including bike commuting, rain & container gardening, permaculture, fermentation, and more.
Over 20 vendors selling upcycled, recycled, handmade wares including jewelry, clothes, bath products, artwork, wool and other fibers. Plus vendors selling mushroom growing kits, outdoor animal keeping supplies, fermented products, and shrubs (drinking vinegars). Vendors include The Brinery, McClary Brothers Drinking Vinegars, Ann Arbor Seed Company, Happy Fuzzy Yarn, Divine Iguana, Lead Head Glass, among others.
Opportunities to chat with representatives from area organizations such as Recycle Ann Arbor, Project Grow, Ann Arbor Backyard Beekeepers, Sic Transit, Natural Area Preservation, Slow Food Huron Valley, Agrarian Adventure, Leslie Science & Nature Center, Ecology Center, and other green neighbors.
There will be three outdoor food vendors: The Shimmy Shack (vegetarian/vegan), and Mani Strada (the new venture from the Mani Osteria & Isalita purveyors) and Hello Ice Cream..
Learning Sessions Schedule:
12:30-1:15
Keynote: Plants, Pollinators, and Why They Matter with Joseph Tychonievich, Greensparrow Gardens
1:30-2:15
Family Bike Commuting with Michael Firn of Sic Transit Cycles
Container Gardening with Growing Hope
2:30-3:15
Rain Gardens with Jesse Tack of Abundant MI Permaculture and Whole Culture Repair
Mending Workshop with Karen LePage of Gentle Clothing
Bee Keeping with Jamie Berlin of Ypsi Melissa
3:30-4:15
Permaculture with the People’s Food Co-Op
Keeping Animals with Harnois Farms
4:30-5:15
Intro to Canning with Cynthia Hodges
Vermiculture with Starr Valley Farms
Fermentation 101 with The Brinery
Blog Post
Summer Game 2015 GAME OVER Gala!
by erin
Monday August 31, 2015: 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm -- Downtown Library Lobby
Let's take the Summer Game out with a bang with a building-wide scavenger hunt, badge coloring, a free photo-booth and light refreshments to commemorate the 2015 summer game! Check out the new digs at the Downtown library and get a chance to meet other summer game players!
Blog Post
Need a Picture ID?
by Beth Manuel
If you've been asked for a picture ID and unable to produce it, you may likely be able to get a Washtenaw County ID Card. Applicants must appear in person at the Washtenaw County Vital Records Division. There are point values attributed to a broad range of documents that can serve as proof for applicants to get a picture ID card when they may have been unable to get ID in the past. The cost of the card is $25.00 and is for all ages. Check out the Washtenaw County ID Project on Facebook to find out about events to promote the ID card. Community members are encouraged to get a card in an effort to destigmatize it for those who have no other identification card options. Head on down to the Clerk's office in room 120 to look for a special CODE and earn a badge, too!
Blog Post
Nonfiction doesn't mean non-interesting Maya van Wagenen's Popular wins YASLA's award for excellence in nonfiction!
by gulickb
Maya was not your traditional 8th grade student, and not because she made a six figure book deal out of her memoir of the 8th grade. No Maya decided that she would adopt the styles of the 50's and wear them to school regardless of what her friends and fellow school goers thought about it. She used a 1950's popularity guide by Betty Cornell and for the rest of the year she followed what it said. What she found out was... well I won't spoil it for you! Read and find out for yourself!
This book is great and wonderfully put together. Sometimes when you're reading it you forget for just a moment that the person was only 15 when the book was published! So check out Popular : a memoir : vintage wisdom for a modern geek and find out why it won the award for yourself.
Blog Post
Congratulations to all of the WINNERS at the 10th Annual LEGO Contest! 2015 is the summer of LEGO Awesome!
by erin
Summer 2015 has been the summer of LEGO in all of its interlocking awesomeness and the highlight of EVERY summer, the annual LEGO contest, has come and gone and now it’s time to celebrate! This year we had 200 entries in 6 age categories:
Preschool, Grades K-2, Grades 3-5, Grades 6-8, Grades 9-12 and Adults!
We gave out 24 LEGO trophies, 72 medals and over $500 in gift cards to the winners! As always the house was packed and about 600 people attended to vote of their favorites, see all the projects and experience the Award Ceremony!
Congratulations to the winners in our 10th Annual LEGO Contest!
Preschool Category:
1st Place = Hotel by Emmet Forbes
Runner-Up = Outer Space by Nate Kubiak
Honorable Mention = Tootie Ta Train Tower by Clara Balazer
PEOPLE’S CHOICE (voted on by attendees of the contest) = Hotel by Emmet Forbes
Best Motorized = Its’s a Camp by Eleanor Coffman
Best Architectural/Engineering = Rainbow Pyramid by Sam Mickey
Coolest Robot = Rock Mech Robot by Gabriel Nazario
Best Vehicle = Drone Galaxy Cruiser by Jackson Erickson
Most Creative = Indian Street Food by Amit V.
Most Sophisticated = Knights of Fires all Fighting All Day by Liam Anderson
AADL LEGO Master Builder = Lava, Frank the Dog, Alligator, Ninjago Volcano by Isaac Semrau
Best Use of the #10/Visual/Conceptual = Waterfall by Theo Tsai
Grades K - 2:
1st Place = Edmund Fitzgerald & Andersen by Alexander Burrow
Runner-Up = SS Collage by Dominic Nazario
Honorable Mention = M City by Emma Khan
PEOPLE’S CHOICE (voted on by attendees of the contest) = Farmer’s Market by Ivy & Ethan Miller
Best Motorized = Top in 10 Years by Mave Coffman
Best Architectural/Engineering = Gems & Marble Run by Desmond Beckerleg
Coolest Robot = The Best Workers by Lincoln Bolazer
Best Vehicle = Spy Tracker by Connor Geoghegan
Most Creative = Banana Boat by Sorin Bleed
Most Sophisticated = Spy Central by Evan Lowrie-Miuccio
AADL LEGO Master Builder = Pacmania by Ruby Brabbs
Best Use of the #10/Visual/Conceptual = I Spy 10 by Will and Sean Beaupre
Best RV = Every kind of person animal Tubobus by Micah Jule Rijke-Epstein
Best Planes, Trains and Tower Cranes = Busy Day at the Harbor by Jacob Rice
Grades 3-5 Category:
1st Place = iPhone Characters Come to Life by Ennis Poskovic
Runner-Up = Castle Under Attack by Nathan Gillick
Honorable Mention = Under the Water by Avalon McNew
PEOPLE’S CHOICE (voted on by attendees of the contest) = Brenda Khuu
Best Motorized = Baja by Jeffrey Wang
Best Architectural/Engineering = Top Notch Security Robot Lab by Joe Bonenberger
Coolest Robot = B-29 Robot Dog by Beck Nordstrom
Best Vehicle = Ann Arbor Airport 2110 by Kevin Hudson
Most Creative = Dog Walker by Noah Forbes
Most Sophisticated = LEGO Jewelry Part 2 by Hiba Khan
AADL LEGO Master Builder = Frank the Pub by Gabriel Senrau
Best Use of the #10/Visual/Conceptual = Tenth Anniversary of Ten by Caitlin Trievel
Wettest Infrastructure Fail = Ann Arbor After it Rains by Brendan Khuu
Best Municipal Amenity = Skate Park by Levi Berg
Fastest Spaceship = New Horizons by Alexa Daniels
Toxoplasmosis Award = 3 Kittens by Daniel Lee
Grades 6-8:
1st Place = LEGO Bridge by Deniz Kirza
Runner-Up = 21 Balloons by Ethan Mascato
Honorable Mention = PLAY by Elliot and Milo Varnum
PEOPLE’S CHOICE (voted on by attendees of the contest) = LEGO Bridge by Deniz Kirza
Best Motorized = LEGO Car Wash by Brian Khuu
Best Architectural/Engineering = City of the Future by Bach Nguyen
Coolest Robot = The Robot that Shoots Bot by Aakarsh Verma
Best Vehicle = Main St. USA
Most Creative = Pizza Horse’s Food Temple by Connor & Charlie Wilcox
Most Sophisticated = Good vs Evil by Katrina Walbridge
AADL LEGO Master Builder = Snoopy & Woodstock by Nishant Domala
Best Use of the #10/Visual/Conceptual = LEGO Chopped by Conor Pyle
Most Relaxing = Bernice’s 24 Hour Spa by Jennifer Shim
Bits to Bricks by Sam Fleming
Grades 9-12 Category:
1st Place = My Ride, Our Ride, The Ride by Casimir Mankowski
Runner-Up = A Day On Set by Hamza Khan
Honorable Mention = Winter Treehouse by Saskia & Tara Van Nieuwstadt
PEOPLE’S CHOICE (voted on by attendees of the contest) = My Ride, Our Ride, The Ride by Casimir Mankowski
Most Sophisticated = Desolation by Isaac Ferguson
AADL LEGO Master Builder = Art in the Park by Ethan Jansen
Adult Category:
1st Place = Spinning the Cube by David Lorch
Runner-Up = Elves vs. Orcs by Gabriele, Matter and Valentina Carcassi
Honorable Mention = Save the Monarchs by Nieka Appell
PEOPLE’S CHOICE (voted on by attendees of the contest) = Elves vs. Orcs by Gabriele, Matter and Valentina Carcassi
Best Architectural/Engineering = I’m not saying it was aliens, but… by Denise Kratz
Best Vehicle = 201 Fiat Aburt by John Huber
Most Creative = LEGO Foosball by Michael Bleed
Most Sophisticated =
AADL LEGO Master Builder = Viking Ship by Paul Bierdz
Best Use of the #10/Visual/Conceptual = Port-a-John by John Bayles
Master Minecrafter = Skeleton From Minecraft by Milo Hofer
Blog Post
Crossover Graphic Novels good for young and old -August edition
by gulickb
There's nothing quite like sitting down with a good graphic novel. The mix of art and word can create a unique experience and there is nothing better than being able to share that experience with others. There are some graphic novels that are so great that it doesn't matter how old you are you can enjoy them. Here's this months crossover (good for all ages) graphic novels.
Mouse Guard is a story of the Mouse Guard of a world filled with sentient creatures, creatures who think like we do! It follows the exciting adventures of these protectors. If you loved the Redwall series you will love this series and if you love the idea of mice fighting weasels and otters and all manner of other creatures this is the series for you.
Darkwing Duck I loved Ducktales growing up and when they made Darkwing Duck into a comic they really brought the two series closer together. If you love daring adventures and mysteries with a masked crusader then Darkwing Duck is for you. If you loved Ducktales then Darkwing Duck is for you. If you just like ducks, then I'm sure this series has something to offer you
Amulet is huge, and gaining popularity (it's even currently optioned for being made into a film!!) but this graphic novel series is not just for children. The story has some serious depth to it and the art is beautiful. There is more than enough in this series to keep anyone interested for every volume that is out (and all the ones that will be released!)
Stay tuned for more awesome graphic novels and books in the AADL blog!
Blog Post
The Carnival At Bray
by manz
A 2015 Printz Honor Award winner, the teen novel The Carnival At Bray is Jessie Ann Foley’s first novel, and it’s beautifully written.
It’s 1993 and grunge, flannel, Doc Martens, and the music of Nirvana swirl through the air like sweat during a mosh pit at a Smashing Pumpkin's show. 16 year old Maggie Lynch moves from Chicago to Ireland with her family, thanks to her serial dating mother’s new relationship. Maggie initially survives on care packages of Twizzlers and Spin magazines from her young rocker uncle whom she cares for the most. Her time is spent missing her uncle, dealing with a new school, hanging out at the carnival, trying to make friends, and finding a boy for a first kiss. But eventually there are larger things to deal with.
It’s a book of love and loss. Of first love, learning to be who you are, figuring out how you fit into your dysfunctional family, and ultimately learning that life was meant to be lived.
Blog Post
NPR Books' Summer Of Love
by eapearce
The hottest month of the summer is almost upon us and in honor of their Summer of Love theme this year, NPR Books has just released a list of 100 swoon-worthy romances to keep you occupied during August and beyond. Readers and authors alike voted on their favorite romance novels, and then the votes were tallied and divided into categories to produce the final list, which you can check out here!
I love the diversity of the list: it includes historical, paranormal and LBGT romances, classics such as Pride and Prejudice, and entire series. There's even a YA category! Even readers who don't consider themselves readers of romance novels will be able to find something that catches their eye. Look for any of the books that interest you from the list in our catalog!
Blog Post
What goes bump in the nights gets smacked by the hand- Thomas Alsop Volume 1: The Hand of the Island.
by gulickb
What would you do if you were "the Hand of Manhattan" a man with psychic abilities and charged with the responsibility for looking after an entire island from the evils that lurk in the dark. Thomas Alsop becomes an internet and reality TV sensation. This story is John Constantine meets Jersey Shore (maybe more like American Ninja Warrior). This volume will introduce you to "The Hand" and show just how dangerous his life is. Not only does he have to deal with the day to day saving the world (or at least a small part of it) he has a publicist and a TV studio to handle.
This is a gritty story of a modern day warlock with modern day problems and it intense at times. The artwork is superb and really reflects the underlying nature of the world that Thomas lives in.
So check out Thomas Alsop!
Blog Post
Teens! It's not too late to volunteer at the library this summer!
by eapearce
Hey there! If you're between the ages of 14 and 18 and looking for something fun to do with the rest of your summer, come volunteer at the AADL! We need help with all of the cool programs taking place throughout the month of August. All you need to do is fill out the information form at www.aadl.org/teenvolunteer and bring the signed permission slip that you'll find on that same page to the orientation taking place Downtown on August 3 from 2-2:30pm. At the orientation you'll get more information about volunteering, and have the chance to sign up for whatever programs you'd like to help with. There are opportunities at all our locations, and at lots of different times of the day!
If you have any questions, email teenvolunteer@aadl.org or call (734) 327-8326.