Blog Post
Take a nature walk at Wurster Nature Area
by K.C.
Join Natural Area Preservation staff for a free nature walk through Wurster Nature Area. A staff naturalist will point out wildflowers, trees, and shrubs and talk about ecological restoration, as well as volunteer activities in Ann Arbor Parks, recreation opportunities, and responsible use of public lands. Plenty of time will be available for questions. Meet at the Edgewood Place cul-de-sac just off of West Davis Avenue. Parking available on the outer ring of the cul-de-sac.
Wurster Nature Area Hike | Thursday, July 15 | 7:00-8:00 PM | All Ages
Blog Post
A River Runs Through It
by ballybeg
Having loved the movie, A River Runs Through It, when the book recently crossed my path I decided to give it a try. In the forward, it is praised to the skies by Annie Proulx and I can see why. It is a perfectly beautiful, evocative, autobiographical tribute to the three things that Norman Maclean loved: being raised in Montana near the Big Blackfoot river, fly fishing, and his brother, Paul, the one who raised fly fishing to an art, and who lived wild and free and died young.
Now I am not that interested in fly fishing. Nevertheless, the descriptions of Norman and Paul wading through the shadowy pools of the Big Blackfoot, luring the trout with imitations of various flies, are so lyrical and beautiful that I could see and feel and hear the river and their total artistry in fishing it.
Ultimately, the novella is about trying to love the people who are in our lives but we who we don’t completely understand. “It is those we live with and love and should know, who elude us”, says Norman at the end. “Now nearly all those I loved and did not understand when I was young are dead, but I still reach out to them… I am haunted by waters.” Maclean wrote the book when he was 72 years old, looking back on his memories of the brother and the river he loved.
Blog Post
It's Contest Time @ the Library! Lego & Photo Contest Guidelines!
by erin
If it's summer it must be time for our annual contests! This year is our 5th annual Lego Contest & we're inviting ADULTS in on the fun!! We're also pleased to announce our Make It Happen in Ann Arbor Photo Contest! Use your leisurely summer time to focus your creativity and take a chance on winning! In order to enter either contest participants must read and follow the rules and guidelines.
Children, teens and adults are invited to enter the 5th Annual Lego Contest & the Make It Happen Photo Contest. Winners of both contests will receive gift cards to Target. Once again the Lego contest will take place at Weber's Inn (3050 Jackson Ave) on Thursday, August 5. The Make It Happen Photo Contest Award's Ceremony will be on Wednesday, July 28 @ the Downtown Library. For complete rules & submission guidelines for the Lego contest click here. For the Make It Happen photo contest rules & guidelines click here.
Blog Post
Your Guide to Avoiding Summer Boredom
by flora
I don’t know about you, but I’m counting down the days until summer vacation! Summer is the perfect time to explore, build, create, imagine, and discover. Here some books and websites to get you started, whatever your interests or age:
Howtoons.com is a comic-style website of directions for making some crazy new toys. How about a Speed Blaster or Robofingers? There is something for everyone here and all the projects can be made with common household items like pop bottles, paper plates, and straws.
If you’re planning a campout or a hike, Camp Out! and Follow the Trail have all sorts of information about what to bring, what to do, and how to prepare for emergencies. Another fun book is Cooking in a Can, full of recipes for cooking over a campfire, from vegetables to grilled sandwiches to cake.
Even from your backyard or a park you can get up close with nature. 101 Nature Experiments includes how to grow various types of gardens, make your own compost, and discover all sorts of things about critters, bugs, and plants up close.
More into art than science? How to Draw What You See and Illustrating Nature will get you ready to draw and paint plants, animals, and landscapes 'en plein air'. There are also tons of crafts to make using stuff from nature: check out Organic Crafts, Ecology Crafts for Kids, and Nature’s Art Box for inspiration.
Summer is also a great time to update your wardrobe. How about making your own purse from fabric and embellishments, jewelry from beads and fiber, or perhaps a wallet or tool belt made from duct tape? These books give step-by-step instructions for creating one-of-a-kind accessories to keep or give as gifts. The Hip Handbag Book, Ductigami, Hemp Masters, and Creative Beading will get you started and you can let your creativity do the rest.
Finally, don't forget about the AADL Summer Reading program! Our theme this year is "Make it Happen," and events include art workshops, games, and all sorts of activities. Check out the Summer Reading events page to make sure you don't miss out!
Blog Post
Thursday: Fabulous Documentary!
by annevm
The remarkable Oscar award nominated documentary Encounters At The End Of The World will be screened 7-8:45 p.m. Thursday at the downtown library. Directed by Werner Herzog, the film reflects life in very cramped quarters of 1,000 men and women pursuing advanced science in Antarctica. This 2008 Oscar-nominated documentary is rated G for general audiences. Bring a friend and learn about science, human nature, and Antarctica.
Blog Post
Take an Earth Day Hike @Bird Hills Nature Area
by K.C.
Celebrate Earth Day by taking a spring nature walk, led by the City of Ann Arbor Natural Area Preservation staff. View native plants and trees, and learn about the ecological restoration going on at this site. Keep your eyes open for some spring wildflowers.
Thursday, April 22 -- 7-8:30 PM -- Bird Hills parking lot off Newport Road, just north of M-14
Blog Post
Winter Adventures -- Youth Magazine Update
by MariaK
There's no denying it, winter has definitely arrived -- and with snow predicted for some time this week, it's time to plan how to keep yourself entertained when the weather turns icy.
If you're an outdoorsy type, Boy's Life Magazine has all the information you will ever need, with articles on ice fishing, making emergency shelters out of snow, and ice climbing -- on frozen grain silos. (Strange, but true.)
For those of us who prefer to stay indoors with a hot cup of cocoa, Nintendo Power Magazine provides the latest information on the best new games -- like Legend of Zelda Spirit Tracks, the first Legend of Zelda game where Zelda gets to go adventuring herself! My personal favorite, for the name alone, is Zombie Panic in Wonderland in which your favorite fairy tale characters fight...you guessed it ...zombies.
Bridging the gap between outdoor adventure and vegging out is National Geographic Kids, with an article on the return of the lynx to Colorado, and a review of upcoming Disney original The Princess and the Frog. Owl Magazine and its sister publication ChickaDee get in on the act with articles on arctic animals, gifts you can make yourself, and, in ChickaDee, an up-close look at Quebec's Hotel de Glace, a hotel made entirely of ice.
Blog Post
Announcing the Official Book Selection of Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Reads 2010.
by shannon riffe
Jerry Dennis' book, 'The Living Great Lakes: Searching For The Heart Of The Inland Seas' is the title selected as the focus of Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Reads 2010. This year's theme is Michigan.
An eleven-member selection team, composed of community members, educators, students and librarians from the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti area chose the book Wednesday night after two hours of deliberation. The other title under consideration was 'Arc of Justice: Saga of Race, Civil Rights, and Murder in The Jazz Age' by Kevin Boyle.
The winner of the “Best Book of 2003” by the Outdoor Writers Association of America,'The Living Great Lakes: Searching for the Heart of the Inland Seas' chronicles author Jerry Dennis’ travels as a crew member on the tall-masted schooner Malabar on a four-week trip through the waters of Lakes Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie and Superior. The author, a resident of Traverse City, Michigan, reminisces on a lifetime spent near the lakes and interweaves his personal journey with stories from the biologists, fishermen and sailors that he met during his travels.
Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Reads 2010 is scheduled to occur January through February 2010, with multiple opportunities for the community to become involved. For more information, visit the website.
Blog Post
Ancient Food and Extreme Science -- Youth Magazine Update
by MariaK
From history to travel, interviews to fiction -- this month's youth magazines sure have a lot of interesting stories to share!
Dig Magazine starts the party with an issue focusing entirely on the history of food. Learn about Ancient Egyptian bread baking and the history of the tortilla, as well as how to roast a whole pig. Even more fun than McDonald's!
Jack and Jill travels the world, with a look at winter holiday celebrations and life in Mongolia's Gobi Desert, as well as an interview with 16-year-old figure skater and Olympic hopeful Mirai Nagasu.
Ever heard of scientists who brave dense jungles and hang from trees to study rare insects? Ranger Rick Magazine has the whole story, along with cool pictures of animal sculptures made entirely from tin cans.
If this makes you feel like exploring the world, come on down! The library is always the best place to start.
Blog Post
Toys, Tweens, Pies and Trees -- Parent Magazine Update
by MariaK
The magazines on our parent shelf are taking on the world, and they can take you along for the ride.
Parenting: School Years starts out strong with an article on how to enjoy your child's "difficult" tween years, and just keeps on swinging with a special Mom Congress report on the necessity of art education, a guide to family hapiness, and their picks for "toys of the year."
Coincidentally, Family Fun Magazine also features their Toy of the Year Awards -- number one is Klutz's "Invasion of the Bristlebots", a kit for making robots out of toothbrush heads. The magazine continues with an article on blogging as a family, a list of fun Thanksgiving activities, and five unique pie recipes for those bored with the same old pumpkin-from-a-can variety.
Gifted Child Today tackles some serious issues in their fall edition -- a guide to involving children in caring for the earth, an article by Dr. Gilman W. Whiting, director of the Scholar Identity Institute on reducing dropout rates among diverse students, and a guide to identifying signs of Asperger's syndrome-- an Autism-spectrum disorder.
If all this makes you want to roll up your sleeves and dive in, great! These great ideas and more are just a trip to the magazine rack away.