Note: Due to planned power outage at the Downtown Library, this event has been moved to Traverwood Branch.

We can’t wait for you to hear the drumming and see the joyful dancing of the Akanni Omowale African Drummers and Dancers at our Senegal Family Cultural Celebration on Sunday, January 17 at 2:00 pm at the Traverwood Branch library. Akanni Omowale recently performed at the Museum of African American History in Detroit. After the music and dance we will enjoy a traditional treat and then make colorful giraffe collages. All ages are invited!

There's still time to register for our class on aadl.org. If you are available today from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm at the Downtown Library Training Center, 3rd Floor
*Registration required: Register Now

A roadmap to searching for materials, information, and events on aadl.org. Participants will discover a variety of hidden gems within the site, including: the advantage of using My Account for placing holds, how to navigate the research tab, and how and why to tag items. Basic computer and mouse experience is required. You may register online, at any AADL location, or by calling 734-327-4555.

When I met Bill Harley thirty years ago, and heard him tell stories at a concert in a beautiful old church in Cambridge, MA, I knew he had the sense of humor, depth and compassion to move everyone in the family to laughter and tears. I am tickled pink that our library will be hosting this Grammy award-winning storyteller and musician on Sunday, November 22 at 1:00 pm for a free family show at the Ark for ages five and up. If you are a grown-up looking for an evening of classy entertainment come to the 7:30 pm Ark show that same date for more edgy and exquisite fun!

If you’ve never trekked through the Bird Hills Nature Area, you are in for a treat. Located on a moraine, this land of steep slopes was logged in the 1800s and then grazed by cattle. In the 1920s under new owners reforestation began. With its varied topography and soils Bird Hills is one the most floristically diverse areas in Ann Arbor.

City of Ann Arbor Natural Area Preservation staff will lead the hike. View a wide variety of trees, discover the ways to identify them, and learn about ecological restoration and responsible use of public lands. Come join us!

Saturday, October 3 | 2:00-3:30 PM | Bird Hills parking lot off Newport Road, just north of M-14
Fall leaves

Do you find yourself in a situation where you are suddenly a caregiver to an elderly or disabled parent? Do you have questions about this new role in your life? We have DVDs that might help answer all those questions for you. Check out our Caring for your parents:The Complete AARP Guide, or Caring for your parents:The complete family guide. Having some of your questions answered might make this time of your life go more smoothly and peacefully.

We're going to the zoo in Storytime with Ms. Rachel. Ann Arbor is a one hour drive from two excellent zoos. You can visit the Detroit Zoo and Toledo Zoo this summer. While you're traveling you can share these stories and songs:
Sing "Going To The Zoo" with Peter Paul And Mary, or Raffi. Read Tom Paxton's words in Going To The Zoo.

Between June 1 and August 31 Eyecare America’s Senior Eyecare Program is offering an opportunity for people 65 and older to get a no-cost eye exam and care for any disease detected in the initial visit for up to one year following the exam. You qualify if you have not seen an ophthalmologist in three or more years, and do not belong to an HMO or the VA. Those interested may call toll-free 800-222-EYES (3937) for referral to an ophthalmologist. This program is co-sponsored by the Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the Knights Templar Eye Foundation, Inc.

Lakewood cropped

Join us for a botanical walk at this lovely 7-acre park on the west side of town. Your guide will be one of Ann Arbor’s Natural Area Preservation staff members. Hike up and down the hills blanketed by oak-hickory woodlands; enjoy views of streams and ravines cutting through the park. Bring your camera and take a photo to submit in the Natural Area Preservation’s 4th Annual Photo Contest.

Meet in the parking lot of Lakewood School, 344 Gralake, rain or shine.

Thursday, June 18 | 7:00-8:30 PM | Lakewood Nature Area | All Ages

...read Tinkers, a first but hopefully not the last novel by Paul Harding. As George lies on his deathbed, memories come crashing down on him like his apocalyptic hallucinations of his house crumbling, floor by floor, on top of him. In his reveries, George has flashes of his father, an epileptic traveling salesman whose seizures are described as electrical phenomena. George had repaired clocks for a living and Harding's descriptions of that work as well as his evocations of nature and some minor characters make for a rich, satisfying reading experience for those who love language as well as story. Booklist says: "Writing with breathtaking lyricism and tenderness, Harding has created a rare and beautiful novel of spiritual inheritance and acute psychological and metaphysical suspense."

When Will There be Good News? by Kate Atkinson is her latest featuring detective Jason Brodie. The story which Publishers Weekly calls her "stellar third novel," begins with a horrific crime and the rest of the novel masterfully puts the missing pieces together. You'll love Reggie, the 16 year old resourceful babysitter who becomes a heroine of sorts. And the suspense is unending. You may want to start with Case Histories and One Good Turn before this one but it does well as a stand alone. Atkinson is the 1995 winner of the Whitbread (now the Costa) award.