Sunday May 5, 2013: 2:00 pm to 3:30 pm -- Malletts Creek Branch: Program Room AB

At this time of year when everyone is preparing to celebrate Mother's Day and Father's Day, it is important to create a time to honor the memories of parents who have died, whether the death was recent or in the past.

This workshop, presented by Arbor Hospice's Grief Support Services, will focus on ways to include our parents in the legacy we create in our own lives. Participants will share experiences and reflect on how their parent's death has influenced their lives.

Martin Luther King Jr. was born in Memphis, Tennessee on January 15th, 1929. Born to Reverend Martin Luther King, Sr. and Alberta Williams King, his name was originally Michael King.

He became an activist within the African American Civil Rights Movement very early in his life, leading the famous Montgomery Bus Boycott when he was only 26 years old, in 1955. He served as the very first president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), an organization which he helped to create. At the 1963 March on Washington, one of the largest political rallies for human rights in United States history, he gave his historic "I Have a Dream" Speech which is still famous today and has helped to establish him as one of the greatest orators in American History.

In 1964 he won the Nobel Peace Prize for combating racial inequality through nonviolence, a method of protest that he was most famous for. Branching out from his role as an African-American civil rights activist, King also spoke out against the Vietnam War, and became focused on helping the nation's impoverished population. He was in the process of planning a movement called the Poor People's Campaign, but before he could carry it out he was assassinated on April 4, 1968. The movement was carried out after his death, with thousands of people turning out to protest. He was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1977 and Congressional Gold Medal in 2004

Martin Luther King Day (established in 1986) will be celebrated on Monday, January 21 in 2013. Follow the links for biographies and related books on Martin Luther King, Jr.

Related Posts:
Jan 21: Youth Will Celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day at U-M
Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Reads: Understanding Race

One cannot possibly read one's family too many wonderful picture books over the holidays. When a friend recommended Night Tree, by Eve Bunting, I immediately put a hold on it and today it came to me. Wow! The illustrations by Ted Rand -- traditional watercolors with the addition of chalk and grease pencil -- are magical. Eve Bunting's story is entirely original, evoking family, forest animals, and the decoration of a most extraordinary Christmas tree, all seen through the eyes of a child. Check it out!

Mark your calendar for Monday, Jan. 21, when the MLK 2013 Children and Youth Program at U-M will happen from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the U-M Modern Languages Building, 812 E. Washington Street. The program, which is turning 15, will celebrate and commemorate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.. Over the years the program has drawn a total of more than 8,000 K-12 students from schools around southeast Michigan, offering them entertainment, fun, creativity and dialogue through storytelling, discussions, group projects, skits, rap poetry, and music. To register for this year's event, click here.

Tuesday December 18, 2012: 7:00 pm to 8:45 pm -- Downtown Library: Multi-Purpose Room

Join us for the delightful 2011 documentary Becoming Santa. This hilarious 93-minute film tells the true story of one ordinary man's quest to become the perfect Santa Claus. Watch his transformation and training at the Professional Santa School!

Follow stocky, middle-aged Jack Sanderson through his training and preparation and his different Santa gigs. Along the way, we meet many other ordinary people who are keeping alive the Santa spirit as professional Santas.

This time of year the hold lists grow for certain movies and TV show episodes that many wish to view. The good news is that there are plenty of cheery holiday DVDs on the shelves sure to please the kiddies. Here’s a list of some currently available DVDs, including A Flintstones' Christmas carol, Madeline's Christmas & other wintery tales, Frosty's winter wonderland, Curious George: A very monkey Christmas, Thomas & friends. Merry Christmas Thomas, and Strawberry Shortcake: Berry, merry Christmas. For more titles, here's a larger list of youth and adult holiday DVDs that AADL owns.

Saturday December 15, 2012: 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm -- Downtown Library: Multi-Purpose Room

Classical Bells returns to the Library for their annual concert! The group's primary instrument consists of 68 bronze plus 6 aluminum English handbells, a range of more than six octaves.

This eclectic programming, combined with sensitive musical interpretation, technical skill, informal choreography, and a dash of humor, gives Classical Bells the well-deserved reputation of Michigan's Premier Handbell Ensemble. Check out or place a hold on their albums!

Saturday December 15, 2012: 2:00 pm to 3:30 pm -- Pittsfield Branch: Program Room

Create surprisingly sophisticated looking mod forms with paper and buttons to create hanging miniatures. Decorate your house for the holidays or anytime with your very own homemade touches!

This event is for adults and teens (grade 6 and up).

Where will you shop for holiday gifts this year? It’s buy local week! In the recent years, local businesses in Michigan cities including Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti have been participating in several “buy local” themed holiday sales in order to take some of the spotlight off of the big box stores. This growing trend to “buy local Michigan” is a great way to support our state’s economy. If you’re looking for gift ideas that will support southeast Michigan, or just the state in general, here are some ideas:

-Farmer’s Markets are on the rise! According to a study done by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, Michigan has been leading the country in the percentage growth of farmers markets over the last two years and also “ranks fourth among the states in the number of farmers markets.” There are several local farmer’s markets that are open year-round, such as The Ann Arbor Farmer’s Market and The Detroit Eastern Market. Pick up a locally made loaf of banana bread for a stocking stuffer. Or, for the more adventurous, cook your own gifts to give from the fresh foods found at the markets. The AADL’s catalog has several local-themed cookbooks for you to draw ideas from.

-Michigan is famous for its vineyards and wineries. Take a friend or loved one who enjoys wine on a tour of Michigan wineries by following this guide. Or pick up a bottle from a local winery.

-Speaking of local drinks, Michigan is also well-known for its local breweries. Ann Arbor Brewing Company, Bell’s, and Arcadia are among some of the most popular Michigan breweries holding holiday sales this year.

-Within the last few years, there have been several “Michigan” themed retail stores popping up that stock Michigan-made products. Among these include The Michigan General Store in Ypsilanti, The Dixboro General Store, The Produce Station in Ann Arbor, and the website “The Mitten State” which sells vintage-inspired Michigan themed t-shirts and other Michigan-themed gifts. Buying gifts from Michigan retail stores is a great way to support your local and state economy.

-Over the next few weeks, Friday, December 7th, Friday December 14th, and Friday December 21st, Main Street in Downtown Ann Arbor will be hosting “Festive Fridays” which include live street entertainment and extended hours for Main Street retailers! This is a great opportunity to enjoy and support your local economy.

-Connect with local crafters and support them at DIYpsi, coming up December 8th & 9th in Ypsilanti. Other local DIY craft events and holiday bazaars coming up include Tiny Expo in Ann Arbor on December 8th, the 7th Annual Holiday Baar Bazaar in Detroit on the 14th, The Detroit Mercantile Merry Market on the 15th & 16th, and The Detroit Annual Food Bazaar on December 10th.

-If you’re into crafting yourself, check out some of the craft programs coming up at the AADL to make your very own gifts to give!

-Do you have an avid reader to please this holiday season? Check out the AADL’s Friend’s of the Library Book Shop, located on the basement level of the Downtown branch. The shop’s holiday hours this season are: Saturdays, 10-4 and Sundays, 1-4 through December 16th, 2012. Then closed until January 5th and 6th, 2013. The shop includes a wide variety of gently-used books, CDs, DVDs, sheet music, and jigsaw puzzels.

Happy local holiday shopping!

In the age of texting, Twitter, and email, letter-writing has become a lost art. Rediscover it by writing a heartfelt-note to distant family and friends on Letter Writing Day on December 7, during Write a Friend Month!

Learn how to compose a well-crafted letter with The Right Letter!: How to Communicate Effectively in a Busy World, or spruce up your grammar with It was the Best of Sentences, It was the Worst of Sentences. For teaching children the art of writing, try How to Write a Letter or How to Write Letters and Email.

If you want to get real fancy, how about trying your hand at calligraphy?