Do you love birth stories? Come to the downtown branch on Monday, April 23rd from 7 to 8:30, for the opportunity for people in the community to come together to share their stories of giving birth. You are welcome if you want to tell your story, or just listen to the incredible diversity of birth experiences. Bring your daughter, your mother, or your grandmother!

Are you a huge Akiko or Billy Clikk fan? See Mark Crilley in action on Wednesday, April 18 at the Downtown Library, 7-7:45 PM. He draws while taking about his cartooning and his books. Check out his website to learn more about him, and bring your Akiko books for Mark to sign!

After School is Cool! Wednesday, April 18, 4-5 PM in the Downtown Library Story Room Corner. Come after school and make cave paintings. We have tons of colored sand and lots of neat designs to fill in. Or make your own! Get back to your prehistoric roots and paint like the cavemen and cavewomen!

Register now and get 2 FREE books for the next book discussion group on Monday, May 7 from 6:30-8:00 PM @ the Downtown Library. We'll be reading and discussing two books by Ron Koertge - Stoner and Spaz and Margaux with an X. Then you will get to meet Ron, and have him sign your book during the Ann Arbor Book Festival on Saturday, May 19 from 12:30 to 1:30 in the Modern Languages Building on campus. Ron will be the featured speaker at our Short Story Writing Contest Award Ceremony. We will have pizza, drinks and snacks at the book discussion group too. Call or visit the Downtown Library Youth Department desk to register now - 327-8301.

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Looking for a place to have a small meeting and can't afford to rent a room? Check out the aadlfreespace on the 3rd floor of the Downtown Library. It holds up to 32 people. You can reserve this room for meetings for free up to four times in a calendar year and make your reservations on line. Reservations must be made at least two weeks in advance. You will need an AADL library card to make the reservation. Date availability is shown as well on line. Can't get to a computer? Call 734-327-8323 to make your reservation.

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Hang out at the library and work on your MySpace page. Find out how to get those cool backgrounds or how to upload your favorite pictures. Drop in to the third floor computer room at the Downtown library between 3:30 and 5:30 PM. Program for grades 9-12. Friend the library’s MySpace page while your working on yours and stay up on the all the cool programs at the library.

Wednesday, March 12, 4-5 PM
Come to the Downtown library after school to pick up some books and design your own Indian Rangoli. Rangoli are painted in front of houses on the ground during the Tamil month of Maarkazhi (between December 15th and January 15th).
Age 9 & up

DSKitteh

Our first annual Pet & Wildlife Photo Contest was a huge success! Over 40 entries were received and winners were chosen in 4 categories: Grades K-2, Grades 3-5, Grades 6-8 and Grades 9-12. Visit the Downtown Youth Department anytime during the month of March to see ALL of the entries. This evening, March 12, was the award ceremony and every winner in each category was in attendance. First place got a $25 gift certificate to Borders and Honorable Mention got a a $10 gift certificate for Borders. Without further ado the winners are…

Don't miss a fabulous opportunity to meet Dinaw Mengestu as our Sunday Edition featured speaker on March 11, 2-3:30 p.m. at the Downtown Library.

A nuanced slice of immigrant life, The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears* is a beautifully observed debut from Ethiopian émigré Dinaw Mengestu . (Fabulous Fiction Firsts #54).

Sepha Stephanos, fled the Ethiopian Revolution as a teenager, now he owns a neighborhood grocery store in a section of Washington, D.C going through gentrification. Evenings are spent with other African immigrants until he befriends his new neighbors - Judith, a white academic and her 11 year-old biracial daughter, Naomi.

Racial politics, changing demographics in this formerly poor African American neighborhood threatens his barely profitable shop, as well as his tentative romantic aspirations with Judith. This poignant story makes for a “heart-rending and indelible” first novel.

* = Starred Reviews in Kirkus and Publishers Weekly.

The media is definitely interested in this fiction rising star - just check out Jennifer Reese's article in the current issue of Entertainment Weekly and Bob Thompson's piece in the March 1st edition of the Washington Post

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Midwinter Break is almost upon us, and that means videogames at the library! We've got a great schedule of events lined up for you, starting this Friday night with a Super Smash Bros. Melee Regulation Throwdown for Ages 13+, From 6-8:30 at the Downtown Library. Read on for full rules for this event. Then, on Saturday, 2/24, from 11-5 PM, we'll have our second annual Retro Octathalon for All Ages, an 8-game high score contest featuring great classic (pre-1990) games. Then, on Sunday, 2/25, from 1-4 PM, our DDR tournament series continues with an All-Ages DDR Tournament.

But that's not all! The games continue into the week, with a pair of Pokémon Tournaments from 1-4 and DS Fest / Open Play Events from 4-7, on both Monday 2/26 and Tuesday 2/27. So, if you're stuck in town this break, stay warm with gaming, food, prizes, and some serious competition at the Downtown Library! Read on for full tournament details.