Is there a new Kindle, Nook, or other eBook viewer at your house? If so, you're probably wondering "How exactly can I get library books on this thing?" AADL offers eBooks through a product called OverDrive, and while it can be a little tricky to get through the process the first time, after you've been through it once it gets a lot easier. You can take a guided tour of the service, or look through the Quick Start Guide. If you have something other than a Kindle or a Nook, you also can check to see if your device is supported.

A few things to know about this service: first, some publishers don't offer their most popular titles to this service, and some don't offer any titles at all. So, the titles you're looking for may unfortunately not be available to libraries in ebook form. Second, publishers want ebooks to be handled the same way as print books, so only one person can have a "copy" of an ebook checked out at a time, meaning that you may have to place a request and wait for your turn on popular titles. You'll get an email when it's your turn to download the eBooks you've requested.

If you run into any trouble or have any questions getting library books onto your new eReader, you might start with OverDrive's My Help, or as always, feel free to contact us with any other questions.

Enjoy your new eReader, and thanks for using your library!

All AADL Library locations will be closed on Thanksgiving - Thursday, November 24.

Regular Library hours will resume on Friday, November 25.

On Friday, November 4, the Downtown Library was closed all day due to water main work but opened Saturday, November 5, at 9 am.

Holds that would have expired at 9 pm on Friday will remain on the hold shelves until 6 pm on Sunday, November 6th. Overdue fines for the Friday closure will not be charged.

We apologize for any inconvenience.

The Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti area has a decade-long history of successful community reads programs which encourage all of Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti to read one book. University, Library, bookstore and community representatives from both Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti have now been busily planning Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Reads 2012.

In 2012, the program will encourage readers of all ages to explore the subject of Language: How We Communicate.

A screening committee has narrowed book choices covering this theme down to three titles:

• Eva Hoffman, Lost In Translation: A Life In A New Language. New York: E.P Dutton, 1989.
• Susan Schaller, A Man Without Words. New York: Summit Books, 1991.
• Daniel Tammet, Born On A Blue Day: Inside The Extraordinary Mind Of An Autistic Savant. New York: Free Press, 2007.

Visit the finalists page and read more about the books. The site also acts as a platform for the public to post comments about which book they would be the most excited for the selection committee to choose. Books are available in our catalog - check them out or place a hold on them!

With just 2 weeks to go in the 2011 Summer Game, we've got another BONANZA of new stuff for all you dedicated players! First the score report; total score has now passed the 30 MILLION point mark with 4800 players completing an ASTONISHING 490,000 actions! And now, the news you've all been waiting for: THE GIGA CHOCOLATE VICTORY PACKAGE has been RESTOCKED! There are 20 more AADL Chocolate Logos now available in the Summer Game Shop, and in addition to that, we've got 6 NEW ITEMS this week! But first, our second-to-last crop of code seeking badges, then keep on reading to find out about this week's EXCITING Shop News!

Summer Game Cropped

Get Started playing AADL's all new Summer Game for All Ages today! Earn points for using YOUR library, going to events, reading/listening to books, watching movies, posting reviews! Get prizes for completion (kids get a mid-way prize, too). Get the details at play.aadl.org!

Here at AADL, we work hard to keep the best, most up-to-date equipment on the floor for our users. That means stuff wears out quickly, and periodically, we round it all up and have a HUGE equipment sale with great stuff at amazing prices! This Saturday, 6/11, from 9 AM to 1 PM, come to the multipurpose room in the lower level of the downtown library for some AMAZING bargains on computer equipment and furniture. All sales are final, as-is, cash and carry only. We will have a test bench set up for you to test things before you buy, but we can't help with that. Here are just a few of the items available at this year's sale: check our twitter at http://twitter.com/aadl for pictures! Come early for the best deals!

- TONS of 15" LCD monitors, $5
- LCD touchscreen monitors, $10
- OODLES of cables, drives, mice, keyboards, printers, and other peripherals, $1
- a CYBEX 8-channel, 2-headed KVM with cable sets for only $10
- Digital Cameras of Yore, $5
- upholstered sled-base chairs, $5
- Steel filing cabinets, $10
- The old Malletts Locker System, $40
- old-school steel desk, $20
- Pop-up power & ethernet drops for table mounting, $1 each.
- Wyse winterms, $1 each
- DEC VT420 monochrome (orange) serial terminal, works great, $10
- 1997 DEC Alpha Server, no HDD, with tape backup & OS CD, $50
- HP procurve network switch, $40
- HP Proliant Rackmount server, no HDD, $40
- Handspring Visor proto-PDA, $1
- Rackmount hubs & switches, $10
- Misc Servers, No HDD, $20
- TONS of Desktop PCs of varying vintages, no HDD, $10

Plus other surprises. Don't miss this rare opportunity to pick up some great stuff for a song! 9 AM this Saturday at the Downtown Library. Cash only!

Malletts Creek Branch will open on Monday, April 18 at 10:00 am. The Branch will be closed until that time for maintenance.

Library materials may still be returned to Malletts Creek Branch or any other Library location during this period.

Holds ready for pickup through Sunday, April 17 at the Malletts Creek Branch will be held at the Downtown Library through 6 pm. that evening.

These holds will then be returned to Malletts Creek, to be available when the branch reopens on Monday, April 18 at 10:00 am. Those holds that would have expired on April 17 or April 18 will then remain ready for pickup through Tuesday, April 19, at 9 p.m.

Good News, Everyone! AADL's mammoth collection of over 25,000 magazine issues is now requestable! That means you can search our collection of over 600 magazine titles and request a specific issue to be held for pickup for you at any of our locations, just like any other library item. The only difference is that after you choose your pickup location, you'll be asked which issue of the magazine you'd like to request.

The newest issue of each magazine is not requestable to keep them on the shelf while they're new, but as soon as the next issue arrives, the previous issue becomes requestable too. Maybe Giant Robot is what you're looking for, or the new Home Power Magazine, or maybe you're seeking one of our 100+ issues of National Geographic. No matter what you're looking for, getting your hands on magazine issues at your library just got a lot easier. Try it out and let us know what you think, either by commenting on this post or contacting us!

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On March 3, 2011, the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS), the Library of Congress’ talking-book and braille program, celebrated 80 years of helping visually impaired and physically handicapped individuals enjoy reading their favorite books and magazines.

This free library program brings reading materials in digital audio and braille formats straight to the homes of patrons from preschoolers to centenarians. Books on digital cartridge, digital talking-book players and braille books are sent to patrons via the U.S. mail at no cost to users. People who sign up with the program also have the option of downloading books and magazines over the Internet in audio or braille format.

"The NLS collection of more than 400,000 titles of bestsellers, classics, biographies, romance, and other genres delights even the most selective readers. Magazine-lovers enjoy free subscriptions to more than 40 periodicals in audio format, including Consumer Reports, National Geographic, and Sports Illustrated for Kids, and 30 periodicals in braille, such as Ladies Home Journal, ESPN: The Magazine and the New York Times Large-Print Weekly."

For more information on eligibility and to apply for this service through the Washtenaw Library for the Blind & Physically Disabled @ AADL, please visit our website at: wlbpd.aadl.org.