If Duff, from Jeanne DuPrau’s Car Trouble, had come to Malletts Creek on Tuesday, May 13 (7-8 pm) and heard auto technology instructor Paul Kruthaup share his knowledge about buying your first car and keeping it in great condition, it probably would have not been much of a story.

But instead, Duff goes out unprepared and buys a used car. It runs ok but the dash lights don’t work. Duff thinks it’s no big deal since he plans to do all of his cross-country drive in daylight and can easily read the speedometer and gas gauge. But that is no help for the engine trouble lights. Three hours into his trip he has no way to know he has low oil and eventually throws a rod. Don’t be a Duff. Join us May 13.

Nothing warms the heart of a mother like a hand-made card or gift.
Grandmothers and aunts enjoy cards, too. Next weekend we will be giving you two chances to create some masterpieces:

Saturday, May 3rd at the Malletts Creek Branch 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Sunday, May 4th Downtown 2 - 4 p.m

Mother's Day is Sunday, May 11th.

"There are no passengers on Spaceship Earth. We are all crew." ~Marshall McLuhan, 1964

Today, April 22 is the official anniversary of Earth Day which was first observed in 1970. Since then, both national and local groups hold celebrations, usually either the weekend before or after. In Ann Arbor, Earth Day festivities will be sponsored by the Leslie Science Center on Sunday, April 27. To become more knowledgeable about enviromental issues, check out the Library's wide ranging collection of materials on global warming and energy conservation.

National Library Week is coming, April 13-19, 2008. El Dia De Los Ninos is April 30 every year. School Library Media Month is April every year. What better time to inform yourselves on Intellectual Freedom. Strong libraries help build strong minds.

Time to edit and polish that short story! Friday, March 21st is the LAST day to turn in your story for this year's "It's All Write!" short story writing contest for area teens. If you're in Grades 6-12 and you have a story that's a minimum of 4 pages and a maximum of 10, go to 'Events' and then to 'Contests' and click on the link for complete guidelines. Also feel free to call 327-8301 if you have questions. Good Luck! Check out Prize Winning Stories from last year.

Local author and reporter James A. Mitchell will be discussing his new (soon-to-be-released) book, It was All Right: Mitch Ryder’s Life in Music, on Wednesday, March 19 at 7:00pm at the Downtown Library. Mitchell will be discussing the life and times of the music legend as presented in the biography. Mitch Ryder has been in the music business most of his life and has had many hit songs, most notably the ones from the 1960s, such as “Devil With a Blue Dress On.”

The music doesn’t stop there! On Saturday, March 22 Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels will be performing live at the Michigan Theater at 8:00pm as part of the Legends of Rock & Roll Series. In lieu of an opening act Ryder will be interviewed by rock journalist Gary Graff. Visit the theater’s website for stats and ticket info. Mitchell's book will be available for purchse at the show.

We nearly had yet another president in our midst right here in Ann Arbor. Unlike Michigan native son Gerald Ford, however, Jan Svejnar was running for president of the Czech Republic. Svejnar is an economist and professor at UM's Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy. He was narrowly defeated in his bid for the Czech presidency. Svejnar will be chatting about his experiences in an upcoming event at the Ford School.

Running for the Czech Presidency
March 12, 2008, 5-6p
Betty Ford Classroom, 1110 Weill Hall
735 South State Street, Ann Arbor

P.S. Weill Hall is the shiny new building on the southwest corner of UM's central campus.

This Wednesday at 2:00 pm at the Downtown Library, for the first time ever, the storytime puppet collection will be available for your imagination to go wild! Puppet stages are waiting for your shows and paper bags are waiting to transform into puppets. If you are in Kindergarten through grade three this program is for you!

Kick off Teen Tech Week (March 2-8), with Marisa Brown, Staff Writer for All Media Guide. Play a game of "Name That Tune." How many notes of a song do you need to hear before you can guess what song is playing? Also, find out what it takes to review music as a career and scope out the best music sites.

Sunday, March 2nd | 2:00-3:30 pm at the Malletts Creek Branch

Throw in a bunny with a box, a mouse with a cat, and a cow with major attitude, and stir briskly. This is a recipe for a fun last gathering of this session at the Wednesday Downtown and Thursday Pittsfield storytimes.

In anticipation of local Ann Arbor, teen author, Cassandra Carter's upcoming appearance at AADL (TUESDAY, MARCH 18 | 7:00-8:00 PM | MC ) be sure to read her latest book, Fast Life. When her single mother is offered a job in the Caribbean away from her Chicago neighborhood where drugs, gang violence, and fast money rule, sixteen-year-old Kyra finally realizes that there is more to life than Gucci, Prada and "ghetto-fabulous bling." Read the book to find out what happens to Kyra... If you're looking for some complicated romance than check out Stacie & Cole by Johnson, R.M.: Cole, who is feeling abandoned by his father and tired of being harassed by his friends for being a virgin, is ready to take his relationship with his girlfriend Stacie to the next level, but Stacie is not sure that she is ready.

Looking for a chilly, fun and pretty thing to do this weekend? Main Street will feature an “Ice Carving Extravaganza” where members of the U of M ice carving team will be on Main Street carving and chipping large ice blocks into beautiful ice sculptures. The question is, with Michigan’s wacky weather of late, how long will they last? For a quick know-how and visual sneak peek try a book on Practical Ice Carving.
Check out the art in progress on Friday, February 8 from 6-10pm and from 10am-6pm on Saturday, February 9 and Sunday, February 10.

We can't wait for the India Family Cultural Celebration this Sunday, February 3 at 2:00 pm at the Downtown Library! Join us for storytelling with Rohit and Amanda Setty, Tabla and Sitar music by Meeta Banerjee, John Churchville and Dan Piccolo, delicious gulab jamoon and a colorful rangoli craft that the whole family will enjoy!