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Washtenaw County Preparedness Expo: September 2nd

by Beth Manuel

The American Red Cross of Washtenaw County has invited the community for a Family Preparedness Expo, where attendees can learn from local emergency management response agencies & non-profits about what to do before, during an after disaster strikes.

There will be fire extinguisher training, Hands-Only CPR, a disaster preparedness workshop and more.

Admission is free and open to the public: Saturday, September 2nd from 10:00 AM-2:00 PM. At the American Red Cross 4624 Packard Rd. Ann Arbor, 48108

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Blog Post

New Universal Access Playground!

by Beth Manuel

We're all invited to join the Rotary Club of Ann Arbor as they celebrate the grand opening of Ann Arbor Centennial Playground at Gallup Park, 3000 Fuller Road on Sunday, September 17th from 2:00-7:00 PM! The Rotary Club of Ann Arbor along with the State of Michigan DNR and the City of Ann Arbor Maintenance millage provided funding for this playground that is sure to be safe and inclusive for the child in all of us. The playground will offer children with disabilities opportunities to gain self-confidence and greater independence. Caregivers who have disabilities will have the chance to engage, play and supervise their children as never before. Festivities include a ribbon cutting live music, food trucks, activities for kids and shuttles from various locations to get you there. Attached are more details about the schedule and shuttle locations.

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TONIGHT ONLY: Get ON BOARD and get BIG POINTS!

by eli

Here at Summer Game HQ, we work for YOU. Like, literally. Through the transformative magic of REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY and the arcane power of ORG CHARTS, there is direct line of authority that flows through library staff up to Josie, the Library Director. (we hope you've visited her office for her 2,500 point badge!) But who does Josie report to? Well, Josie reports to the AADL Board of Trustees, and unlike many libraries, here at AADL the board is ELECTED AT LARGE by the citizens of the district! That means WE work for THE BOARD but THE BOARD works for YOU! Therefore, through the transitive property of local governance (that's a thing, right? hello?) WE work for YOU!

AND WHAT BETTER WAY to UTILIZE that authority than by coming to TONIGHT'S MEETING OF THE AADL BOARD OF TRUSTEES! Tonight's meeting will be the first AADL Board meeting to be recorded on video and streamed LIVE, and you can watch it right here! Jamie, the Board President, will hold up the code for the meeting right at the beginning of the meeting at 7 PM, and if you miss it, later this week the recording will be posted and you can find it then! That's a 250-point code, plus, it will get you the 250-point bonus for the BODY ELECTORATE badge, and you don't even have to SHOW UP to get it!

BUT! There are TWO more codes worth some SERIOUS points that you can ONLY GET by showing to tonight's AADL Board Meeting IN PERSON! (Or, if you have some sort of telepresent robot, we suppose that would work too.) The meeting will take place in the Multipurpose Room in the basement of the Downtown Library at 7 PM on July 17, 2017, and if you're there in the room, you can not only get a special 500-point code that's only available to those who show up in person or via robot, AND you'll have a chance to get a 1000-point bonus FOR MAKING A PUBLIC COMMENT TO THE LIBRARY BOARD!

That's right; there are two opportunities to comment; one at the beginning of the meeting and one at the end. You can sign up in advance by calling the admin office at 734-327-8311; or you can sign up in person right before the meeting starts at 7 PM. If you miss the beginning of the meeting, there's another chance at the end! Commenters have 3 minutes to talk about anything they'd like to tell the Board about the Library, and on the podium, you'll find that 1000-point code!

For you SUMMER GAME L33TS, if you come or watch, you'll not only get an enticing SNEAK PREVIEW of the ALL-NEW AADL.ORG coming in January 2018, you might even hear a little bit about THOSE BIG SUMMER GAME 2018 CHANGES we keep dropping hints about!

There's another AADL board meeting scheduled for August 21st, but it is not uncommon for the board to cancel the August meeting. AUGUST IN ANN ARBOR AMIRITE? So, TONIGHT might be YOUR ONLY OPPORTUNITY to not only get some amazing POINTS and BADGES, but also to tell the BOARD -- and the STAFF -- what we can do better for YOU!

Let us know if you have any questions, and we hope to see you all there tonight for POINTS, CODES, and CIVIC ENGAGEMENT GALORE!

THANKS FOR PLAYING!

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Blog Post

Summer Game Spectacular Spectacular Countdown- T Minus 1 Day!

by evelyn

HOLY JUMPIN’ JIMINY, BATMAN! It’s almost time for the Summer Game Spectacular! We are so excited over here that we can barely stand it! Except we have to stand it, because we have to get ready to host all of you at the most AMAZING EVENT OF THE SUMMER! In fact, we might just call this the most amazing event of any summer! What about the Olympics, you ask? Ha! Do the Olympics have Mini Ping Pong? No! They just have regular ping pong AKA table tennis AKA no fun at all! Burning Man? Does Burning Man have GIANT CONNECT 4? I don’t know! Maybe! They have a lot of weird stuff. BUT you’d have to fight off 65,000 dusty hippies to play it and that would be NO FUN! Lollapalooza? More like Yawnapalooza!

So now that we’ve convinced you that no other event is even worth thinking about going to, why should you come to the Summer Game Spectacular? Well, do you like the CIRCUS? Even better, a CIRCUS with no trained animals, so you don’t have to feel guilty about loving it!? OF COURSE YOU DO!

What about games? Do you like games? Of course you do! You’re not a monster! Unless you are one of our friendly picnicking monsters, in which case, welcome! In either case, where else are you going to see AN ENTIRE BASEBALL FIELD jam-packed with our amazing outdoor game collection?!

Also, what does your face look like RIGHT NOW? Is it as plain as plain oatmeal? As plain as a low-salt saltine? Come get it painted by a WORLD CLASS FACE PAINTER and worry no more!

Did all that talk of oatmeal and low-salt saltines (can you believe that’s even a thing?!!) make you hungry? Why don’t you hop outside and order some delicious food from a foodtruck? Oh there’s no food truck right outside your door? NEVER FEAR! Come to the Summer Game Spectacular and eat your heart out!

And how about points? We KNOW you love points! And badges! Well look no further! The Summer Game Spectacular will boast not one, not two, but FIVE badges! Just think of all the AMAZING ITEMS you’ll be able to buy from the Summer Game Shop with all those points!

So have you gotten all of this?! We’re inviting you to a HUGE PARTY where you can PLAY GAMES, WATCH A CIRCUS, HAVE YOUR FACE PAINTED, and then earn points to spend on COOL PRIZES?! No library would be crazy enough to do all of that! It would be just TOO MUCH FUN! Or maybe… it would be JUST THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF FUN!

From 1:00 - 4:00 PM come one, come all, to party with us at the Summer Game Spectacular, this Saturday, July 15th, at Veterans Park! We'll be at the baseball field and the softball field closest to the dirt parking lot off of Maple, next to the Skate Park. WE CAN’T WAIT!!!!

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Blog Post

Revolutionary Dames

by potterbee

Independent Dames by Laurie Halse Anderson incorporates the stories over 80 women who contributed to the success of the American Revolutionary war. A great read this time of year while the country gathers to celebrate our hard won independence! With a timeline running along the bottom of the pages, young readers can learn of some important events beginning in 1765 up through 1791 with the ratification of the Bill of Rights.

At the age of 16, Sybil Ludington rode 40 miles to spread the word of an eminent British attack which prepared over 400 militia men. Phillis Wheatley came to be known as one of the most famous poets of the Revolution Abigail Adams is a very notable woman as wife to President Adams. Click on the highlighted names which link to the catalog for materials to explore these women's stories.

Women were often left to guard the villages and farms and defend themselves against British troops demanding food and supplies. Some women wanted to fight and joined up with the militia but had to be in disguise as a man, it was illegal for women to join the army. Deborah Sampson was arrested upon her first attempt to enlist, so she fled her town and joined up with the militia later. She fought in many battles and was wounded twice! Her story is written about in the novel Revolutionary by Alex Myers.

There are many historical fiction books based in the time of the revolution. Another gem by Laurie Halse Anderson is Chains, set in New York City at the beginning of the American Revolution. Thirteen year old Isabel tells the story of her life as a slave, her hopes of finding a way to freedom and how she becomes a spy for the rebels. In Patriot hearts, Barbara Hambly presents the lives of four founding mothers: Martha Washington, Abigail Adams, Sally Hemings, and Dolley Madison over the years of 1787 to 1814.

A couple other books for young readers to check out are Great women of the American Revolution and True stories of the Revolutionary War

Finally, a non-fiction book for older readers to enjoy is Revolutionary mothers by Carol Berkin which moves beyond the better known women of that time and serves as an overview of the remarkable contributions made by a cultural cross section of women during the course of the American Revolution.

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"The Wonder of Learning" Family Day

by Beth Manuel

Saturday July 8, 2017: 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm -- James and Anne Duderstadt Center Gallery, University of Michigan and the Stamps Gallery

This event is intended for all ages!

AADL will join in on the fun along with other community partners to celebrate the importance of early childhood education, highlighting the Reggio Emilio model—a hands-on, child-centered approach to learning. Drop by and enjoy hands-on, fun activities, including a special Scent Atelier with Michelle Krell Kydd! Come and be a Scent Detective!

Yes, an actual Smell & Tell for kiddos! AADL will be there, so you know that there WILL BE CODES.

This program is in partnership with The Wonder of Learning—The Hundred Languages of Children traveling exhibit and the North American Reggio Emilia Alliance. The exhibit is on display at the U-M Stamps School of Art and Design & the James and Anne Duderstadt Center on North Campus through August 27.

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Blog Post

Feeling Blue for the Blue Covered Book

by LibraryLiz

So, again - this one time at the library...there was that book you saw on a shelf, with a blue cover, that caught your eye. But, once again, you had to pass it by. Well, if you find yourself in need of that long lost spark of interest, I maybe, perhaps, might have the book for you! I've found it important to the readers and long-lost book interests to create a second list of books that have, or have had, blue covers - whether or not their most recent editions have blue covers now, they did at some point! Plus, this list is welcome to all kinds of blue covers...

Whether it be a deep blue of the world-wide sensation Outlander, a sky-blue, with clouds included, of the book A Long Way Down, or perhaps a blue-grey of the best-seller turned film All the Light We Cannot See, all blues are welcome on this compilation list. But this list isn't just for the adults on the interwebs! There's also a wide age range available for the younger reader feeling blue...

Be it from the Teen section like Stargirl, King's Cage, or maybe Stormbreaker this list has many blue bindings that you might have left on the shelf for a later date. Even the youth may have left an enchanting book resting on it's display, such as The Warden's Daughter or Ready, Set, Build!. This list also provides you with options from every genre in the library...

Maybe you were passing by the express shelf and snuck a peek at A Great Reckoning or Here's To Us? Maybe browsing through the fantasy section to find A Discovery of Witches? Could have been possibly perusing Mystery and seen The Big Overnight on the shelf? What about the non-fiction readers, who may have strolled through the stacks seeing covers that advertised self improvement or a conservation crisis!

This list has ALL THE THINGS (or would like to have) and is growing each day!!! Please feel free to take a look, and make comments of other blue-covered books you think others may be searching for, so the list can continue to grow! Just think: someone out there could be looking for a blue book jacket that you've read before - maybe you have the answer they've been looking for as the search the numerous volumes of AADL. Or perhaps you yourself have been searching, and the book is in this list already!!! Only one way to find out!

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Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

by PizzaPuppy

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 hit theaters on May 5th and has already taken in more than $500 million dollars in the worldwide box office. The popular film is another in a long list of movies that take place in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, inhabited by popular characters such as Thor, Captain America, Iron Man, the Hulk and other characters in the Avengers, as well as the more recent additions which include Ant-Man and Dr. Strange.

In addition to the first movie, the Blu-ray edition of Vol. 1, and the awesome soundtrack, we have plenty of materials to help satisfy your Guardians of the Galaxy craving.

For kids, we have the picture book Night Night Groot as well as the comic book Guardians of the Galaxy: Beginnings.

For teens, we have many different comic trade paperbacks, including Guardians of the Galaxy: Prelude (an official Marvel Cinematic Universe tie-in), Vol. 3 of the War of Kings and Legendary Star-Lord Vol. 1: Face It, I Rule. We also have Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1: Cosmic Avengers, Vol. 2: Angela and a cross-over with the All-New X-Men called The Trial of Jean Grey from the mind of Brian Michael Bendis.

For an adult audience, we have titles such as Guardians of the Galaxy: The Complete Collection Vol. 1 and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 4: Realm of Kings, as well as a cross-over with the Avengers called Avengers: the Korvac Saga.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is estimated to be released on DVD and Blu-ray in September 2017, so look for it in our collection then!

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The Handmaid's Tale and Dystopian Lit

by PizzaPuppy

By now you've probably heard about Hulu's new 10-episode series of The Handmaid's Tale, based on the classic dystopian novel by Margaret Atwood. In it, the former United States is now a totalitarian surveillance state that responds to plunging birth rates due to environmental factors by holding women captive and forcing them to bear the children of the ruling class. Freedom is heavily restricted (especially for women), and a secret police force called 'the Eyes' watches every public move. The story adeptly blends themes of fascism and politics, women's rights, language as it relates to power, and complacency within a society into a full and rich story. If you can't get enough of The Handmaid's Tale, we have the classic novel on audiobook as well as the radio dramatization. There is also a 1990 movie adaptation of the novel available for check out.

If you've already exhausted these options, and you're looking for something in a similar vein, here are some suggestions below on what to read after The Handmaid's Tale. For more suggestions on dystopian novels for all ages, take a look at the public lists for Adult Dystopian Fiction, Teen Dystopian Fiction and even Kid's Dystopian Fiction.

Classic dystopian novels include 1984 by George Orwell, A Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, The Children of Men by P.D. James, A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess, Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, and The Road by Cormac McCarthy. Many of these also have movie adaptations, which can be found on this list.

If you're looking for something lesser known, take a look at A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter Miller, set in a Catholic monastery after a devastating nuclear war and spanning centuries as civilization attempts to rebuild itself from the ground up. In it, the monks of the 'Order of Leibowitz' decide to preserve the last remnants of scientific knowledge until they deem that the outside world is ready for it. There's also The Fireman by Joe Hill, about a terrifying plague that threatens to reduce civilization to ashes and the heroes who attempt to stop it, led by a man known as the Fireman. The Testament of Jessie Lamb by Jane Rogers follows a similar path, in which a rogue virus that kills pregnant women is unleashed on the world. Jessie Lamb is a 16-year-old girl attempting to navigate this new world who is ready to make the ultimate sacrifice in order to save the human race. And in The Unit by Ninni Holmqvist, citizens over the age of 50 without families or jobs are deemed 'dispensable' by the government and sent to a facility to participate in experiments and donate their organs to more 'essential' members of society.

There are also plenty of great dystopian novels for a teen audience. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, Divergent by Veronica Roth, The Maze Runner by James Dashner, Red Rising by Pierce Brown, and Uglies by Scott Westerfeld are extremely popular teen dystopian series. Some lesser known titles include Bumped by Megan McCafferty, in which teenaged girls must become fanatically religious wives or expensive surrogate mothers for couples made infertile by a widespread virus, Wither by Lauren DeStefano, where an accident of modern science creates a situation where men die at age 25, women die at age 20, and girls are kidnapped and married off to repopulate the world, and The Jewel by Amy Ewing, in which a poor girl from the inner city is purchased and trained to become a surrogate mother for royal children. In Z for Zachariah by Robert C. O'Brien, a 16-year-old girl who believes she is the last survivor of a nuclear war comes across another survivor with tyranical intentions, and in Unwind by Neal Shusterman teenagers can have their lives 'unwound' and their body parts harvested for others to use.

Last but not least, there are many excellent dystopian books for children. The most well known are probably The Giver series by Lois Lowry, in which a boy becomes one of two people in his society with memories of the past and discovers the dark secrets about the society he lives in. The Last Wild by Piers Torday explores a world in which animals no longer exist. The Among the Hidden series by Margaret Peterson Haddix revolves around a third child living in hiding due to a society where families are only allowed to have 2 children. And in The One Safe Place by Tania Unsworth, a boy earns a coveted spot in a home for abandoned children that promises a near perfect existence: unlimited toys, food and the chance for another family. It isn't until he arrives that he discovers that all is not as it seems.

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Asparagus!

by potterbee

Asparagus season is in full swing in Michigan this time of year! Michigan asparagus season begins in late April-early May in the southwest corner of the state; it wraps up in late June in the north. A recent frost has slowed the initial harvest this season but since the majority of the asparagus crop is still protected underground, it will continue to pop up through the month of June. Asparagus is a member of the lily family, so it has very extensive root systems. It grows mostly along waterways and the roots can go as deep as twelve to twenty feet.

20 Michigan family farms harvest approximately 20 million pounds of asparagus on 9,500 acres of land. It takes four years for an asparagus field to fully mature; fields last for approximately 20 years.
A single asparagus plant can produce 25 or more spears over the 7-week harvest season. During the growing season, asparagus is harvested every day as the spears can grow two to three inches a day. Harvesting stimulates production, when a spear is cut, the plant sends up another shoot. Once the harvest is complete, the remaining spears are allowed to grow up and leaf out. These plants will grow up to six feet tall and, once leafed, will look like giant ferns. This fern is nurtured all summer and feeds the root system for the following year's harvest.

Learn more about this vegetable through many items found in our collection!

Oceana County, Michigan is known as the "Asparagus Capital of the World" for its high production of asparagus.The rich history is shared in the documentary Asparagus!.

Asparagus is one of the most nutritionally well-balanced vegetables in existence. The leading supplier among vegetables of folic acid and it offers a wide array of nutrients in significant amounts for a healthy diet. Find recipes in Vegetable literacy or Vegan brunch.

Asparagus can be crafty, The gourmet paper maker.

A little bit wacky and fun to read picture book story for kids is The Mighty Asparagus.

Learn to hunt this rich vegetable with Euell Gibbons classic Stalking the Wild Asparagus.