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AADL is an Ann Arbor Film Festival Community Partner

by valerieclaires

The Ann Arbor Film Festival is here again, and with it comes another year of films, events, and community partnership. AADL will once again be an official AAFF community partner for Films in Competition 4, on Saturday March 28 at 11 am at the Michigan Theater, which features films especially for viewers and filmmakers age 6 and up.

You can check out the list of films playing and buy tickets on the Ann Arbor Film Fest’s website. Make sure to enter the code AAFF53_AADL for half off your advance ticket – normally $6!

When you come to the screening, you’ll even have a chance to hear the premieres of the film scores participants created in our Making Movie Music workshop, held in conjunction with the AAFF.

The Ann Arbor Film Festival is the longest-running independent and experimental film festival in North America. The 53rd AAFF takes place March 24-29, 2015 and presents over 200 films from across the world with dozens of world premieres. For more information, please visit the Ann Arbor Film Festival’s website.

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AADL Songsters in the news!

by valerieclaires

This week, the AADL was featured in the Ann Arbor Public Schools News when students from Clague Middle School performed in the Multi-Purpose Room as part of our AADL Songsters program.

With their teacher Jeff Gaynor and local musician Nan Nelson, students learned to dance the Troika and perform two songs as part of a World Cultures and geography unit on Russia. Круто! Клево!

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Malletts Creek and Pittsfield Closed due to Power Outages; will reopen 9 AM Tuesday

by eli

Due to power outages Malletts Creek and Pittsfield Branches are closed for the remainder of Monday, and will reopen at 9 AM Tuesday. Drop Boxes are still usable and today's items on the hold shelf will still be available all day Tuesday. Thanks for your patience!

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Blog Post

African Royalty Visits AADL

by aadl staff

Wednesday, September 24, AADL hosted two very prestigious visitors from Ghana. Nana Afia Adoma II, Queen of Antoa-Krobo in the Asnate Kingdom and Nana Kwadwo Nyantakyi III, Chief of the Treasury in the Asante Kingdom were at the Downtown Library discussing African culture.

They spoke, through a translator, about their customs and traditions, such as how their royal garments are made, sharing that garment patterns hold special meaning. It can take weeks to weave the cloth.

They also explained that drumming is an integral part of the culture and that drumming is used as a form of communication.

The Royal couple will be back to the Downtown AADL on Wednesday, October 8 at 7 pm to discuss Royal instruments and West African Music.

The event was cosponsored by the U-M Center for World Performance Studies and the U-M Stearns Collection of Musical Instruments.

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Blog Post

"Fast Company" Features AADL

by TimG

Fast Company, the award-winning national business magazine focusing on technology, business, and design, just released an online article about public libraries, highlighting AADL and its unique collections.

In the publication's Elasticity section, highlighting innovative businesses using the cloud and big data to stay in sync, the article Taking A Long-Overdue Sledgehammer To The Public Library describes how libraries are "lending tools you can't 3-D print -- awls, hammers hacksaws, mood synthesizers and human skeletons -- to keep pace with the times."

Deputy Director Eli Neiburger describes AADL's Unusual Stuff to Borrow collection and how "Ann Arbor launched its collection of objects three years ago with 30 telescopes. Soon, the waiting list grew to more than 100 people. Encouraged by the telescopes' success, the library added tools, giant-sized games, musical instruments" and more.

"Libraries have always been a place to access rare, hard-to-find objects." Eli states. "Commercial books aren't rare, hard-to-find objects anymore, so library collections are being used in different ways."

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Celebrate the 10th Anniversary of Malletts Creek Branch!

by muskrat

Malletts Creek Branch is 10 years old this year! Come help us celebrate all day on Saturday, March 22.

Join us from 10 - 11 AM for a Happy Birthday Celebration Craft for age 3 and up.

Then, from 3 - 5:30 PM, the Paul Keller at Sundown Quartet performs at an afternoon reception that will also include remarks at 4:15 pm by AADL Board President Prue Rosenthal and guests.

Refreshments will be served during the concert and souvenir giveaways will be available all day long. The Branch will be open from 9 am - 6 pm.

Opened in 2004, the Branch was designed by Luckenbach|Ziegelman Architects PLLC, with InSite Design Studio serving as the landscape architects and Skanska USA Building, Inc. as construction manager. Malletts Creek Branch is a unique model of sustainable design and in 2005 was awarded the American Institute of Architects Michigan (AIA Michigan) Award for Sustainable Design.

Celebrate with us on Saturday, March 22!

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Blog Post

AADL is a Community Partner at the Ann Arbor Film Festival

by muskrat

The 52nd Ann Arbor Film Festival is only days away and the Ann Arbor District Library is participating as a Community Partner for "Film Competition 5" featuring filmmakers ages 6 and up.

The screening takes place Saturday, March 29 at 11am at the Michigan Theater. Take a look at the list of films and if you enter this code - AAFF52_AADL - when buying online tickets, you will get 10% off the advance ticket price ($5 standard)!

The Ann Arbor Film Festival is the longest-running independent and experimental film festival in North America. The 52nd AAFF takes place March 25 - 30, 2014 and presents over 200 films, videos and performances from more than 20 countries with dozens of U.S., North American and world premieres.

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Malletts Creek Branch 10th Anniversary: Video Showing Ten Years of Library Activities

by muskrat

A lot has happened at the library in the last ten years!

In honor of the 10th anniversary of Malletts Creek Branch, AADL has assembled a short film of highlights. From new branch openings to website advances to collection additions to awards received to memorable programs and appearances, 10 Years Since Malletts Creek will give you a taste of what's gone before and the kinds of things to expect in the future.

And don't forget the all-day celebration at Malletts Creek on Saturday, March 22!

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A Blog About Blogs

by muskrat

If the only AADL blogs you read are those on the home page, you may be missing out on items you'd enjoy. The blogs page offers categories to better pinpoint your particular interest whether it be AADL-GT for gaming, Axis for teens and tweens, books, magazines, audio, or video.

Library Director Josie Parker has a director's blog and there are blogs covering the community, AADL software development, local history and more.

You can subscribe to all of these pages through an RSS Feed found at the bottom left of each page so you need never miss out on the items you'd enjoy again.

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Who Says Libraries Are Going Extinct?

by mariah

A February 6 article in Pacific Standard traces the history of public libraries, examining their current state. Author Anna Clark points out that "the best-kept secret about America’s libraries is that they are wildly, deeply, and incontrovertibly popular. They are as actively used as ever, if not more."

Clark then mentions AADL's collections of music tools, telescopes, science tools and home tools, as an example of a library taking on a unique role in response to its community!

As the only 5-Star library in Michigan, with record-high use in circulation, library visits, public internet computer use, and program attendance, we thank our community for keeping us both strong and responsive to your needs.