Coming Soon: The Summer Game 2025!

Fri, 05/02/2025 - 12:23pm by richretyi

It's almost time for SUMMER GAME 2025!

We're (pickle fairy) dusting everything off as we prepare for launch. But in the meantime, we have a few friends to keep you company. Stay tuned for summer fun starting June 11!!!

Thanks to our fantastic Summer Game artist Meg Lewis, who'll be stopping by AADL for an event this summer!

Not sure what the Summer Game is? Check out our Getting Started page to get a peek at what all the fuss is about.

A NEW RE-CODE!!

Wed, 09/11/2024 - 12:00pm by ohheyitselle

Someone call the Guinness Book of World Records because we BROKE SOME re-CODES!! 

(…like RECORDS but CODES…get it?)

EITHER WAY, what we here at SG headquarters are trying to say is that this SG was one for the RECORD BOOKS!!! SG 2023 made a splash as our biggest Summer Game at the time, but we didn’t expect the HUGE WAVE Summer Game 2024 would make!!! 

Summer Game 2024 had 14,672 players!!!! That’s 2,043 MORE players than last year marking this summer RECORD BREAKING!! 

Speaking of re-CODES, we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention that SG 2024 had a whopping 3,534 CODES in effect… BUT 2,149 of them were LAWN & LIBRARY CODES!! That’s right! YOU, the players, created a lot more codes than we did here at SG Headquarters!!! Turns out that Lawn & Library Code Stops were UNMATCHED this summer!! This may not be a surprise to you if you happened to see those little lawn signs popping up all over town like DANDELIONS! 

But let’s not pretend that the 227 BADGES didn’t give those Lawn & Library codes a run for their money though… Badges were redeemed a whopping 394,194 times this summer which is ALSO our highest number yet (surprising NO ONE at this point!!) 

But what do ALL THOSE 14,672 players do with ALL THOSE codes and badges???? EARN POINTS, of course!!! 

Players earned a total of 390,158,384 POINTS which is a big enough number that some of us have to think about how to say it outloud… OR you can just say that’s a 35.1% INCREASE in points earned from last year!! ANOTHER RECORD (aren’t you glad we didn’t say re-code??) 

Whew. All that record breaking can be exhausting and may leave you ready to cozy up to some winter weather and lie in wait until Summer Game 2025 starts on Wednesday, June 11, 2025!

BUT if you’re not quite ready to put your SG love in hibernation mode…  Be sure to be on the lookout for BYTE CLUB!! You can sign up for more information HERE!! 

Oh, and one more thing! 

*drumroll please* 

ONE BIG, RECORD BREAKING... THANK YOU FOR PLAYING!! There would be no SG without SGP (aka Summer Game Players)!!! Thank you all for making this the biggest Summer Game yet!!!! 

Byte Club is For AADL Super Fans and Library People Like You!

Wed, 08/28/2024 - 11:24am by richretyi

Welcome to Byte Club! For AADL SUPER FANS and library people like you!

You love the Library and probably share your enthusiasm for AADL all the time. You play the Summer Game, you know how to freeze a request, you've been to our festivals and expos, and you get excited when our new brochures come out or you scan the Observer's calendar and circle all the Library events you're excited to attend.

You might have multiple AADL t-shirts, mugs, notebooks, totes, and maybe even a menagerie of tiny stuffed animals. You might already have a favorite library and favorite library memory. You might have been a patron for decades or maybe you're brand new to town and your relationship with the library is just beginning. Enthusiasm is all that’s needed for Byte Club!

Byte Club is a way to get closer to everything happening at the Library. A way to spread the word about how much you love your Library. Byte Club will also give you sneak peeks into upcoming AADL events, programming, and cool new things coming soon. Byte Club will help you connect deeper with the Library and like-minded Library people around town. We want to make sure everyone who loves the Library has a chance to be part of Byte Club.

Interested?

Click here to fill out a sign-up form to join the Byte Club mailing list and be one of the first to be part of this exciting new way to engage with your Library.

More details about Byte Club will be emailed to Byte Club members and announced on our website later in September.

Badge Drop #11: Sweet Endings

Fri, 08/23/2024 - 12:00pm by ohheyitselle

HOLY CANNOLI!!! Summer Game is swiftly coming to a close…CAN YOU EVEN BELIEVE IT?? The Summer Game ends at 11:59pm on Sunday, August 25th!!!  

It’s always sad to see Summer Game go, but if you find yourself CRAVING to revisit Scatterlog, we’re planning on opening the Scatterlog Archives on Monday, August 26th! Oh, and be sure to clean your PLATE- er, LAWN CODE SIGN so you can keep it for next year!! 

All that being said, we have one last SWEET TREAT for you all… 

For those players out there who have spent all summer CINNAMON ROLL-ing to ALL AADL locations for those Building Codes and BEAR CLAW-ing your way through all your favorite badges series… it’s time for your DESSERT!!!  

FEAST your eyes on this year’s COMPLETIONIST BADGES, d-ÉCLAIR yourself a COMPLETIONIST, and DONUT miss out on earning some extra points to spend in the Summer Game Shop before it closes on Monday, September 2 at 11:59pm!! 

Be sure you save some SG room for the CHERRY ON TOP… the Game Over Gala is on SUNDAE (aka Sunday), August 25th from 2:00pm to 4:00pm!!  

BADGE DROP #11

Thank you for always making our summer SWEETER, and as always, THANKS FOR PLAYING!!!!!

Badge Drop #10: Time for some TENder Loving Care!

Fri, 08/16/2024 - 12:00pm by emjane

It’s been a BUSY SUMMER, and we bet you might need some TLC: SG Style!

Do you need to just veg on the couch? Let CHICKEN go to THE AIRPORT and travel vicariously! There are a lot of travel shows you can watch RIGHT FROM THE AADL CATALOG (and get some DOWNLOAD points while you’re at it!)

Or, if getting out into that BUSTLING world fills your battery, hop on the STREETCAR NAMED ANN ARBOR (or The Ride bus … for free with your library card on the weekend!) and take advantage of some of the LAST CHANCEs to get those Arbor Explorer Badges

If you need some retail therapy, hit up our Summer Game Shop to spend your points on all sorts of things to imPRESS FRIENDS and family.

Do whatever you need to do in this PUSH & PULL of summer’s end to feel like you, and know your Summer Game Team thinks you’re a PREFECT TEN!

Speaking of LAST CHANCEs ... August 25 is the LAST CHANCE to earn points for the 2024 Summer Game!!! This week is the last regular badge drop, though those COMPLETIONIST BADGES are still going to show their sweet little faces next Friday at noon!

Now, WILL YOU ACCEPT these BADGEs?

BADGE DROP #10

Thanks for playing!!

Badge Drop #9: Come on in, the water's NINE!

Fri, 08/09/2024 - 12:00pm by emjane

The warmth of Summer Game has everyone feeling NINE and dandy, and the BARTON BUZZ about town is that SG is THE CURE FOR WHAT AILS YOU! (As long as what ails you is a need for FUN, PUNS, and CODES!)

We’re reaching the finish NINE for Lawn and Library codes, so be sure to make one by THIS SUNDAY, August 11, or DON’T GET UPSET if you missed your chance to PAINT THE TOWN with your witty, 12-character-or-less code!

Now is the perfect time to get ALL COURT UP on any badges you may have missed (those COMPLETIONIST TROPHIES are just around the corner!); even if you've still got a lot to go, that dream isn't too HIGH IN THE SKY, there's still plenty of game left!

Plus, we’re badged to the NINES today!

BADGE DROP #9

Thanks for playing! Y’all have put your SG Team on cloud NINE!

Badge Drop #8: G'day M-EIGHT!!!

Fri, 08/02/2024 - 12:00pm by ohheyitselle

What’s up, PARTY PEOPLE??? Or should we say BONJOUR!!

It is AUGUST which means the two biggest events of the summer are fully underway!! Yes, of course we’re referring to the Summer Games (Olympic variety) and THE SUMMER GAME (AADL variety)!!!!! Both are EQUALLY important events…according to some person somewhere...maybe. 

We have a few things to say to the Olympians and Summer Game Players out there: 

Olympians…ROW YOUR BOATS down the Seine (or not). 

SG Players…Search DOWN IN THE DEPTHS of the catalog for codes!! 

Olympians…RING THE BELL in those climbing matches (is that how that works??!) 

SG Players… FARE through BOOKS and FAIRY FAVORS

Olympians… have some GREAT SKATES in the new Skateboarding events (and also at the Summer Game Skate on August 23rd!)

Both Olympians and SG Players… LEGO AND SCORE SOME POINTS!! (and check out the LEGO CONTEST on Sunday, August 4th!!) 

And remember… The LAST DAY to create Lawn & Library codes is August 11th!!! 

BADGE DROP #8

Thanks for playing and have a G'DAY!

Badge Drop #7: The Spectacular SEVEN

Fri, 07/26/2024 - 12:00pm by emjane

Step aside, cowboys, we have a magnificent seven OF OUR OWN!

1. TOMORROW (Saturday, 7/27) is the SUMMER GAME SPECTACULAR! Join us from 1-4pm at Veterans Memorial Park for our annual SPECTACULAR SG celebration!

2. Are you READY FOR TAKEOFF??? You’ve got just TWO more weeks to make a Lawn or Library Code!

3. READING IS FUNDAMENTAL! More than 2000 of you have earned the Super Summer Reader Badge and earned MEGA POINTS!

4. We have AN Ann ARBor OF OUR OWN — and by that, we mean Bicentennial Blocks for you to BUILD your version of our lovely city! (Plus they have SEVEN codes on them. How on brand!)

5. We are HAVING A MALL shipping out tons and tons of prizes!! Haven’t picked out your four yet? Why not browse the Summer Game Shop!!

6. WHO WOULD WIN?? EVERYONE!!! We’re ALL a part of the RECORD-BREAKING number of Summer Game Players (and it's not even AUGUST YET!!!)

7. It’s time to SUPER SEARCH for more codes ‘cause more badges are dropping RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!!!!

BADGE DROP #7

Thanks for playing, and have a SPECTACULAR day!

Badge Drop #6: Oh, FiddleSIX!

Fri, 07/19/2024 - 12:00pm by ohheyitselle

If you were saving up all your Arbor Explorer badges to tackle this weekend…. well… GOOD LUCK! 

It’s Art Fair weekend in Ann Arbor, so WASTE NOT those precious bike racks and WANT NOT those parking spots!! The SYMPHONIC bustle of the crowd is sounding IN THE MARKET, and all shoppers are keeping their EYES ON THE PRIZE!! Which art is the FAIREST OF THEM ALL??? Well, that is one of the grand MYSTERIES of Art Fair, isn’t it? 

For those DRAGON their feet or those more inclined to CHICKEN out of going Downtown Ann Arbor during this time… HAVE NO FEAR! We have plenty of badges to occupy your time!! So FLIP TO IT!!! 

BADGE DROP #6

And, as always, THANKS FOR PLAYING!!

Badge Drop #5: High FIVE!

Fri, 07/12/2024 - 12:00pm by emjane

The GAMES WIDE OPEN and guess what?!?!?! The Summer Game Shop is TOO!! TRAIN YOUR WAGON towards the shop beginning NOW and continuing to the END OF THE GAME, and we’ll MEET YOU there!

It’s ORDERSLAND at the Shop HQ. Nothing will run out of stock, and these are ALL the available prizes this year, so spend all your WORLDLY SG points (earned in ANY year) on your (up-to) FOUR items! Get all four at once in a big shopping spree, or space out orders throughout the game. IN OTHER WORDS, the choice is yours!

A SHOP-keeping note:
We're managing shirt prizes a liiiitle differently this year and will be ordering shirts from our supplier in batches throughout the Summer, instead of one big order at the end of the game. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR YOU?? If you order a shirt along with other prizes, you will get ALL the items in your order—shirt included!—at the same time, but it may take slightly LONGER than orders without shirts. Our goal was to get your shirts to you as soon as possible (instead of October!!!), and this is the best way to do that!!

As the cherry on top, it’s noon on Friday! Y’all know what that means!! ON YOUR MARK, GET SET, badge!

BADGE DROP #5

Thanks for playing!! And, oh yeah, up top! *HIGH FIVE*