New York Times Historical

Tue, 11/27/2012 - 3:04pm by pkooger

The New York Times is available online to library users all the way back to its first issues from 1851. Over 150 years of historic news coverage is available at your fingertips, digitized and fully searchable. Select ‘Page View’ to see complete newspaper pages as they originally appeared in print, or select ‘Full-text PDF’ to see only the article you choose.

Access to all our reference databases and resources is available at every AADL branch and from outside the library with a valid library card. To access New York Times Historical, go to the Research page and from the Newspapers tab, click on New York Times Historical.

Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012: Tips for Voters

Tue, 11/06/2012 - 5:57am by Debbie G.

-Don’t forget to bring your photo ID to vote. Voters who do not have acceptable photo ID will be required to sign an affidavit in order to vote.
-Peak voting hours are from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. Voters who want to avoid long lines are encouraged to vote during midday hours.
-Polling place hours are 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day. If you are standing in line by 8 p.m. then you are eligible to vote.
-In-person requests for absentee ballots will be accepted at the City Clerk’s Office, 2nd floor of City Hall, until Monday, November 5 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
-Ann Arbor Public Schools are closed on Election Day. Polling places located within schools are open.
-Signs will be posted at all polling locations to assist voters.

View your sample ballot, check your polling location and much more at Michigan Votes.

Washtenaw County election results are televised on Community Television Network’s CitiTV Channel 19 beginning at 10 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012—after the polls close—and will continue throughout the night.

Both Sides Now: The Statewide Ballot Proposals on CTN

Wed, 10/10/2012 - 8:04am by Debbie G.

The League of Women Voters will examine the pros and cons of the six statewide ballot proposals as well as the Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti ballot proposals on CTN, Community Television Network, beginning Wednesday, October 10. Viewers can also stream the program on demand from links on the CTN homepage.

The LWV also helps sponsor Vote411.org, the online election source that lets voters build their own ballot with an online voters' guide. Type in your address to see the races on your ballot. Candidates' positions can be compared side-by-side, and you may print out a "ballot" indicating your preferences as a reminder and take it with you to the polls on Election Day.

To double-check your voter registration status, your polling location, view your sample ballot and much more, visit the State of Michigan's Michigan Votes web site.

SIRS Discoverer Deluxe

Tue, 10/02/2012 - 3:38pm by pkooger

SIRS Discoverer is a research database designed for students in grades 1-9. It is packed with interesting and informative articles organized by topic, complete with photographs and maps. The articles all list their Lexile score so you can pick the articles that match your reading level. It even has a whole section devoted to the US election! Use SIRS Discoverer to find information for school projects, or explore the subject headings to find ideas for paper topics.
Access to all our reference databases and resources is available at every AADL branch and from outside the library with a valid library card. To access SIRS Discoverer, go to the Research page and from the Student Papers category, click on SIRS Discoverer.

Signal of Liberty

Thu, 09/27/2012 - 9:52am by jaegerla

The Signal of Liberty was Ann Arbor's prominent abolitionist newspaper, running from 1841-1847. The paper has been digitized and made available online. This wonderful resource can be browsed by either articles or images. The Signal of Liberty had a primary goal of spreading facts on the issue of slavery to readers in the Midwest and remains an excellent primary source for research.

This resource can be accessed by visiting signalofliberty.aadl.org or through the AADL website by going to the Research page, clicking Local History, and then selecting Signal of Liberty.

Muzzy Language Learning for Kids

Mon, 09/24/2012 - 9:49am by lucroe

The library has a new children's language learning database called Muzzy. Currently there are 8 different languages to choose from: English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, Portuguese, and Russian. You can use it at home or at the library. The Muzzy animated story and games are a captivating way for kids to learn another language. It was originally a BBC program so those from Europe may recognize it. Learn more about this database here. We also offer the Muzzy multilingual series (it includes a choice of learning English, French, German, Italian, or Spanish) and the separate traditional Chinese language learning version for checkout.

University Musical Society: A History of Great Performances

Sun, 09/23/2012 - 7:22pm by annevm

One of the most amazing organizations in Ann Arbor is the University Musical Society, which has been providing entertainment and education for more than 130 years. To learn more about UMS, check out our database University Musical Society: A History of Great Performances. This collection includes full text searching and browsing access to historical programs from UMS concerts, in addition to hundreds of photographs. Access to all our reference databases and resources is available at every AADL branch and from outside the library with a valid library card.To access the UMS database, go to the research page and from the Ann Arbor category, click on University Musical Society.

If Your Mind Is On Your Money and Your Money Is On Your Mind

Mon, 09/10/2012 - 2:22pm by jaegerla

Morningstar Investment Research Center offers comprehensive information on thousands of mutual funds, stock performance on the three major exchanges, and data on hundreds of exchange-traded funds with current Morningstar ratings and reports. This database also offers user-friendly portfolio tools and calculators to help you analyze your investments.

Access to this and any of our other reference databases and resources is available at every branch of the AADL, as well as from outside the library with a valid AADL library card. For access from an outside location, please sign in to your library account, visit our reference database page, and navigate to the desired resource. To access Morningstar, go to the research page, and select Morningstar Investment Research Center from the Investing category.

Oxford English Dictionary: A Resource for the Ages

Sat, 09/08/2012 - 12:53pm by annevm

The Oxford English Dictionary is a great resource for people searching for the meaning, pronunciation, usage and etymology of English words. It defines etymology, by the way, as "(a) The process of tracing out and describing the elements of a word with their modifications of form and sense." Abbreviated "OED," the dictionary contains over 500,000 words from across the English-speaking world. Some of the content is historical, opening the door for you to trace meanings back through the years and centuries.

Access to this database is available at every branch of the AADL, as well as from outside the library with a valid AADL library card. If you are an L-card holder seeking access from an outside location, please sign in to your library account, visit our database page and navigate to the desired resource.

Michigan Legal Help Website Online Now!

Thu, 09/06/2012 - 4:23pm by monkk

A new legal self-help website, www.michiganlegalhelp.org offers information and many resources for Michigan residents who need to represent themselves in simple civil legal matters. The Michigan Legal Help website is part of a pilot project overseen by the Solutions on Self-Help Task Force. The website was created to make legal information easier to understand and to show people how to navigate the court system properly and efficiently. The website can also help users look for a lawyer or legal self-help center in their area if they need more assistance. Visit www.michiganlegalhelp.org to view the website and learn more about it's tools for civil legal self-help in Michigan.