Dan Savage Loves Libraries

Mon, 06/27/2011 - 1:40pm by pkooger

“I want to emphasize the subversiveness that I think you librarians have by providing access to this information.” Dan Savage, author of several books and creator of the Savage Love column and podcast, spoke at the annual ALA conference in New Orleans last Friday. Savage praised libraries for providing critical access to information and resources for all people, even (and especially) when that information is controversial. He recalled his own days as a teenager when he would go to the Chicago Public Library to find answers to the questions he had about his developing sexuality. Savage stated that libraries are often the only resource troubled kids have to look for the answers to questions that they don’t trust their parents or peers with.

Access to information is a very personal subject to Dan Savage, who created the It Gets Better Project, an internet-based project with the goal of reaching out to depressed and suicidal LGBT youth. The project was designed to reach isolated young people who are dealing with bullying, abuse, hostile parents, or oppressive communities, all because of their (real or perceived) sexual identities. Thousands of grown-up LGBT people, celebrities, and organizations have contributed supportive videos to the project, all with the message that life is going to get better for these kids. Savage has also released a collection of essays in a book, It Gets Better, with contributing authors such as David Sedaris, Tim Gunn, Ellen Degeneres, Suze Orman, President Barack Obama, and tons more. Check out the book or BOCD at AADL, or visit the It Gets Better Project’s website at www.itgetsbetter.org.

Follow a library on Twitter

Tue, 09/28/2010 - 1:31pm by manz

To tweet or not to tweet, it’s a personal choice. Perhaps you’re one of the millions who are following Lady Gaga or Ashton Kutcher. Or perhaps you're more into following local goodness like the Ann Arbor News or the Ann Arbor Farmer’s Market.

October 1st is Follow a Library Day on Twitter. A day to celebrate libraries and let the Twitterverse know which libraries you love. Do you follow a library on twitter? Your own AADL has a twitter account, if you’re interested in keeping up with us. Or perhaps you’d like to show your love for the Canton Public Library, the Detroit Public Library, the Dexter District Library, or even the New York Public Library. Find your library online and follow it. Nearby libraries often promote their free public events on Twitter, so it’s a quick and easy way to see what’s coming up.

You can follow all the #followalibrary day buzz on their blog. Don’t forget to use #followalibrary as a hash tag! Which libraries do you follow?

Follow the 2010 National Book Festival

Fri, 09/24/2010 - 5:43pm by katieh

Tomorrow marks the 10th Annual National Book Festival, which is taking place on the National Mall in Washington D.C. Now, you may be asking yourself just how you will be able to enjoy this festival all the way in Michigan. Well, book lovers rejoice! The Library of Congress is filling their website with photos, podcasts, videos, and more so you can enjoy the festival right here in the mitten.

Listen in through podcasts. Not only will you be able to listen to talks, interviews, and lectures that will be happening throughout the day, you can browse podcasts from past years through 2007. Particularly interesting is the two-year series discussing the connection between music and the brain.

You can also watch videos from the current and past festivals through 2007, which include interviews, lectures, and comments from festival goers.

To take a look at what else is going on the fest tomorrow visit the National Book Festival page on the Library of Congress site.

September is Library Card Sign-Up Month

Tue, 08/31/2010 - 9:38am by katieh

A library card is one of the most important cards you can carry in your wallet and September is the month to celebrate it! The library offers a multitude of educational, fun, and interesting resources and is filled with staff who are eager and willing to help you use them. Never had a library card? Has it been a while since you've last visited us? That's ok! There's always time to come in and discover all that we have to offer. Do you already have a library card? Take some time to see just what is possible here and you may learn something new.

So, just what can you do with an AADL library card?

*Check out some art. Are you only living in town for a short period of time and don't want to constantly move your favorite pieces of art? Or simply can't make up your mind about the decor in your living room? The AADL has a large selection of art prints available for check-out to bring a little life to your home.

*Start a book club. The library offers Book Clubs to Go, which include 10 copies of a selected book and author information, discussion questions, and tips for starting a book club.

*Can't find the book you want at the AADL? You can request an inter-library loan and if another library in Michigan (or even in another state!) has the book available for request, we will bring it to the AADL for you to borrow.

*Want to know how much energy one of your appliances is using? We have energy meters available for check out!

*If English isn't your first language or you want to immerse yourself in a foreign language, check out our large selection of world language offerings.

*You can visit local museums by checking out a Museum Adventure Pass.

*You can also check out a book, a CD, a DVD, or Blu-Ray.

Interested in getting a library card? Just bring in a photo ID, proof of residence, and desire to learn and have fun to any one of our locations.

If you are not eligible for a card, you still have access to our free wireless, public internet stations, all of our events, and computer classes. And, as always, please feel free to speak to any library employee you see or call (734) 327-4200 if you have any questions about what the library can do for you.

Treasures of MLibrary

Tue, 04/20/2010 - 12:16pm by annevm

Three extremely cool reasons to visit the Treasures of the Library Exhibit in the Audubon Room of U-M Harlan Hatcher Library: a 2250-year-old papyrus document from ancient Philadelphia, reporting the loss of a donkey; a 400-year-old manuscript by Galileo, in which he explains the usefulness of the telescope; and the first book purchased by the U-M Board of Regents, "The Birds of America," published in 1838, with original drawings by John James Audubon. Awesome! The exhibit is free and open to the public through May 23, Mon-Fri 8:30am-7pm, Sat 10am-6pm, and Sun 1-7pm. Use the Diag entrance.

Carlo and the Really Nice Librarian

Sun, 04/18/2010 - 1:28pm by darla

I MUST share this fabulous picture book find with you! Carlo, a young giraffe, visits the new library with his father. The crocodile librarian, Mrs. Chinca, seems a little scary. Carlo soon realizes, however, that Mrs. Chinca is not only very friendly but also extremely knowledgeable about books. Carlo and the Really Nice Librarian is illustrated with cheerful watercolor, ink and collage. With sweet little details like a card catalog, a library card application, and the circulation desk, this would be a perfect story to share with a child who is about to visit a library for the first time.

By Jove! What a collection!

Fri, 01/15/2010 - 2:23pm by Maxine

On this day in 1759, the British Museum opened to the public in the Bloomsbury district of London. The original collection was donated by a doctor, Sir Hans Sloane who had amassed what he called "a cabinet of curiosities." The collection included thousands of books, manuscripts, items from the nature and art objects from around the world. The round, domed Reading Room was built over a hundred years later and could hold one million volumes. Until recently, only those who presented an almost exhaustive life history as well as references could use the collection. Some lucky users included Bram Stoker, author of Dracula, Virginia Woolf, Oscar Wilde, George Bernard Shaw, Gandhi and George Orwell. Lenin was initially denied access because of difficulty locating a reference. The museum has created digital records of items in their collection which can be accessed on their website. The Library also owns many books that contain objects that belong to their collections.

Take a survey and help the Michigan Electronic Library

Mon, 11/09/2009 - 1:03pm by amy

Have a few minutes? If so, consider helping the Michigan Electronic Library (MeL) by taking this survey. In an effort to continue improving MeL resources, including the popular MeLCat state-wide catalog, the Library of Michigan is conducting a study on the Michigan eLibrary to make sure libraries and Michigan residents get the most benefit from the program. The survey takes only a few minutes to complete...and you may be surprised to discover what's available for free through MeL.

Discussing the Future of the Book

Sat, 10/03/2009 - 11:11am by sharonknieper

At this time next week (Saturday, October 10th, 9:30-4:45) a discussion about the future of the book will be in full swing in the Clements Library. Students from the University of Michigan's chapter of the Special Libraries Association will be hosting the 3 panel event, which will include AADL's own Eli Neiburger.

With the future of information creation, storage, and dissemination being such a popular and immense topic, nationally known authors like David Weinberger ( Everything is Miscellaneous) and Clay Shirky ( Here Comes Everybody) have been able to create full careers. But it is also a topic important to the local community, reflected by the University of Michigan's participation in the Google Books Search, the closing of the Ann Arbor News and the closing of the Shaman Drum bookstore.

Check out the full list of panelists and their bios. If you decide to join in the discussion next week registration is recommended.

Just what the patient ordered

Thu, 10/01/2009 - 3:49pm by annevm

Recently a patron browsing BOCDs to take to a hospitalized friend decided to also check out Overdrive and the Michigan Library Consortium site -- to download audio books. One title that caught her interest was Banker to the Poor. To learn more about using Overdrive and the MLC site – how to find titles, manage downloads, and find programs for downloaded material – sign up for Overdrive Basics, an AADL class coming up Oct. 5, 7-9 p.m. at the downtown library.