"You can have my book when you pry it from my cold, dead fingers"

Sat, 09/22/2007 - 9:42am by Sancho Panza

Nothing like a little controversy to start the day. The statewide organization of Wyoming libraries has launched a glossy new ad campaign designed to spark interest in their services. What could possibly be controversial about library advertising? The ads feature a character affectionately referred to as “mudflap girl,” a slinky silhouette of a reclining nude engrossed in a book, adapted from the image frequently seen on the backs of large trucks. Mudflap girl aside, there are some great bumper stickers associated with the campaign (“If you can read this, you might enjoy the library”), and I suppose it does support a good cause...

…what do you think?

What if public libraries didn't already exist?

Fri, 07/13/2007 - 5:21pm by remnil

As he did in Levitt and his 2005 book Freakonomics, Stephen Dubner poses yet another interesting question on the Freakonomics blog: "If public libraries didn’t exist, could you start one today?" The post actually produced so much interest that it crashed their site.

Dubner's basic contention is that book publishers would vehemently oppose creating public libraries today, if they didn't already exist. Their response would probably mirror the music recording industry's reaction to Napster and other such peer-to-peer filesharing sites. After all, libraries, with their booksharing tendencies, may very well contribute to lower sales for book publishers. According to NCES, libraries circulated over 2 billion items in 2004. Even if only a fraction of the people who check out books bought them, that's a big chunk of change.

So what do you think? In this age of copyright disputes, could we create public libraries if they weren't already around?

Unlock the Mysteries of Your Family History

Mon, 07/09/2007 - 12:11pm by Debbie G.

Join fellow family historians at the CSI Meets Roots seminar, July 20-21, at the Library of Michigan and learn new tips, new resources and the new methods of forensic genealogy. Check out the complete schedule of programs and register soon ~ this will be a popular event.

Happy Rebuild Day, Library of Congress!

Tue, 01/30/2007 - 11:31am by annevm

The Library of Congress is marking 192 years since Congress accepted Thomas Jefferson's offer to rebuild the collection after the library was destroyed by the British. TJ offered books from his famously large personal collection, including, apparently, a copy of the Quran recently used in the swearing-in ceremony for Rep. Keith Ellison, the first Muslim in Congress. Writers' Almanac has more.

Kid Bits - Reading-ish Levels

Fri, 10/06/2006 - 11:42am by ryanikoglu

If your child goes to Elementary School in Ann Arbor Public Schools, the Teachers and Media Specialists guide reading levels by "Alphabet Level". The Ann Arbor District Library has the guides at all Branches in the Reference Collections. It leads Librarians and Parents to identify books at reading levels the schools use. There are 2 titles that cover the elementary school grades, Matching books to readers : using leveled books in guided reading, K-3 and Leveled books for readers, grades 3-6 : a companion volume to Guiding Readers and Writers. These titles are also referred to as "Fountas & Pinnell", the authors' names.

Take a Fall Library Tour

Mon, 09/11/2006 - 8:52pm by annevm

You can request a library tour for your group this fall simply by calling 327-8327 at least two weeks before a requested date. With school back in session, it's a good time to visit and learn about new items, services, events, and exhibits. We offer five types of tours, including a Class Research Tour and the The Malletts Creek Green Tour. For complete information, click here.

Gale Virtual Reference Library

Fri, 05/26/2006 - 10:47am by amy

Gale Virtual Reference Library is a database of encyclopedias, almanacs, and specialized reference sources for multidisciplinary research

The Internet Public Library (IPL)

Tue, 10/25/2005 - 10:18am by Sancho Panza

Available through the AADL Select Sites Libraries heading, the Internet Public Library is always available to quench your midnight AADL cravings. First check out the website’s FAQ to learn about the project’s ten-year history, from its beginnings at the University of Michigan School of Information to its current list of full-time paid staff. Then let your informational cravings take you on an adventure through the IPL’s vast collection of online resources. Just dying to learn more about the 1911 theft of the Mona Lisa? Check out the Art Attack link in the Fine Arts section to unveil a brief history of art theft and forgery. (Bonus: Mona Lisa’s googly eyes roll around in her head as you do so). Stressing over the number of cups in a gallon? Explore the IPL’s Ready Reference collection, which includes an online version of the Information Please Almanac. Sigh with relief upon discovering there are 16, and relax, because this library is always open and ready to help.