Ages 11-18
Blog Post
Winteractive: The Art of Video Games - AADL Exhibit at University of Michigan Hatcher Gallery
by anned
Dates: March 17th through April 15th
What does it mean for a game to be art? Visit this interactive exhibit in the Hatcher Gallery to find out! Many independent game developers stretch the definition of what a game can be and create games that blur the boundaries between art and traditional entertainment.
The games in this exhibition—all created by individual or small groups of developers—will lead you into realms of sound and beauty, or provoke reflection on the human condition, or entertain you with innovative takes on established game genres—or perhaps all of the above at once!
This is a hands-on exhibition. We invite you to play and explore the games, and offer your thoughts.
Sponsored by the Ann Arbor District Library and the University of Michigan Library Computer & Video Game Archive.
Click here for directions to the University of Michigan Hatcher Graduate Library.
Hatcher Library hours and more information can be accessed here.
Blog Post
Teen and Adult Crossover Graphic Novel: Special Batman vs Superman edition
by gulickb
With Batman vs. Superman just around the corner now is the perfect time to read up on both superheroes and maybe the Batman vs. Superman graphic novel.
Now this list is not everything that the library has of these two seminal heroes but rather some of the best graphic novels that we have of Batman and Superman (I'll put a link to a search for everything we have on them at the end of the post).
Let's start with Batman (because I think he's the best, feel free to tell me why I'm wrong or right in the comments).
Batman:Under the Hood is one of those graphic novels that has fans both loving and hating it. It takes one of the old supporting characters from Batman and re-imagines them as a violent anti-hero: The Red Hood. This graphic novel has everything that you could want from a Batman story and controversy aside it is a must read for any fans of the series.
Another Batman series that has fans conflicted is Batman & Robin: Batman Reborn which re-imagines the characters of Batman and Robin, almost reversing the dynamic between them with Robin being the scowling broody hero and Batman being more lighthearted and spontaneous hero that fans would often expect Robin to be. This series is definitely worth a read if you are willing to put preconceptions about what the various characters should act like. It makes a nice break from some of the darker Batman stories.
The last Batman story is Batman and the Mad Monk. This story is one of the first times that Batman has to fight a supernatural villain and it makes from a nice change from the run of the mill criminally insane that we so often see him fight.
The first Superman crossover graphic novel is Superman:Red Son This is one of my favorite Superman stories, it takes Superman's origins and asks the question, what would have happened if he had been raised in Soviet Russia instead of the United States. This change in origin makes for a wonderful story in which we get to see some of our favorite characters engaging with Superman in a way that they have never before (this is a must read for all fans and non-fans alike)!
The next Superman is The Death of Superman. This is one of the first times when the mortality of Superman was put to the question. Could Superman die, and how might this happen. This story is one of the most iconic ones in the history of Superman.
The final superman story is Superman: Exile this story takes place after Superman has broken his oath to never kill and he places himself into a self imposed exile from earth and learns that he cannot run from himself. This is a very different kind of Superman story with lots of introspection, but that doesn’t mean it’s lacking in action or that it’s boring in any way shape or form, instead what we end up with is a story that strives to bring deeper understanding to just who Superman is.
As promised here’s a link to a search for all the graphic novels the library has on
Batman and Superman
Blog Post
Meet “It’s All Write!” 2016 Judge #3: Caroline Bock!
by BugsAndSlugs
The third judge for this year’s “It’s All Write!” Teen Short Story Contest is Caroline Bock! Prior to focusing on writing, Caroline led the marketing and public relations departments at Bravo, IFC cable networks and IFC Films. In 2011, she received an MFA in Fiction with honors from The City College of New York and she has recently moved to Maryland after living her entire life in the State of New York.
Caroline’s work includes the YA novels Lie and Before My Eyes , as well as her award winning short story Gargoyles and Stars .
Recently, Caroline Bock was nominated for a 2016 Pushcart literary award in poetry! To learn more about Caroline and her writing, visit her webpage or follow her on Twitter @cabockwrites.
Stay tuned for more information about the “It’s All Write!” Teen Short Story Contest of 2016 Judges
Blog Post
Live Through This: On Creativity and Self-Destruction
by evelyn
Live Through This: On Creativity and Self-Destruction, edited by Sabrina Chapadjiev, is one of my favorites. It’s the book I turn to whenever I am in need of inspiration, reassurance, or just a push in the right direction. I’ve given copies of this book to more friends than I can count and now I want you to read it!
Live Through This contains a group of essays, poems, cartoons, and photographs by a diverse pool of artists and thinkers including bell hooks, Patricia Smith, Eileen Myles, and Kate Bornstein. The pieces are mostly personal, and detail how the artists worked through difficult times in their lives. Creativity is both a helpful tool and a destructive impulse in the book, and the artists and writers don't hold anything back in detailing their experiences.
I have a hard time summing up how much I love this book, or listing all of the reasons that you should read it, but just believe me, you should! It will push you out of complacency, move you to work harder, and create, create, create. It will set you on fire.
Blog Post
Does Addiction Treatment Work?
by Beth Manuel
You’re invited to Dawn Farm’s free Educational Series. All programs are presented in the St. Joseph Mercy Hospital Education Center auditorium, at 5305 Elliott Drive in Ypsilanti. The Education Series schedule can be found here.You can also contact Dawn Farm at 734-485-8725 or info@dawnfarm.org. All are welcome to attend! Registration is not required.
Recent publications claim to define research-supported definitive truths about the root causes of addiction and efficacy of treatment modalities; however conclusions are conflicting and have been subject to divergent interpretations. Feel confused? Dr. Carl Christensen, M.D. PhD, will review the recent criticisms of treatment for addiction including Twelve Step, residential, and medication assisted therapy, the scientific studies that do and do not support their use and other controversial issues. This program is Tuesday March 15, 2016; 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm.
Blog Post
High Interest/Low Reading Level Fiction
by Beth Manuel
If you, or someone you know, are an English Language Learner looking for higher level reading materials to increase your vocabulary, here’s a cool way to find them on aadl.org. Go to the Catalog tab and enter Lang-Learn-RL into the search box. RL stands for Reading Level. You can also enter 'Hi/Lo' into the search box. To search for a particular reading level, simply type in a different number after RL. Once your search results come up, you can refine your search to find the titles that interest you the most. These high interest, low level readers, sometimes called HiLo books, are also great for adults who are learning to read.
Blog Post
PEN/ESPN SPORTS AWARD
by iralax
Scott Ellsworth has just won the PEN/ESPN Award for Literary Sports Writing 2016 for his book, The Secret Game: A Wartime Story of Courage, Change, and Basketball’s Lost Triumph. It is the story of a 1944 illegal basketball game between the North Carolina College for Negroes in Durham and the Duke University Medical School team. Congratulations to Ellsworth, who is a lecturer in the UM Department of Afroamerican and African Studies.
Blog Post
LAST DAY to Enter the 2016 "It's All Write!" Contest!
by krayla
Writers in grades 6-12 still have 12 hours to enter the "It's All Write!" Teen Short Story Contest! The online submission form will close at MIDNIGHT tonight!
Still don't know what to write about? It's ok, procrastinators, we're not judging! Check out these cool writing topics for ideas. Alternatively, you could upgrade a story that you've already written, as long as it hasn't been published or sent to this contest before. For more details check out the contest guidelines!
Good luck, writers! We'll see you in June for the Final Celebration, when we'll give winners fantastic prizes!
Questions? Feel free to email Kayla at allwrite@aadl.org
HAPPY WRITING!
Blog Post
Is the grass greener on the other side of the wall?
by gulickb
I'm not normally a fan of graphic memoirs, often I find them to be only of interest if you are a fan of the artist already but there are several graphic memoirs that despite having never heard of the author prior to picking up the graphic novel that have endeared themselves enough that I've read them multiple times. One of those graphic memoirs is The Other Side of the Wall by Simon Schwartz. The novel is set in the 1980's in Germany and follows the Schwartz family as they move across the wall from East Germany to West Germany in search of freedoms that they could not have in East Germany. This period of time is incredibly interesting and Schwartz manages to capture a lot of the emotions that his family went through, as well as documenting their personal history.
This graphic novel is wonderful and will open up a world that might otherwise be impossible to see. Germany in the 80's was on the brink of change, and it is in this precipice that Schwartz sets his graphic memoir.
The artwork is simple but at the same time conveys a huge amount of information about that period in time.
So if you're looking for a fantastic graphic memoir, or to learn about post war Germany, then The Other Side of the Wall is for you!
Blog Post
Meet “It’s All Write!” 2016 Judge #2: Cammie McGovern!
by BugsAndSlugs
Cammie McGovern, our second Judge for the 2016 “It’s All Write!” Teen Short Story Contest is the author of the much-acclaimed YA novels Say What You Will and A Step Toward Falling . Cammie is one of the proud founders of Whole Children, a resource center for children and young adults with disabilities and their families. She lives in Amherst, MA, with her husband and three sons, the oldest of whom is autistic. To learn more about Cammie McGovern and her books, check out her website.
Stay tuned for more information about the “It’s All Write!” Teen Short Story Contest of 2016 Judges, and don't forget, you have until Midnight on March 4th to submit stories for this year's contest!