Parent’s Corner: Just Playin'

Wed, 06/25/2014 - 12:17pm by manz

School’s out for summer! Okay, now how to keep the kids occupied all summer?! There are many books on play and engaging children, and several are located on the Parent Shelf. The Parent Shelf is located in the downtown youth area, and on this shelf you’ll find a variety of parent-child related books on a multitude of topics- including everything from language to potty training to safety to bullying. These books are available for checkout and can be found in the catalog when searching “parent shelf.” Here are a few on children and playtime.

* The unplugged play book: No batteries, no plugs, pure fun
* Fifty dangerous things (you should let your children do)
* The art of roughhousing: Good old-fashioned horseplay and why every kid needs it
* The preschooler's busy book

For more, check these items out.

At the Art Table: Make a Comic Strip!

Wed, 06/11/2014 - 10:15am by manz

This month you can make your own comic strips at the Art Table in the youth area at the downtown branch! We have blank comic strips ready for your stories. Be sure to check it out next time you’re here.

At AADL we’re gearing up for Kids Read Comics which happens on June 21-22. If you’re a fan of comics, this is the place to be.

For the enthusiasts, here are some books on how to draw comics.

Yarn Bomb Zone

Sun, 06/08/2014 - 3:44pm by manz

This past weekend the outdoor garden at the downtown branch was yarn bombed to celebrate International Yarn Bombing Day! Patrons learned how to knit at a library program and took their creations outdoors to create a bit of whimsy. I’m not sure how long the exhibit will stay up, so check it out the next time you’re downtown!

If you’re curious and want to learn more I recommend Yarn bombing: the art of crochet and knit graffiti by Mandy Moore. The book talks about the birth of knit graffiti and all it encompasses. It’s a great read for the crafters out there, whether you knit or not.

Science Tools to Borrow

Sat, 05/31/2014 - 10:30am by aadl staff

Did you know AADL has some really cool science tools available for cardholders to borrow? We have globes of the Earth and Mars; there are dinosaur and other prehistoric animal kits. There are several meters available such as an environmental, UV, sound, microwave and EMF . We also have stereo and digital microscopes and Dobsonian telescopes.

With summer almost here, plan a quiet evening stargazing with one of the telescopes or reserve one of the dinosaur kits to share with your little ones on a rainy day. If you are runner, consider borrowing the neulog pulse meter to compare your active and resting heart rate. With so many geeky-cool fun things to try, it may take all summer to try them all.

A Story Reminiscent of Mad Men

Fri, 04/18/2014 - 2:28pm by Beth Manuel

The Lost Chapters is the true story of a Madison Avenue advertising man who experienced the glamour and success of the industry's heyday while ultimately being destroyed by it. Author Lisa Anderson's (she goes by Lise, locally) attempt to unravel her father's story comes from the manuscript he left behind before his mysterious death in Tokyo decades ago. Join us as we hear readings from her book on Wednesday, April 23rd from 7:00-8:30 in the Multi-Purpose Room downtown. Anna Byberg, Program Coordinator of Dawn Farm, will speak about the alcohol addiction that ultimately took Dick Anderson's life and will answer questions. AADL has a robust collection of books on the subject of alcoholism and addiction. Read more about the author's fascinating quest on her website. Her book will be on sale & Lise will be available to sign them.

Yoga @AADL

Mon, 03/31/2014 - 9:00am by prlhw

Monday March 31 | 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm | Downtown Library: Multi-Purpose Room
This event is FREE and intended for adults and teens grade 6 and up

Spring is here, but after this tough winter, most of us are still trying to chase the winter blues away - and yoga can help! Join us for a clarifying and detoxifying yoga set with local yoga instructor Victoria Duranona. We will learn about how yoga can be used to detoxify the body, mind and emotions, while cleansing the blood through breathing and movement.

Please note: Bring your own mat or towel to sit/lay on and dress comfortably for the workout.

At the Art Table: Pop Art!

Tue, 03/11/2014 - 3:45pm by manz

The next time you’re at the Downtown Library, pop into the Youth Department and check out the new art project at the art table. This month you’ll have the chance to create some POP ART!

Pop art is the art of every day things. This art form works off things in pop culture and mass media. We’ve got crayons, paper and samples to get you started in your own artistic endeavors. And for some books as inspiration, check out these youth titles about pop art.

Fun With Die-Cuts: Using the Sizzix Big Shot

Mon, 02/10/2014 - 4:04pm by manz

Wednesday, February 19 | 6:30-8pm | Downtown – MPR | For grades 6th through Adult

Join us for an evening of paper craft fun. We will be using Sizzix Big Shot die-cut machines to create an assortment of paper die-cuts that can be use in making cards. There will be instruction on how to use the machine, and we’ll have all the paper and cards on hand for you to get creative with.

Soon several Sizzix Big Shot Machines will be joining AADL’s new collection of Art Tools that will circulate! This is a chance for you to explore all that the Sizzix Big Shot can do for your paper craft projects before it goes into circulation.

This event is for teens and adults, grade 6th and up.

Play the Theremin!

Thu, 02/06/2014 - 1:41pm by muskrat

It is the only musical instrument that you play without touching it. Invented in 1920 by Leon Theremin, the Theremin's distinctive "otherworldly" electronic sound infuses such famous movie soundtracks as the original The Day the Earth Stood Still and Alfred Hitchcock's Spellbound. (A cousin of the Theremin, the Electro-Theremin creates "that sound" on The Beach Boys' Good Vibrations.) And if you watched the most recent season of the FX show American Horror Story: Coven, one of the witches on the show, Myrtle, played by the formidable and fantastic, Frances Conroy, played the Theramin on the show a few times. Wonder if you can play the instrument yourself? AADL is now offering a Moog Etherwave Theremin for checkout as part of the Music Tools collection, complete with User's Guide and the "Mastering the Theremin" DVD. Music Tools can be checked out for a week, are not renewable and not requestable. You can find them on the shelves next to the Downtown Library Circulation Desk.

Learn more about Leon Theremin's unusual life in the documentary Theremin: An Electronic Odyssey and explore other electronic instruments in the Music Tools collection such as the Stylophone and the Monotron.

The 780s - Music Books at AADL

Tue, 01/14/2014 - 11:29am by iralax

If music occupies a big room in your pleasure palace, then browsing the 780s at Ann Arbor District Library will provide great rewards. Whether you're looking for scores to practice or perform, biographies to explore, or genre histories to absorb, surfing aadl.org or browsing on the third floor at the Downtown Library or in the Youth Dept. will be the mother lode. Titles like French Baroque Music: From Beaujoyeulx to Rameau, How the Beatles Destroyed Rock ‘N’ Roll, Electric Eden: Unearthing Britain's Visionary Music, Cats of Any Color: Jazz, Black and White, Yiddish Folk Songs from the Ruth Rubin Archive, Give My Poor Heart Ease: Voices of the Mississippi Blues, Sabastian: A Book About Bach, The Mikado, or Teach Yourself Guitar, give you just a smattering of the wide selection. So visit aadl soon and find your musical bliss!