Blog Post
Cockroach Exhibit at Pittsfield Branch is Cause for Celebration.
by Employee 37
Cockroaches often get a bad rap, and there's a whole host of misconceptions surrounding them, starting with the belief that they're dirty. Not so, and thanks to a new exhibit from the Leslie Science & Nature Center you can see just how clean they are by visiting the Pittsfield Branch. Two distinct species of live roaches will be on display for the summer, one winged and one flightless. Come learn about these oft-despised and misunderstood creatures, and make sure to look for the Summer Game code to earn 100 points for visiting the cockroaches.
Blog Post
Dragonfly Larvae and More at Traverwood Branch.
by Employee 37
If you enjoyed visiting the Leslie Science Center's Cecropia caterpillars at the Traverwood Branch last summer, then you're in luck. You can now view the caterpillar exhibit at the Malletts Creek Branch, and you get a whole new exhibit at Traverwood: Aquatic Invertebrates! What exactly is an aquatic invertebrate you may ask? For the purposes of this exhibit, they're mostly going to take the form of small water bugs, such as Dragonfly larvae, but there will be lots of other little creatures living in the roiling, green pond water as well. The inhabitants of this tank are also going to fluctuate, as new critters will be added throughout the summer, and old friends will be eaten by new friends. Make sure and look for the summer game code to earn 100 points for visiting the Dragonfly larvae.
UPDATE: As some of you have noticed, we haven't yet added many Dragonfly larvae to the exhibit. We’re trying to make sure that all the critters who would love to eat the tasty, tasty dragonfly larvae (I’m looking in your general direction predaceous diving beetle larvae) are safely out of the tank, in an effort to avoid a larvae throwdown. In the meantime, please enjoy the toadpoles.
Blog Post
Return of the Caterpillars at Malletts Creek Branch.
by Employee 37
Come visit the spawn of Cecropia! The descendants of last year's Cecropia caterpillars have returned from the Leslie Science & Nature Center. Not only that, but they've migrated from Traverwood to the Malletts Creek Branch, and will be spending the Summer Game season with us. Currently two moths have emerged from their cocoons. However, since the moths only live about a week, you'll need to act fast if you want to be sure of seeing them. While there are no guarantees when dealing with live animals, we're hoping that the moths will lay eggs, which will then hatch into teeny tiny caterpillars in another couple of weeks. We'll update this post when interesting developments occur. Make sure and look for the Summer Game code to earn 100 points for visiting the Moths.
Blog Post
Here we go, Players, it's your first BIG BADGE DROP of the SUMMER!
by eli
OH MY WOW! Summer Game 2012 is off to a RIP-ROARING start! Here at the end of the first day, we've already have 280 players log over 5,700 actions... AND THAT'S JUST THE BEGINNING! We'll be back to talk about various new features you might or might not have noticed around the system, but for now, here's your first of TWELVE count 'em TWELVE Friday Badge Drops! Yup, all the way through August 31st, we'll be releasing new content and, once the SUMMER GAME SHOP opens on July 2, new shop items each week too! But for now, let's get to THIS WEEK'S BADGES:
| Summer Game 2012 Badge Drop #1 |
|---|
echo theme_summergame_badge(190,191,192,193,194,195,196,197,198,200,201,202,203,204,205,206,207);
?>
Now, you'll notice if you visit the brand new Badge List, you'll see that badges you haven't earned yet are lighter, and that goes here too when you're logged in! Note that you can still earn many badges from Summer Game 2011 if you haven't already; but now that they're only worth 10% as many points as they used to be!
You'll also notice that last year's earned points, however, are still in your account, worth just as much as ever, and will be available to spend when the SUMMER GAME SHOP opens on July 2! So until then, give these new badges a try and see what you can do... there's a lot more where these came from!
THANKS FOR PLAYING!
Blog Post
SUMMER GAME 2012: It's ON! Let's PLAY!
by eli
WELCOME PLAYERS! Ann Arbor's hottest THING TO DO is back for another rollicking summer of ADVENTURE, EXCITEMENT, EXPLORATION, and most importantly.... POINTS! Summer Game 2012 has begun, so keep checking back throughout the day for updates as pieces come alive. There are some changes to the way points are scored, some opportunities new and old, and by the end of the day, the first of 12 WEEKLY BADGE DROPS to take you all the way through summer!
For now, as we're updating pages and rolling out all the AMAZING NEW STUFF, let us know as always if you have any questions by posting in the thread below or contacting us. To answer a few of your burning questions: Summer Game 2011 Shop Points DO rollover and will be available to you to spend when the Summer Game Shop opens on July 2. Also, if you missed any 2011 badges, most of them are STILL AVAILABLE to earn this summer, although they're now only worth 10% of the points. All your players are still here, we've just cleared out the gamecard numbers, so if you play the paper game, just add your new gamecard number on your player page when you pick one up!
WIN YOUR SUMMER at YOUR LIBRARY! Stay tuned, and THANKS FOR PLAYING!
Blog Post
Start planning & building your entry for the 7th Annual LEGO Contest!
by erin
If it's summer it's LEGO Contest time! One of our largest and most anticipated events is scheduled for Thursday, August 2, at the Kensington Court Hotel, 610 Hilton Blvd., (near Briarwood Mall). Last year we had over 200 entries and we can be sure there will even more this year!. Preschoolers, Kid, Teens and Adults are invited to participate. New this year: PEOPLE'S CHOICE! Attendees of the contest may vote for one project in each age category. People's Choice winners will receive a special LEGO trophy. For all the details read the complete rules and guidelines, and then start building!
Blog Post
Jump Roping Blast!
by Bertha
Summer begins in the Northern Hemisphere on June 20, and a Jump Roping Blast will be happening on this day too.
So start your summer off right at Malletts Creek, Wednesday, the 20th from 7:00 - 8:30pm. We'll be jumping outside at one
end of the parking lot, and have on hand Chinese Jump Ropes, Double Dutch Ropes, regular size jump ropes and
even a few hula hoops. Check out these rope skipping titles and sign up for the summer reading game while you're at it.
Grades 4 - 12.
Special guests, the St. Francis Heartbeats, will demo their skills. If it rains, we'll jump inside!
Blog Post
Looking Forward to SUMMER GAME 2012!
by andrewjmac
You've waited patiently all winter long. You've played the POINTS-O-MATIC CLICK-O-TRON and TREASURE QUEST to tide you over. Now, the plants are budding, the weather is nicer, and you feel it coming: Summer Game 2012!
But what will Summer Game 2012 be this year? Could there be codes hidden in the catalog and around the library? Could there still be badges to earn by hunting deep in the library website? Points for reading, listening, or watching media? Or for going to events, tagging and reviewing items in the catalog, or even just for checking out library items?
YOU BETTER BELIEVE THERE WILL BE!
This year's Summer Game will have all the great things about last year's game, with a healthy dose of new stuff thrown in: all new codes, all new badges, all new items in the Summer Game Shop, all new ways to earn points! AND this year there will be some new features, too: Teams! Tokens! What can those be?
You'll find out soon: Summer Game 2012 starts June 15! Be sure to get on the website the first day to start earning points, make your way to the top of the leaderboard, and try to stay king of the mountain until the game ends August 31! Earning enough points will get you ready to make purchases from the Summer Game Shop when it opens on July 2 (and for everybody who played last year, you still have all of your leftover points to spend, too). And if you missed last year's game, don't worry: you can still earn some of last year's badges and get some of last year's points when Summer Game 2012 starts.
Summer Game 2012! It's a whole new ball game! PLAY!
Blog Post
The END of TREASURE QUEST is upon us! It's the FINAL KEY!
by eli
Here's where it all comes together, and just in time for THE FINAL KEY is upon us! The start of Summer Game 2012 is just a few short weeks away, so time for ONE LAST BRAINTEASER to hold you over until the Summer Game's TRIUMPHANT RETURN! And this time, with email TREASURES still awaiting, Questers who complete the challenges of TREASURE QUEST including the FINAL KEY will get something truly SECRET AND VALUABLE, giving a clue as to something BIG coming in the SUMMER GAME! So, HAPPY QUESTING!
=========================================== ~~~~~ THE FINAL KEY APPEARS! ~~~~~~ ===========================================
What do you want to do?
1. Go to Treasure Quest Leaderboards
2. Visit the Key Gallery
3. See Your Character
4. Attempt to Enter a Key Code, Gate Code, or Treasure Code
As a vision of the FINAL KEY appears before your eyes, you hear Wil Wheaton say:
.
The end is nigh! The FINAL KEY is all you have to claim;
A clue is at the end of the beginning of this game.
The Keys, the Gates, the codes, the points; they all come from a book;
If you're averse to spoilers then perhaps you shouldn't look.
.
Note: in the thread below, Questers are sharing info with each other and getting hints; if you want to solve this puzzle without any help, don't keep reading as there are SPOILERS below!
Blog Post
Treasure Quest in the home stretch with the BELGIAN KEY!
by eli
The BELGIAN KEY just might be the WEIRDEST ONE YET! With only one key still to come, and Summer Game 2012 just over the horizon, KEEP QUESTING!
============================================= ~~~~~ THE BELGIAN KEY APPEARS! ~~~~~~ =============================================
What do you want to do?
1. Go to Treasure Quest Leaderboards
2. Visit the Key Gallery
3. See Your Character
4. Attempt to Enter a Key Code, Gate Code, or Treasure Code
As a vision of the BELGIAN KEY appears before your eyes, you hear a Russian Children's Book Author say:
Once upon a time there was a boy without a stitch;
depending on the legend, he was poor, or he was rich.
The legends say the boy endeared himself to a whole nation,
by simply saying what he thought of war, through micturation.
.
Note: in the thread below, Questers are sharing info with each other and getting hints; if you want to solve this puzzle without any help, don't keep reading as there are SPOILERS below!