Blog Post
Westgate Branch has Closed for Expansion!
by TimG
Westgate Branch, the smallest and oldest of AADL branches, closed for expansion on Friday, November 20 at 9:00 pm. It will reopen in mid-2016 with 21,000 square feet, creating a new, modern branch for the community.
Item Requests for West Branch pickup will be sent to Pittsfield. You can call the renewal line at 734-327-4219 to have your items moved to another branch if you prefer.
Drop boxes will not be available at West Branch until the project is complete. Items can always be returned at any other AADL location.
For more information about the upcoming expansion, visit westgate . Thanks for your patience as we work to bring you an amazing new Library!
Blog Post
Westgate Branch to Expand
by eli
Good news, Everyone! The Westgate Branch, the smallest and oldest of the Ann Arbor District Library branches, is about to expand.
Although AADL Library services have increased and expanded over the last decade, Westgate Branch has not been remodeled for over 21 years. The branch originally opened in Maple Village Shopping Center in 1977, moved to Westgate Shopping Center in 1983 and was remodeled ten years later in 1994, adding 2,314 square feet.
Westgate Branch, which currently has 5,500 square feet, is still approximately only 1/3 of the size of the other AADL branches. Its circulation figures match and even surpass some of the other branches, and the current Westgate space has no room for events and youth storytimes, popular and important features at all other locations.
The new expansion will add 16,500 square feet to create a branch with 21,000 square feet for its users. New features will include:
• 2 new public entrances, allowing for additional parking access from the rear Westgate parking lot
• A Kids area with story space for preschool and baby storytimes
• Additional space for books and other library materials
• 5 open study rooms for use by adults, teens and youth
• A community meeting and event space for authors, lectures, performances and other events
• 2 small group meeting rooms
• A comfortable reading room with a fireplace
• Additional seating and workspaces with additional wiring for computers and other electronic devices
• A café operated by a local business
Earlier this year, Westgate Branch neighbor Sun & Snow relocated out of the Westgate Mall. Pictures Plus will also relocate to a new Westgate location at the end of this month. These vacancies provide AADL with an opportunity to expand a popular branch location that already experiences over 200,000 visits per year.
AADL Trustees have signed a lease to expand the Branch and construction is expected to begin in November 2015 with an expected opening in summer 2016. Westgate Branch will close November 20 so that construction can begin, and staff working at that location will be re-assigned to alternate locations during the construction period. Construction costs will be paid upfront by Westgate Management and AADL will reimburse Westgate Management up to 1.2 million of the construction costs over the first 8 years of the lease.
In addition to expanding the Library for the convenience of current users, AADL is looking forward to welcoming many new patrons. AADL’s past openings of Malletts Creek, Pittsfield and Traverwood Branches all saw remarkable increases in use at each new branch, as well as across the Library system.
Updates on this project will be posted on the library website. For more information, visit westgate.
Blog Post
AADL in the New York Times
by valerieclaires
This week, The Ann Arbor District Library and our tools collection were featured in the New York Times in an article about non-traditional library collections. Several libraries around the country, including AADL, are profiled, each with a unique collection to share. The article can be read on the New York Times website or on page A12 of the Tuesday, September 15 edition of the Times.
If you’d like to check out a tool, from a Spinning Wheel to a Telescope, or a Giant Checkers Set and a Thermal Camera, visit aadl.org/tools!
Blog Post
Teens! It's not too late to volunteer at the library this summer!
by eapearce
Hey there! If you're between the ages of 14 and 18 and looking for something fun to do with the rest of your summer, come volunteer at the AADL! We need help with all of the cool programs taking place throughout the month of August. All you need to do is fill out the information form at www.aadl.org/teenvolunteer and bring the signed permission slip that you'll find on that same page to the orientation taking place Downtown on August 3 from 2-2:30pm. At the orientation you'll get more information about volunteering, and have the chance to sign up for whatever programs you'd like to help with. There are opportunities at all our locations, and at lots of different times of the day!
If you have any questions, email teenvolunteer@aadl.org or call (734) 327-8326.
Blog Post
Library Closed On Saturday, July 4
by TimG
All AADL locations will be closed on Saturday, July 4.
Regular Library hours will resume on Sunday, July 5.
Blog Post
Planned Downtime: Tuesday Night for Year-end Stats
by eli
Today, June 30, is the last day of our fiscal year, and the year-end stats process on our Library automation system requires us to disable some functions. Starting around 9 PM tonight, Requests, Renewals, and your My Account page will be unavailable while the process is running. The catalog, website, and summer game will still be working through this time. We will have service restored as soon as possible before opening on Wednesday. Thanks for your patience, and thanks for using your library!
Blog Post
AADL Receives National Award At The Library Of Congress
by TimG
The Washtenaw Library for the Blind and Physically Disabled at Ann Arbor District Library (WLBPD@AADL) received the prestigious National Award for Subregional Library of the Year today during a luncheon ceremony at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.
Library Director Josie Parker and Terry Soave, AADL Manager of Outreach and Neighborhood Services accepted the award on behalf of WLBPD@AADL, now completing its sixth year of serving blind and physically handicapped individuals throughout Washtenaw County.
The other award presented at the luncheon ceremony, the Network Library of the Year Award, was given to the The Michigan Braille and Talking Book Library located in Lansing.
Both awards carry a $1,000 cash prize and a framed certificate for each library and its parent agency.
Karen Keninger, Director of the National Library Service For The Blind and Physically Handicapped, stated, “Today we commend these two libraries for their exceptional creativity and responsiveness in removing barriers to reading for people who are blind or are unable to use print materials.”
The Washtenaw Library for the Blind and Physically Disabled at Ann Arbor District Library (WLBPD@AADL) serves approximately 500 patrons and circulates talking books and magazines on 15,949 digital cartridges. All public services staff of the Ann Arbor District Library are trained and available to provide WLBPD services.
For more information about WLBPD@AADL services, visit wlbpd.aadl.org or call (888) 460-0680 or (734) 327-4224.
Blog Post
Teens! Come volunteer at the AADL this summer!
by eapearce
Hey teens! Come volunteer at the AADL this summer! It’s a great way to meet people, see some cool behind-the-scenes stuff at the library, and earn volunteer hours! If you're between the ages of 14 and 18, all you need to do is fill out the form at https://aadl.org/teenvolunteer, have a parent or guardian sign the permission slip that you’ll link to via that page, and then come to any of the five orientations taking place throughout the summer. At these orientations, you’ll learn about what volunteering entails and have the chance to sign up for the opportunities you want to help with, including program prep work, stocking summer game orders, and assisting with a variety of programs themselves. If you’d like more information or have questions, email teenvolunteer@aadl.org. Hope to see you this summer!
Psst! It's also a great way to get lots and lots of summer game codes, since every program you help with will have its own code!
Blog Post
Library Closed On Monday, May 25
by TimG
All AADL locations will be closed on Monday May 25 for Memorial Day.
Regular Library hours will resume on Tuesday, May 26.
Blog Post
AADL will reopen at 9 AM Saturday
by eli
Due to a power outage at the Downtown Library, all AADL locations closed around 7 PM friday night. Power has been restored, and we're in the process of bringing servers and building systems back online. All locations will reopen as normal at 9 AM Saturday. Thanks for your patience!