Award winning author Carole Boston Weatherford is coming to Ann Arbor in honor of Black History Month. This author writes fiction, poetry and non-fiction for children. She will be at the downtown library on Saturday, February 4 at 2:00 p.m.

In an interview with the Detroit Free Press, Ms. Weatherford said her visit to Ann Arbor would " . . . focus
on poetry that celebrates the African-American experience and pays tribute to both famous and unsung heroes and heroines."

Books will be on sale at the event, courtesy of Nicola's Books.

Tuesday February 7, 2012: 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm -- Traverwood Branch: Program Room

Planning for college can be stressful without the right tools and resources. College planners charge hefty fees with no promises, magazines publish arbitrary rankings, and Wall Street just says "save a bundle."

Local college counselor John Boshoven, named one of the "Counselors Who Change Lives" in 2010, leads this panel consisting of educators, a career counselor, and a financial planner - all parents with a track record of helping their own children successfully navigate the college experience. Join them for straight talk, no fee, valuable tips, a little humor, and the opportunity to get your college planning questions answered.

Monday February 6, 2012: 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm -- Downtown Library: Multi-Purpose Room

Session 2 of this UMS Night School series will feature discussions of the January performances of "Einstein on the Beach" and The Hamburg Symphony Orchestra. The 60-minute introduction portion of this event will center on two upcoming UMS Renegade events:

The Tallis Scholars, scheduled to perform on February 16 at St. Francis Of Assisi Church, have established themselves as the leading exponents of Renaissance sacred music throughout the world.

Random Dance, appearing February 18 at the Power Center, is famous for incorporating animation, digital film, 3-D architecture, electronic sound, and virtual dancers into the live choreography.

This series is hosted by Prof. Mark Clague, Associate Professor of Musicology and Director of Research at the U-M School of Music, Theatre & Dance.

Traverwood Branch will be closed for necessary repairs and maintenance to the wood floors beginning on Monday, February 13. We plan to re-open the branch by February 23, but if things go well it will open sooner. The finishes used that adhere to standards that are in keeping with the sustainable principles used to build the building have not held up to the high traffic in that location. The floor needs to be sanded, repaired in some places, and recoated and sealed. We could simply throw all caution to the wind and finish the floor like a basketball court, but that seems shortsighted and unjustified. A product that meets our standards, and is proven to hold up well in high traffic areas will be applied. Annual maintenance on these wooden floors will always be required, but it is our hope that extensive work will not be required for years.

Library materials may be returned to the outside Traverwood drop boxes on Huron Parkway or to any other AADL location during this closure. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Unexpired holds will be moved from Traverwood to the Downtown Library after the Branch closes at 6 pm on Sunday, February 12. Unexpired holds that would have been available for pickup at Traverwood during the closure will instead be held for pickup Downtown. If you would like to pick up your holds at a different location, please contact us at www.aadl.org/contactus, call 327-4219 or come to the Traverwood service desk prior to Monday, February 13. We will be happy to assist you.

During the closure please check this website for the many storytimes, computer classes, ESL sessions and events at other AADL locations. Consider visiting the Downtown Library or one of our three other branches.

Thank you in advance for your patience. We again apologize for any inconvenience.

Josie

Sunday, February 5 | 1:00-3:00 PM | Downtown Library | Multipurpose Room | Gr. 6-Adults

Welcome cartoonists Audra Furuichi and Scott Yoshinaga from sunny Honolulu, Hawaii (via Skype), as they discuss how they work together to create comics and run their business.

Audra and Scott are the co-creators of nemu*nemu, an original, online comic that has been running since 2006. Not only are they inspired by anime and manga, but the duo also strives to bring a touch of Saturday morning cartoons and Sunday funnies with a good dose of “small kid time” nostalgia to everything they do.

At this hands-on workshop you’ll get a chance to pull your own screen printed tea towel to take home. We’ll also get you caught up on all things related to printing up stylish towels. Hand printed tea towels are a great way to add a bit of whimsy to one’s kitchen, as they’re both colorful and creative!

We’ll also have linoleum blocks carved and ready for you to use to stamp a design onto a fat quarter of fabric. You can then do what you will with the fabric! You can use it in a plethora of handmade projects, including: A throw pillow, a bag, a placemat, for appliques, and more. It’s up to you. You’ll leave the workshop with a tea towel and a fat quarter, ready to add some sparkle to your abode.

To expand upon the joy of printing on fabric, here are some crafty books to get you going.

This DIY event is for grade 6 – Adult, and takes place at Pittsfield on Tuesday, February 7, from 7-8:30pm.