Grief 101: What To Expect When Grieving

Presented by Arbor Hospice’s Grief Support Services, this educational meeting will provide you with the resources and information you are looking for when coping with the loss of a loved one. The session will help examine what is normal during the grief process, strategies for coping, suggestions for self-care, and what support is available to you. There will be time for questions at the end.

Arbor Hospice Grief Support Services is a community resource that provides grief support services to any member of our community who has experienced a loss through death. In addition to providing support services to family members who have utilized Arbor Hospice’s services, programs are open to any member of the community who has experienced a loss.

For more information about Arbor Hospice Grief Support Services, please call 734-794-5460 or contact mschultz@arborhospice.org.

Ann Arbor Elections: What Works? What Doesn’t?

The League of Women Voters of the Ann Arbor Area (LWV-AAA) host this first in a series of two public conversations on the current process of electing local public officials. This session will explore both the strengths and weaknesses of our current system, discussing such issues as voter turn-out, student participation, and cost in terms of both dollars and effort of running for office, independent candidates, and other related topics.

Panelists include David Askins, former Editor of the Ann Arbor Chronicle; Lou Belcher, former Mayor of Ann Arbor; and Jean Carlberg, former City Council Member.

Hot Holiday Meals for the Hungry

by Hot Holiday Meals for the Hungry
Wed, 11/26/2014 - 1:44pm

The Salvation Army will co-host a dinner TODAY, Wednesday November 26th, with the Ypsilanti Free Methodist Church from 4:30-6:30 PM. Be sure to RSVP by calling either the Salvation Army or the church to enjoy a meal and fellowship at 734-482-2055. St. Andrews Episcopal Church in Ann Arbor will serve its daily hot breakfast on Thanksgiving from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. as it does every day of the year. The Original Cottage Inn will offer its annual Thanksgiving meal for the needy and homeless, a tradition that dates back more than 30 years. The dinner is served on Thanksgiving between 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Vineyard Church of Ann Arbor will have hourly shuttles from the Delonis Shelter to its Thanksgiving Meal, the first one leaves at 11:00 am, the last will leave at 5:00 PM.

There are also churches in Ypsi providing meals: St. Matthew's United Methodist Church, 1344 Borgstrom Ave. from 2:00-5:00 PM; Brown Chapel AME Church, 1043 W. Michigan on Thanksgiving, right after a worship service beginning at 10:00 AM. People are welcome to attend the service but it's not required.

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How Faith Communities Can Change the World One Meal at a Time

In this event, part of a year-long Interfaith Council for Peace & Justice program entitled Food & Justice: An Interfaith Exploration of How Our Food Choices Impact Our Environment, Our Economy and Our Neighbors, a panel of interfaith leaders will explore how their faith traditions take on issues of food justice and how their communities are making a meaningful impact in all areas of the food system addressing issues like hunger, worker's rights and climate change.

Hosted by Interfaith Council for Peace & Justice and Interfaith Round Table, the panelists include: Reverend Ryan Boes, Ann Arbor Christian Reformed Church; Yusuf Salloum, Islamic Center of Ann Arbor; Julie Ritter, Jewel Heart Ann Arbor; Reverend Kristin Reigel, First Presbyterian Church of Ann Arbor; and Rabbi Rob Dobrusin, Beth Israel Congregation.

Tom Hayden at AADL

by Tom Hayden at AADL
Tue, 09/16/2014 - 3:50pm

The Downtown Meeting Room was packed for Tom Hayden's lecture Monday evening, September 15.

Hayden, a former student at U-M was in Ann Arbor because U-M has recently purchased papers, photos and documents which detail his life as an activist. He stated that "history repeats itself if all parties aren't involved, even dissenters," in creating the future. He will be visiting the area once a year for 4-5 years to decipher his hand-written notes accurately because they include so many primary sources.

MLive reporter Janet Miller wrote a detailed story on his lecture you can find here.

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Barnes & Noble: Nonfiction Book Club

by Barnes & Noble: Nonfiction Book Club
Thu, 09/11/2014 - 2:44pm

The Nonfiction Book Club at Barnes & Noble in Ann Arbor will discuss the book The Dirty Life: On Farming, Food, and Love by Kristin Kimball on Monday Sept. 15 at 7 pm. The book is the author's memoir about working with her husband to set up a CSA (community supported agriculture) cooperative farm on Lake Champlain in New York. Barnes & Noble is located in Huron Village, 3235 Washtenaw Avenue in Ann Arbor, near the intersection of Huron Parkway and Washtenaw Avenue. Library Journal compares this book with other titles including Ree Drummond's book The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Recipes from an Accidental Country Girl. All are welcome at the upcoming meeting of the Barnes & Noble Nonfiction Book Club.

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City Of Ann Arbor 2015 Sustainable Ann Arbor Forum: Sustainable Systems

Join the conversation about sustainability in Ann Arbor as the City and the Ann Arbor District Library host their annual Sustainable Ann Arbor series.The series includes four events, each focusing on a different element of sustainability from Ann Arbor’s sustainability framework.

The third event in the series centers on Sustainable Systems, including an overview of city wet weather projects and community-led solutions to increased precipitation.

A think tank of local stakeholders including representatives from community organizations, City of Ann Arbor staff, and Washtenaw County staff will join the public to discuss local sustainability efforts and challenges in our community. Each program will include a series of short presentations followed by a question and answer session. The forums offer an opportunity to learn more about sustainability in the community and tips for actions that residents can take to live more sustainably.

• Nathan Ayers, Director, Chiwara Permaculture and Partner, UM Permaculture Initiative
• Susan Bryan, Rain Garden Coordinator, Washtenaw County Water Resources Commissioner's Office
• Shannan Gibb-Randall, Principal, In-Site Design Studio
• Jen Lawson, Water Quality Manager, City of Ann Arbor
• Laura Rubin, Executive Director, Huron River Watershed Council

Film & Discussion: 'Valentine Road'

2013 Sundance film, "Valentine Road" will be screened at the Michigan Theater followed by a Q&A with its director, Marta Cunningham.

In 2008, eighth-grade student Brandon McInerney shot his classmate Larry King twice in the back of the head. With keen insight, the film connects the human wreckage of Larry’s and Brandon’s troubled lives—both bullied and both searching for a sense of belonging.

This event is sponsored by U-M Library in conjunction with Film Forward and AADL. For more information and for a list of sponsors please see Sundance.org. There will be no charge for admission to this event and the film is not rated.

Get an Inside Look at the White House...When Audrey Met Alice

by Get an Inside Look at the White House...When Audrey Met Alice
Wed, 07/30/2014 - 7:14pm

Ever wonder what life is like for a kid in the White House? Then check out When Audrey Met Alice by Rebecca Behrens.

Thirteen-year-old Audrey Rhodes became the First Daughter when her mother was elected the first female President of the United States. Sadly, life in the White House is far more frustrating than fun. After her last hope of making friends at her new school is ruined by a security breach, Audrey feels alone and miserable. Then she discovers the diary of Alice Roosevelt, eldest child of Theodore Roosevelt and a former First Daughter herself. Alice seems to understand exactly how Audrey is feeling, and while reading about the lively and rebellious Alice – whose antics included taking her pet garter snake, Emily Spinach, to dinner parties and sneaking a boy into the White House by dressing him up like a girl – Audrey decides to try out a little of Alice’s rebellious spirit. By channeling Alice, Audrey is eventually able to stand up for a cause both she and Alice believe in – marriage equality.

I have been a big fan of Alice Roosevelt ever since reading the wonderful picture-book biography What To Do About Alice? by Barbara Kerley, and so I loved getting to learn more about Alice and her White House adventures. Readers who enjoy spunky female characters and kids who stand up for what they believe in will definitely enjoy meeting Alice for themselves.

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Permaculture: Practical solutions for self-reliance

by Permaculture: Practical solutions for self-reliance
Thu, 07/24/2014 - 4:02pm

One of our newer magazine subscriptions at the library is to Permaculture: Practical solutions for self-reliance">Permaculture. This magazine is a "bestselling international green-environmental magazine (with) inspiring articles written by leading experts alongside the readers' own tips and solutions," their website states. More from the website: "Published quarterly, this pioneering magazine is full of money-saving ideas for your home, garden and community. It features thought provoking articles on organic gardening; food and drink; renewable technology and green building; education, health and economics; transition towns and eco-villages; personal and community development; and sustainable agriculture and agro-forestry." Permaculture magazine also runs reviews of new books, DVDs, tools, courses, and access to contacts. Sounds like a good one!

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