Canton Public Library maintains an Optelec ClearView Low Vision Reader for library users. The 18" Widescreen monitor has a fully adjustable monitor arm, adjustable brightness, and Photo Mode for viewing pictures. The LV Reader is located in Adult Services near the Library's fireplace. Assistance is available at the Adult Services Help Desk.

Snail Mail for Seniors is a non-profit group set up to send greeting cards and children's drawings to senior citizens free of charge. They aim particularly for the senior that does not usually receive many visitors or mail. Come to the Purple Room anytime between 2:00-4:00 PM on January 3 and create a card to send to these oft-overlooked members of our community. We will be focus on creating Valentine's Day cards. All ages are welcome to participate. Supplies provided.

Tim Heller, avid chess player, hosts informal open play on the second and fourth Sundays of most months in the Community Room while providing instruction and pointers on improving your game. Beginners welcome. The fourth Sunday of each month also includes a tournament by "Library Chess Clubs." For tournament information and registration, please email clubchess@wowway.com. January dates areJanuary 13 and 27 at 1:00 PM in the library Community Room.

Join other handcrafters for an evening of sharing and learning. All ages and stages are welcome at this informal gathering. See you on January 14 at 7:00 PM in the library Purple Room.

A more advanced Excel class, great for work or school projects. Learn custom sorting and conditional formatting to make sense of your data. Create eye-catching tables, charts and graphs. Prerequisite: Beginning Excel 2007 or previous experience with Excel. Join us Thursday, January 31st from 6:00 to 8:00 AM.

Learn to create a spreadsheet and manage a list with Microsoft Excel 2007. Prerequisite: Mouse and keyboarding skills. Join us Saturday, January 19th from 10:00 to 11:30 AM.

How about discussing a book by a Michigan author and/or story-based in Michigan?

Shadow of a doubt by William J. Coughlin

The complete short stories of Ernest Hemingway by Hemingway, Ernest, 1899-1961

Legends of the fall by Jim Harrison

The Neon Rain by James L. Burke — James Lee Burke, author of the award-winning Dave Ribocheaux series and a series featuring Billy Bob Holland, Texas attorney and his cousin, Texas sheriff Hackberry Holland, was born this month on December 5, 1936.

Learn basic word processing skills including creating and
formatting text, printing and saving.
Prerequisite: Mouse and keyboarding skills.
Join us Tuesday, January 22nd from 10:00 to 11:30 AM.

Please join us on Monday, January 21st as we celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. King changed all of our lives during the 1960's civil rights movement. Share stories of his life with the following films:

• 12:00 Noon — Man of Peace in a Time of War
• 1:15 PM — King: Go Beyond the Dream to Discover the Man
• 3:00 PM — In Remembrance of Martin

Many investors are worried about how the recent Presidential election results will impact their portfolio. Financial expert and Observer & Eccentric columnist Rick Bloom will discuss ways to reach your financial goals by focusing on the proper investment strategies and not the rhetoric coming out of Washington, D.C.

Join us on Thursday, January 24th at 7:00 PM and learn to invest wisely.

Due to the popularity of our Thursday evening session, we have added another opportunity to attend this program:

Not sure what to make for those holiday parties or cookie exchanges? Is your cookie jar empty? Do you have a sweet tooth that can only be sated by the very best in seasonal baked goods?

Have no fear! Canton Public Library is here to help with these top-notch cookbooks, specializing in putting some extra sweetness in your sugarplums: (Note: If you do end of baking a dozen or so extra delicious cookies, please join us on Saturday, December 8 at 2:00 PM, for our Family Holiday Cookie Competition, or share your recipe on CPL's recipe blog)

Curl up by the fire, sip some eggnog, and read a Christmas mystery novel. We have a variety of Christmas mysteries to help you ring in the holiday season.

Visions of sugar plums by Janet Evanovich — Christmas is right around the corner and bounty hunter Stephanie Plum is on a mission to track down Sandy Claws, a toymaker in trouble with the law. There is also a strange and handsome man in her kitchen. Can he help her find Sandy Claws and a Christmas tree before Christmas? Fans of the humorous Stephanie Plum series will enjoy this special Christmas treat.

Interested in writing? Join other adults to share your work, get feedback and discuss the craft of writing. We will meet at 2:00 PM on:

• Saturday, December 8

An introduction to word processing. Learn basic Word skills including creating and formatting text, printing and saving. Prerequisite: Mouse and keyboarding skills. Join us on Saturday, December 15 at 10:00 AM.

The holidays are a time of eating and most familes have a favorite holiday cookie that they cannot wait to eat during this time of the year.  On Saturday, December 8, at 2:00 PM, we invite you to take part in our Family Holiday Cookie Competition. Bring in a dozen cookies (or more!) from one of your favorite recipes, four to share with our panel of judges to evaluate on both taste and presentation and the rest to share with the lucky attendees.  While you're at it, you may share your recipe on the Canton Public Library's recipe blog here.

Michigan's own Elmore Leonard was awarded The National Book Foundation's Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters at the ceremony announcing the 2012 winners of the National Book Award.

The round house by Louise Erdrich

[Update: due to high demand an additional walk-in session has been added on Saturday, December 8th from 4:00-5:00 PM] 

Former First Lady of Michigan, Helen Wallbank Milliken died today. Wife of Michigan's longest-serving governor, William Milliken, Helen Milliken was a strong advocate of women's rights and environmental issues. In a 2006 interview by the Associated Press she said, "Nobody ever saw anybody burn a bra; they're too expensive, but the myth has survived. There have been excesses, but the goal has always remained the same: equal opportunity for women." Ms. Milliken is survived by her husband, William and son, William, Jr.