The bad news is that about one-fifth of animal species are at risk of extinction, according to a report released by governments and conservation groups that met in October for the Convention of Biological Diversity in Nagoya, Japan. The good news, according to an article summary of the report, is that the number of threatened species would be even higher if not for the success of conservation efforts. Unfortunately, given the recent global economic crisis conservation efforts have lately taken a back seat.

One of the results of the downturned economy is that more people than ever are representing themselves in law matters. These "self-represented litigants" often feel lost in a sea of information and are not sure where to begin. The National Center for State Courts (NCSC) and the Self-Represented Litigation Network (SRLN) teamed to host "Public Libraries and Access to Justice" which provided lists of helpful resources which we have compiled into Law Resources. The resources include: where to find legal assistance, common legal citations and where to find them, information on different types of law including family, bankruptcy, landlord tenant, debtor and creditor, elder, immigration, foreclosure, social security, veterans, and wills and estate planning laws.

Diwali is a Hindu holiday celebrated by Hindus wherever they live in the world. The name "Diwali" comes from the word "Deepavali" which means "row of Lights". This festival is the most widely celebrated festival in India, although the celebrations differ from place to place. There are some things about the festival that are common across the world. Some of these aspects are lighting of lamps, called "diyas", cleaning and sometimes painting homes, feasting with family and friends. The most important meaning of the festival is the celebration of the truimph of good over evil. It is also a time for renewing hopes for happiness and prosperity in life. The festival of Diwali can last up to five days. In 2010 the main celebration falls on Friday, November 5th. So Happy Diwali to everyone.

November 2, 2010 is election day, and Michigan residents face many decisions this year — including selecting a new Governor. Get prepared for Tuesday by visiting the Michigan Voter Information Center. This site contains all your necessary information including polling locations and more. Don't forget to check out the League of Women Voters Guide which can be helpful in sorting through all the candidates and issues.

Pumpkins, turkeys and leaves abound, as there are so many fun crafts to offer kids and parents this time of year. Trim your Thanksgiving table with some special additions, or learn how to make a delicious turkey treat to gobble up. There are plenty of ideas out there to inspire your creativity and fun!

Jimmy Carter, U.S President. A first ever 24-hour all news network CNN launched by Ted Turner. Gordie Howe, professional hockey player, retired after 32 seasons. New York Islanders won their first Stanley cup. University of Michigan lost to North Carolina at the Gator Bowl 15 to 17. Consumers first saw cordless phones on the market. 3M's post-it notes sold nationwide. The Olsen brothers manufactured the first Rollerblades in their parents’ basement in Minnesota. WordPerfect, a word processing application, being sold by Satellite Systems International (SSI). John Lennon, former Beatles rock star, shot and killed outside his apartment in Manhattan. George Nichopoulos indicted for over-prescribing drugs for Elvis Presley. Ronald Reagan elected 40th

Did you know over a million Americans live with Aphasia every day and it can occur in people of any age?  What's  Aphasia?  It is a language disorder usually caused by a stroke, head injury, tumor, or neurological disease.  Aphasia affects talking, understanding, reading and writing.   A good book to read is Stroke Recovery Book by Kip Burkman.  Also, speaking first hand from a loved one who had a stroke there is a speech-language program at the University of Michigan Aphasia Program (UMAP).  They are committed to providing intensive state-of-the-art therapy

Ever since we've had hold music on our telephone system, it seems we've been committed to letting people know what we're playing. The picture above is from our Fugitive Fact File (more on that in a coming post) and shows that we kept a record of which songs played over the phone system.

For our present phone system, we've loaded our MP3 player with select Creative Commons-licensed jazz and other recordings from the Internet Archive:

• Fred Baty — Crepusculum — Sky Diaries EP
• top-40.org — Summer Time [top12]
• Carl Jasper Hoffman (October 27, 2004)
• Marcos Oliva And Free Bossa Jazz Trio
• Eric Bednarz — Aicha

Special thanks to the artists for releasing their wonderful music for the world to share! If you're interested in open access to information, check out Open Access Week (this week!).

When it drops is an attractive, concise website for seeing all the new movies, albums, DVDs, video games, and books that come out in a given week. It also features an RSS feed. [via kottke and The Daily Dish]

Looking for a quick way to see what's in our catalog on other websites, such as When it drops? Try our bookmarklet, available on our Tools page. Not familiar with bookmarklets? Read how to use them.

Bullying can be a difficult topic to talk about, but one that is very important for parents, kids, and young adults to learn how to deal with. There are many websites out there that can help families deal with bullying, whether it's at school, or on the web. Tips for young adults and kids can be found on Stomp Out Bullying and Cyberbully. Kids can find games and animated short stories on Stop Bullying Now, to help them with these issues. Organizations like Netsmartz also offer information for adults, children and educators on internet safety.

Hey Kids, check out Ranger Rick magazine in the Children's Department. Ranger Rick is a clever raccoon who is the leader of a small group of animals. He and his friends come up with ways to solve some of our environmental problems. This magazine offers you great information and photographs of all kind of animals, as well as cool stuff in the ocean. It also offers "green tips" for kids, Ranger Rick's comic adventures, games, crafts and stories about real kids and their adventures. It's a fun read, with lots to look at!

This is a wonderful time of year to be reminded of what a great state Michigan is. The Fall landscape will soon be painted with shades of red, gold and orange. Check out some of the tours that are offered to view the gorgeous landscape. Or read some of the books we have on travel in Michigan. There are plenty of cider mills around for families to visit also. Enjoy this great time of year and our beautiful state!

Do you often find yourself searching for places to buy unique, perhaps library-related, gifts for yourself or others? The Library Shop at the New York Public Library has a fantastic online store that fills this need! Purchase author-inspired fragrance diffusers, Shakespeare action figures and much more. Check it out today!

In 2006, a new political force emerged in Sweden: the Pirate Party, or Piratpartiet in Swedish. The party's platform focuses on copyright and patent issues, as well as personal privacy and government transparency. Unlike parties in the United States, the Swedish Pirate Party does not have a full platform of social and policy issues, instead sticking to its foundational principles.

People in the United States have attempted to form similar organizations, though the political structure of the U.S. is different.

• American Pirate Party on reddit
• United States Pirate Party

Below are some books about copyright, patents, privacy, and government transparency, as well as some information about prominent third parties in American History:

Copyright

The copyright handbook : how to protect & use written works by Stephen Fishman

The copyright book [electronic resource] : a practical guide by William S. Strong

The illustrated story of copyright by Edward Samuels

Copyright's highway : from Gutenberg to the celestial jukebox by Paul Goldstein

Freedom of expression® : overzealous copyright bozos and other enemies of creativity by Kembrew McLeod

Patents

Popular patents : America's first inventions from the airplane to the zipper by Travis Brown

How to make patent drawings yourself : a "Patent it yourself" companion by Jack Lo and David Pressman

Protecting your ideas : the inventor's guide to patents by Joy L. Bryant

Privacy

Code : and other laws of cyberspace by Lawrence Lessig

Database nation : the death of privacy in the 21st century by Simon Garfinkel

Griswold v. Connecticut : contraception and the right of privacy by Susan C. Wawrose

No place to hide by Robert O'Harrow, Jr

Privacy lost : how technology is endangering your privacy by David H. Holtzman ; foreword by Evan Bayh

Transparency

Tactical transparency : how leaders can leverage social media to maximize value and build their brand by Shel Holtz, John C. Havens ; foreword by Lynne D. Johnson

Transparency : how leaders create a culture of candor by Warren Bennis, Daniel Goleman, James O'Toole ; with Patricia Ward Biederman

The writer's legal guide : an authors guild desk reference by Tad Crawford and Kay Murray

Third Parties

Spoiling for a fight : third-party politics in America by Micah L. Sifry

Radicals for capitalism : a freewheeling history of the modern American libertarian movement by Brian Doherty

Mad as hell : how the Tea Party movement is fundamentally remaking our two-party system by Scott Rasmussen and Doug Schoen

1912 : Wilson, Roosevelt, Taft & Debs-- the election that changed the country by James Chace

Dear senator : a daughter's memoir by Essie Mae Washington-Williams and William Stadiem

Crashing the party : taking on the corporate government in an age of surrender by Ralph Nader

Setting a new Guinness World Record, the Armenian company Grand Candy unveiled the world's largest-ever chocolate bar — a 25-centimetre-thick slab weighing in at 4410 kilograms and measuring 5.60 by 2.75 metres on Friday, September 10. (Photo: World Records Academy)

Are you a parent or tween/teen looking for something new to read and you don't have a librarian at your house? Check out StorySnoops. StorySnoops is a website developed by four mothers with a mission to help others find fiction books that will hook kids, ages 9-18, on reading. The site provides children's book reviews from a parent's perspective. Easy-to-use search tools guide users to fiction that reflects varying ages, experiences, and interests of children. Each book entry includes a plot summary and brief recap, along with other pertinent information such as genre, main character's gender, awards bestowed, and more. New reviews are added daily, which parents can follow on Facebook and Twitter.

Medicare recipients who are eligible for what is being called the Donut Hole Rebate will be interested in the July 31, 2010 interview of Michigan Office of Services to the Aging director, Sharon L. Gire to explain eligibility for the Medicare Donut Hole rebate payment. Ms. Gire was interviewed by Laurel Hess, host of Comcast Newsmakers.

Google is the biggest search engine in the world, but offers much more. Want to learn more about Google and how its [generally-free] technologies can increase your productivity?

Register now for our Google Apps class, to be held on Tuesday, September 14, from 7:00-8:30PM. We'll cover search, docs, Gmail, and many lesser-known tools that work well for you or your business.

Update [11/15/2010]: A large selection of LEGOs will be available for creative play at the event courtesy of Bricks for Brains. Also be sure to bring blank CD-Rs if you're interested in Free and Open Source software provided by Metro Detroit Linux Users Group.

On November 20 from 1:00-5:00PM, Canton Public Library will host some of the most creative hackers in the Metro Detroit Area. Our Community Room will be full of demonstrations and presentations of hacks ranging from robotics to web apps to personal productivity hacks to modded IKEA furniture to crafts.

If you or someone you know is a 'hacker' in a special field; if you have ingenious and/or unconventional workarounds and solutions, then consider doing a presentation or having a demo table at Hack Day. Time slots and planning discussion can be found at the Hack Day CantonWiki page.

Unfortunately, bullying isn't just on the playground anymore. With teens using the internet daily, online bullying has become a new problem that parents should be aware of. In order to help parents and educators better understand and prevent cyber bullying, ebrary has a Cyber Bullying Searchable Information Center. Parents can find a collection of ebooks and government documents listed to help them understand this subject.