On Thursday, July 12 at Noon we'll be discussing:

Beloved: a novel by Toni Morrison — According to the publisher, Random House, the book can be described as "Staring unflinchingly into the abyss of slavery, this spellbinding novel transforms history in a story as powerful as Exodus and as intimate as a lullaby. Sethe, its protagonist, was born a slave and escaped to Ohio, but eighteen years later she is still not free. She has too many memories of Sweet Home, the beautiful farm where so many hideous things happened. And Sethe's new home is haunted by the ghost of her baby, who died nameless and whose tombstone is engraved with a single word: Beloved.

On Thursday August 9 at noon we'll be discussing:

Waterland by Graham Swift — Set in the bleak Fen Country of East Anglia, England and spanning some 240 years in the lives of its haunted narrator and his ancestors, Waterland is a book that takes in eels and incest, ale-making and madness, the heartless sweep of history and a family romance as tormented as any in Greek tragedy. According to the Los Angeles Times, "Waterland, like the Hardy novels, carries with all else a profound knowledge of a people, a place, and their interweaving… Swift tells his tale with wonderful contemporary verve and verbal felicity… A fine and original work."

Lost on planet China: the strange and true story of one man's attempt to understand the world's most mystifying nation, or how he became comfortable eating live squid by J. Maarten Troost

Into the wild by Jon Krakauer

Sea of glory [Large print]: America's voyage of discovery: the U.S.

Interested in writing? Join other adults to share your work, get feedback and discuss the craft of writing. We will meet on Saturday, July 28 from 2:00-3:00 PM.

Ready player one by Ernest Cline

The family Fang by Kevin Wilson

The tiger's wife: a novel by Téa Obreht

In Zanesville: a novel by Jo Ann Beard

Is life like this?: a guide to writing your first novel in six months by John Dufresne

This year you write your novel by Walter Mosley

Fiction writer's workshop: the key elements of a writing workshop: 2nd edition by Josip Novakovich

The story structure architect: a writer's guide to building dr

52 weekend makeovers: easy projects to transform your home inside and out

52 weekend decorating projects: a do-it-yourself guide to adding style to your home by edited by Jean Nayar

Refresh your home: simple projects and tips to save money, update, and renovate by editors of the Family handyman

Are you in a reading rut? Summer is a great time to try something new.

Use the drop-down menus on the Kids Book Lists page and May We Suggest blog to generate suggestions for a brand new read. Try a graphic novel, audiobook or ebook for a fresh reading experience. If you're feeling brave, combine a new format with a genre you've never read before to truly conquer this badge.

Can't find anything inspiring? Fill out the May We Suggest form to receive personal recommendations.

Don't just read a book this summer, conquer it by checking out one of our Children's or Adult Book Discussion Kits and holding your own Book Club.

Facebook is a place you want to be if you own a company — especially if you're a small or medium business, even if you're a B2B company. It's a place to connect with your customers and get their feedback. It's a place where you can build a community around your brand. And it's actually a place where you can convert leads to sales, if you do it right.

The reasons for being there, and what you do once you're there, will vary from business to business, but there are plenty of good reasons to create and run a page for your company. Learn why and how to best use Facebook to meet your business goals from Mike McClure, president of Social Media Club Detroit and Executive Creative Director at The Yaffe Group on Tuesday, July 10, 11:00 AM-12:30 PM.

OnTuesday, July 17 at 10:00 AM, join acclaimed photographer, Rick Lieder, as he treks around the library grounds in search of creatures to "capture" on film.  The library will provide disposable cameras or you may bring your own.  Take advantage of this opportunity to learn to "capture" images of your own.  This program is geared to patrons aged 9 and up.  Space is limited, so register today. 

On Wednesday, August 1, 6:30-8:00 PM help build a giant Rube Goldberg machine and film it. Don't know what one is? Take a look here. We'll have tons of wacky supplies. You bring your imagination.  This program is recommended for people aged ten and up.

[Domino Effect by Smabs Sputzer is licensed under CC BY-A 2.0]

Beginning June 23rd and every other Saturday ending August 18th, teens going into grades 7-12 can hone their creative writing skills.  This five-week course (you must attend all weeks) will be taught by Linda Weatherford Papa, Instructional Designer at The University Of Detroit Mercy.

Interested in writing? Join other adults to share your work, get feedback and discuss the craft of writing. We will meet on Saturday, June 23 from 2:00-3:00 PM.

Practice speaking English in an informal setting with Community Literacy Council volunteers the first and third Wednesdays 7:00 to 8:30 PM in the Purple Room

Since the dawn of time, man has dreamed of traveling through the heavens. Today's students are tomorrow's astronauts! Explore the wonders of the night skies on Saturday, July 28 from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM.  In the comfort of their large inflatable Starlab Dome, Dynamic West Assemblies bring the star-filled presentation to you. An awe-inspiring program that is fully interactive, this one is not to be missed!
We will repeat the same show several times within the two hour program time beginning at 10:00 AM.  Please be aware that space is limited. 

Teen dream jobs: how to get the job you really want now! by written by Nora E. Coon

Start it up: the complete teen business guide to turning your passions into pay by Kenrya Rankin

Coming out: telling family and friends by Jaime A. Seba