Library card users can now get special savings at local Canton businesses thanks to Check Out Canton, a partnership between the Canton Economic Development office and the Canton Public Library. Local businesses supply special offers that can be checked out with a library card, just like the Museum Adventure Pass program. Take a pass from the Check Out Canton rack and present it at our Checkout Desk. You'll be issued a voucher good for one week.

Offers include a buy one, get one free ticket from the Village Theater at Cherry Hill, savings on catering, carpet cleaning, veterinary care and more. To see the current offers and availability, search the online library catalog. One pass per library card per week, no holds on passes.

Malkia Newman, a mental health advocate, talks about her life experiences as a person diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder.

Meet Malkia Newman and ask her your questions as part of our Living Library program. To learn more, drop by our Meet & Greet on Saturday, September 25, from 1:00-3:00PM.

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.

The Canton Public Library is the recipient of a Giving Hope Women's Giving Circle Grant. Money from this grant is used for this Mother Daughter Book Discussion, a group for girls in grades 5-12 and their mothers or other significant women in their lives. Only the teen or tween needs to register for this program, but you will receive 2 books to read. This month's book selection is Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Anne Brashares.  Register online today!  Program Date: Saturday, September 11 from 4-5 p.m.

Donate to Goodwill Industries and get a discount on your membership to the Summit on the Park. Drop off gently-used clothing and household items at the Summit for Goodwill's new Canton retail store September 12 through September 19, and you can receive an Individual Annual Membership to Canton's award-winning fitness and aquatic facility for $250 or a Family Annual Membership for just $550.

For more information, visit Cantonfun.org or phone (734) 394-5460.

Herb gardening for the Midwest by Debra Knapke, Laura Peters — Interested in growing herbs? This guide includes all you need to know about the herbs that thrive in this region and includes herbs of ornamental interest and of practical use. Details for each herb or plant include features, growing instructions, tips for best results, recommended varieties, harvesting and processing instructions, and uses. Everything is easy to understand and the color photographs are extremely helpful, especially for gardeners who have aesthetics in mind.

The Paul VornHagen duo will perform at the Canton Public Library on Thursday, September 9 at 7:00PM in the library Community Room. Stop by for special selections from the American Jazz Songbook… it will have you tapping your toes and swaying to the music!

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.

If you are a homeowner, age 62 years or older, and own your home outright or could pay off the remaining balance with reverse mortgage proceeds, don't miss this opportunity to meet with certified reverse mortgage consultant Stephen Bartus. Mr. Bartus from Wells Fargo will explain how you can convert the equity in your home into tax-free proceeds, proceeds that can be used to meet expenses, cover healthcare costs or remodel your home. Join us Tuesday September 14th at 2:00PM in the Library Community Room to explore your options. No registration required.

Into board games like Settlers, Carcassonne, or Puerto Rico? Drop by Saturday, September 4^th any time between 12:00-5:30PM for our monthly Board Gaming League of Canton meeting. Play some of the hottest games and you could win a prize courtesy of Comic City! Come by and play with some new folks!
[photo by viZZZual.com]

Hey kids! Do you love pretending to be different animals? How about a goldfish? Well, starting Thursday, September 2, 2010, you can register for the Swimming with the Goldfish program. The program is open to kids ages 3 years- to 5 years-old with a caregiver. Swimming with the Goldfish will happen on Thursday, September 16, 2010 from 7:00 to 7:45 p.m. See you there!

The Canton Public Library and Canton Economic Development have teamed up to help our community "check out" Canton businesses. It works like the very popular Museum Adventure Pass program. Local businesses supply special offers that you can check out from the library with your library card. Use the passes to save on goods and services throughout Canton.

If your business is interested in participating in this program, please contact Canton Economic Development at (734) 394-5182.

David Tennies is a Civil War historian and reenactor. Unlike many reenactors, Mr. Tennies portrays a civilian role, as Michigan Senator Jacob M. Howard.

Meet Mr. Tennies and ask him your questions as part of our Living Library program. To learn more, drop by our Meet & Greet on Saturday, September 25, from 1:00-3:00PM.

Our next quarterly volunteer orientation will be in September. We are especially looking for volunteers who will be available and willing to put in a few concentrated hours each month to help keep the library the beautiful and welcoming space it is. We specifically need someone to help us dust the shelves and pick up the grounds. So, if you are in touch with your inner Martha Stewart, fill out a volunteer application form and turn it in to the Reception Desk before September 19.

It's official… football pre-season is upon us. The Detroit Lions have come roaring out of the gate this past weekend with a win over the Cleveland Browns. Tune in and gear up as maybe this will be a sign of good things to come. While you are waiting for the next tramplefest, be sure to check out the great books we have on the Detroit Lions. Grrrrr!

You are invited to change the world through the power of the written word at Zoe Live Publishing's Author Extravaganza on Saturday, September 11, benefiting the Canton Public Library.

• 10:00-11:30AM: Aspiring Author Workshop — Learn to tell your story, or share your message in this free workshop
• 1:00-5:00PM: Book Expo — More than 20 family-friendly authors sign and sell their works to raise funds for the Canton and Plymouth libraries
• 6:00-8:00PM: Poetry Slam — A family-friendly open mic venue to share your prose and poetry

The Plymouth Author Extravaganza will be held at the Comfort Inn, 40455 Ann Arbor Road in Plymouth (near Bennigan's). The event is free. Each author will donate $1 from book sales and a signed copy of their book to the Canton and Plymouth libraries. For more information, visit www.zlwriters.com.

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.

Waiting your turn for The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest? Keep your cool with these Nordic mystery series:

The redbreast by Jo Nesbø; translated from the Norwegian by Don Bartlett

Last rituals: an Icelandic novel of secret symbols, medieval witchcraft, and modern murder by Yrsa Sigurdardóttir; translated from the Icelandic by Bernard Scudder

Bicycling & the law: your rights as a cyclist by Bob Mionske
Did you know that bicyclists and motorists have equal rights to the road under Michigan law? During the summer months it is especially important to be aware of your surroundings, whether you're on a bike or in a car. Become an informed citizen and remember to always share the road!

Do you watch your grandchildren on a regular basis? Looking for something fun and different to do with them? Want to meet other grandparents who babysit too? The program is for grandparents and their grandchildren. Register online today!
Program Date: Tuesday, September 7 from 10:00-10:45AM