The boy in the suitcase by Lene Kaaberbol and Agnete Friis; translated from the Danish by Lene Kaaberbol

Dreams of joy: a novel by Lisa See

Faith: a novel by Jennifer Haigh

The fatal touch: a Commissario Alec Blume novel by Conor Fitzgerald

As part of the 2011 Shopper Reform and Modernization Act, the new Scanner Law goes into effect September 1st. The actual document for this act is very lengthy, but the most important fact is that consumers should know is the following: If the consumer is charged more than the displayed cost, they are entitled to request the difference between the displayed price and what they were charged, plus additional compensation ("bonus") of ten times the difference. The bonus must be at least $1.00, but may not be more than $5.00.
[Photo courtesy of eLibrary]

The Accelate Michigan Innovation Competition is an international business plan competition designed to highlight Michigan as a robust and vibrant venue for innovation and business opportunity.

Any undergraduate or graduate student enrolled for at least 2 classes in a Michigan public or private university or college for the fall 2011 semester are eligible. The deadline date for students' entries is September 30, 2011.

(Photo Credit: Knight-Ridder/Tribune News Service. 08 Jul. 2004. eLibrary. Web. 10 Aug. 2011.)

A covert affair: Julia Child and Paul Child in the OSS by Jennet Conant

Once upon a river: a novel by Bonnie Jo Campbell

The fires of the gods: a Sugawara Akitada mystery by I.J.

The Blue Angels have been flying over Canton! They are preparing to perform in this weekend's Thunder Over Michigan Air Show at Willow Run Airport. World War II Battle Re-enactments, a Vietnam Dogfight and a Stealth Bomber flyby are also scheduled.

[Photo courtesy of AP Images]

Local author Harry Dolan will be at Nicola's Books with his second mystery which features his main character David Loogan from his first novel. Dolan will talk about his latest Loogan story Very Bad Men on Monday, July 18th at 7:00PM.

Children, ages 4-7, come celebrate the Mitten State with Michigan-themed stories, crafts and snacks! Register online beginning May 9.

Program Date: May 23 at 7:00PM

Four quick things every citizen should know from Governor Rick Snyder's new Dollars & Sense: How State and Local Governments in Michigan Spend Your Money guide to the public's checkbook. State Treasurer Andy Dillon says Lansing is about to experience "shock therapy."

Free tax preparation is available for qualified Michigan residents at sites around the state. You can call 2-1-1 (1-800-552-1183 if 2-1-1 is unavailable in your area) for help locating the free tax site nearest you.

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!

Last night's premiere of the new ABC drama Detroit 1-8-7 was just the latest sign of the success of the burgeoning film industry in the state of Michigan. Although parts of the pilot episode were filmed in Atlanta, future episodes will be shot entirely on location in the Detroit area. The gritty police drama — which stars Michael Imperioli and James McDaniel — joins the HBO comedy-drama Hung — which although not filmed entirely in the area, is set here — in using the Detroit metropolitan area as a backdrop for interesting storytelling. These two programs join a growing list of films that were shot in Michigan over the last couple of years — several of which have already been released.

This weekend's Thunder Over Michigan Air Show at Willow Run in Ypsilanti will feature displays of historical and significant aircraft of the U.S. Military. Re-enactments of WWII battles, an F-16C Fighting Falcon Demonstration and a Gathering of Fortressess Legends are also scheduled. For a full schedule and list of performers see the Yankee Air Museum website.

Photo courtesy of AP Images

Each year, the U.S. Small Business Administration recognizes the contributions of small businesses to the success of the economy. This week, National Small Business Week is May 23-29.

Michigan Week is celebrated this year from the 16th through the 22nd of this month. This annual tribute began in 1954 as a way to promote state pride among citizens, and to celebrate the state's rich heritage. The Library can help you learn more about Michigan's history, its tremendous natural resources, and its beautiful sights to visit and enjoy.

Michigan eLibrary (MeL) has a new addition to the growing collections on the Michigana database. Michigana: Sources in U.S. History Online features primary documents regarding many topics including Native Americans, railroads, and frontier life. It's another great source for Michigan and U.S. history!

In the past couple weeks, dozens (if not hundreds) of patrons have called or visited the library asking about the 2009 Michigan tax forms: Well, your wait is over!! Find supplies of all of the most common Michigan 2009 tax forms and instruction booklets (including MI-1040 and MI-1040CR-7, better known as the Home Heating Credit Claim) on the large work table inside our Copy Center. These are in addition to the 2009 Federal tax forms and instructions, which have been in stock for the past few weeks. For the less common tax forms, you'll find binders containing all reproducible 2009 Michigan and Federal tax forms (photocopy charges apply to these reproducibles) in the Copy Center, which also has a computer work station featuring direct links to Federal, Michigan, Other States' and City of Detroit tax form websites.

Looking for something new to read? Check out these recently released Mysteries:

The Crossing Places: A Ruth Galloway Mystery by Elly Griffiths

Smasher by Keith Raffel

Devil's Trill by Gerald Elias

In the Blood by Fay Sampson

Bad Things Happen by Harry Dolan

Following her successful memoir-in-essays, Stealing Buddha's Dinner, Bich Minh Nguyen's first novel, Short Girls, explores the relationship of two Vietnamese American sisters, Van and Linny. Straight-laced Van, an Immigrant lawyer, lives with her husband in Ann Arbor and college dropout Linny is a free-spirited cook in Chicago. The two estranged and strikingly different sisters return home when their inventor father announces his intentions to become an American citizen and forge a new relationship. Place a hold on it today.

The Seeking Michigan website is a wealth of information for genealogists and Michigan history buffs! There are over 1,000,000 death records from 1897-1920, WPA property inventories, governor histories and much, much more. Plus, it's easy and fun to use. If you are seeking a wonderful Michigan website, be sure to check out this one!

From October 26-30, you are invited to participate in a unique, virtual dialogue on "Stealing Buddha's Dinner" with individuals from other Michigan communities, high schools, colleges, and others. Questions emanating from Bich's tour visit Oct 13-17, as well as from her memoir, will be posed to stimulate dialogue on immigration stories, cultural understanding, and contemporary history.

Discussion will occur on the Great Michigan Read Facebook Discussion Board, beginning October 26. We look forward to the conversation and your participation!