The Canton Public Library is looking for 20 families to become leaders in a local environmental stewardship effort by participating in Action for Earth, a partnership project between the library, the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum and Project S.N.A.P. (Share, Nurture, Act Preserve).

The families selected will participate in two workshops held at the Canton Public Library and led by the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum, one Project S.N.A.P. session creating art with a message for a community mural, and one community-wide environmental event. Families should be Canton residents, have children in K-8 classes and be willing to commit their time and energy to the Action for Earth project.

For details or to apply for the program, call the Canton Public Library at 734-397-0999 or read more on the CPL blog.

To see entire press release, download the attachment.

The March/April 2010 issue of Connections is available online now as a pdf document. Expect home delivery after February 19. Click on the attachment link to view. You may subscribe to an RSS feed of library communications by pasting http://www.cantonpl.org/forpress/rss.xml in your feed reader.

The Canton Public Library has hit an all-time high in circulation, reaching our 2 millionth checkout of the year. That's an average of 23 items checked out per Canton resident. These economic times have spurred a 12% increase in library usage over last year, in which we also saw increased use. Our DVDs, books, CDs and video games continue to be popular items, we see many people using our computers or our Wi-fi to connect to the Internet and taking advantage of our databases and other electronic resources.

Our thanks to the Canton community for helping us reach this milestone. We look forward to serving you in 2010.

The January/February 2010 issue of Connections is available online now as a pdf document. Expect home delivery after December 19. Click on the attachment link to view. You may subscribe to an RSS feed of library communications by pasting http://www.cantonpl.org/forpress/rss.xml in your feed reader.

The Canton Public Library has again been identified as one of America's top-rated libraries by Library Journal. For the second straight year, the library received a three-star rating, one of only two libraries in Michigan to get a rating. The rating is based on data for per capita circulation transactions, visits to the library, computer sessions and program attendance.

For more information or to read the entire press release, click on the attachment.

November 18 is Diaper Day at the library as we partner with the Canton-based Detroit Area Diaper Bank in their 30,000 by Thanksgiving Diaper Drive. You can participate by dropping off your donation of diapers at the library on November 18. The Diaper Bank needs diapers and pull-ups in any brand or size, baby through adult. Open packages are acceptable.

The Detroit Area Diaper Bank is a nonprofit charitable organization serving SE Michigan. They work to meet the need for diapers at partner agencies working with people in crisis. The cost of diapers is not covered by WIC, food stamps and, in most circumstances, Medicare, and many in our community are in need. Please bring your diaper donation to the Reception Desk on November 18, and thank you for helping to support our community.

Judith Barr, Associate Director of First Step, will present a program on domestic violence on October 29, 2:00-3:00PM at the Canton Public Library. First Step is a local resource offering free services to individuals affected by domestic violence and sexual assault. October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and First Step believes that prevention and awareness are key components to ending violence in our communities.

This program will be held in the library’s Purple Room. It is free, no registration is required. For more information, visit First Step.

The November/December issue of Connections is available online now as a pdf document. Expect home delivery after October 22. Click on the attachment link to view. You may subscribe to an RSS feed of library communications by pasting http://www.cantonpl.org/forpress/rss.xml in your feed reader.

The many health benefits of the vegan diet will be the subject of a program held October 20 at 7 p.m. at the library. Gaia Kile, a Family Nurse Practitioner working with natural and holistic approaches to health and disease, is the featured speaker. His talk will address the science behind some of the benefits and key factors for success through vegan nutrition. To register for this free program, visit www.cantonpl.org or call 734-397-0999.

Kim Schulz was sworn in as a Canton Public Library trustee at the August 20 library board meeting. She was appointed from a pool of seven candidates to fill the position vacated by longtime trustee Jim Gillig, who retired in May.

The September/October issue of Connections is available online now as a pdf document. Expect home delivery after August 22. Click on the attachment link to view. You may subscribe to an RSS feed of library communications by pasting /forpress/rss.xml in your feed reader.

The Canton Public Library is the recipient of a $3,000 Target store Early Childhood Reading Grant. Money from the grant, combined with funds from the Friends of the Canton Public Library, will be used to sponsor Family Reading Nights at the Canton Public Library.

Librarian Anne Cnockaert applied for the grant on behalf of the library and helped to create the Family Reading Night program, which will start in October and run through June, 2010.

"This program encourages the whole family to become involved in reading," says Cnockaert. "There will be a themed storytime, then families can complete a craft and have a snack related to the story. The family will receive a free book that they can read together and take home to keep."

What better way to learn to download ebooks from CPL's vast digital collection! Hop on the 18-wheeler of a bookmobile to get acquainted with the latest process and gadgetry! Come today, July 29, Wednesday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. You'll be in for a new experience, and also have a chance to win an iPod Nano!

What has premium sound, 74 feet of high-tech interactive gadgetry and can really motor? The Digital Bookmobile and it’s cruising toward Canton for a July 29 visit to the Canton Public Library.

On June 11, the Today Show ran ran a segment on the important role libraries play during the recession.

Spiff up that resume and learn sure-fire interview techniques at three workshops to help job seekers offered at the Canton Public Library.

Christina Stark, a human resources specialist, will help attendees prepare for the job market with the following programs.

Resume Development, July 16, 10:00AM-Noon. An excellent resume is a marketing document that is well written, attractive, interesting, appropriately formatted, has a professional quality, and contains no inaccurate or misleading information. Guidelines and worksheets will be provided to help you develop that marketing document. Current issues for job seekers, cover letters, and the Internet will be discussed.

Interview Strategies, July 29, 10 a.m.–noon. Getting that interview is the culmination of your job search efforts. Interviews not only include that face-to-face time with your potential employer but could include personality, knowledge, and behavioral assessments. This workshop will cover information about the types of interviews, the importance of preparation, and questions you can expect (and you should ask).

Speed Interview Practice Session, August 13, 7-9 p.m. Get real life practice answering interview questions in this round-robin style format. As a prerequisite, you must attend the Resume Development and/or Interview Strategies class.

Online registration with a valid library card is required for all programs. You may register two weeks in advance of program date at our Program Calendar. Community volunteers are needed to act as interviewers for the Speed Interview Practice Session. Call 734-397-0999 to sign up.

The Canton Public Library connects your community.

That's the mission statement that arose from the focus groups, comment cards and conversations that we had with our community and staff over the last six months. Whether you are a community of storytime parents, a community of anime fans, a community of gamers or a community of readers, the Canton Public Library is a connection place for you. The library connects you to the resources, people and places that you defined as your community.

To support our mission, we pledge to adhere to four core values:

• Relevance: We will adapt and grow as our community's needs change, providing flexible, customizable and evolving collections and services
• Access: We support the pursuit of individul and community goals by ensuring the open exchange of diverse materials and ideas
• Integrity: We are respectful of all people at all times and serve our community with excellence
• Leadership: We will lead with enthusiasm and respond to challenges with creativity and professionalism

Details of our 2009-2011 Strategic Plan can be found from a link on the About Us page. We will post news of our actions and progress. This is a living document, and we look forward to receiving your feedback.

The Canton Public Library 2008 Annual Report is available online or at the library.

The Summer Reading issue of Connections is available online. Just click the attachment link to download. Canton residents can expect home mail delivery around June 10. To get the online edition delivered to you electronically, just sign up for our RSS feed by clicking on the RSS link below.

Need information about local options for college? The Canton Public Library is hosting a College Night Open House on June 1, from 7-8:30 p.m. Come by and get information from 17 local colleges, including community colleges and schools with online and alternative education programs. Learn about financial aid, admissions, degree programs and transfer credits. It’s not too late to make plans for the fall semester!