The North American International Automobile Show, known as the Detroit Auto Show around here, opens to the public on Monday, January 19. The first Detroit Auto Show was held in 1907. What began as a local show is now international in scope.

The car: the evolution of the beautiful machine by Rod Green

Merrily we roll along [videodisc]: The early days of the automobile by NBC News Productions

Motorcars of the classic era by Michael Furman

Have a long car trip planned? Looking for some fun music to entertain the whole family? Here is a list of some great car tunes everyone will love.

Mater's car tunes [sound recording]: rock and rust with songs inspired by Disney-Pixar Cars!

Wee sing in the car [sound recording] by Pamela Conn Beall and Susan Hagen Nipp

Car tunes [sound recording] by Sugar Beats

What would you do with an extra $3000? Where is this money going to come from? By using SEMCOG's (Southeast Michigan Council of Governments) MiRideshare. Commuters can save up to $3000 per year by sharing a ride to work. If you register for the program during the month of February, you could also win a $100 Amazon gift card. Information on transportation options is available at SEMCOG's website. High gas prices are not as scary when you're sharing the cost.

Automobiles lost & found: extraordinary stories of long- lost cars rediscovered by Michael Ware

Benjamin Franklin's numbers: an unsung mathematical odyssey by Paul C. Pasles

Myths and mysteries of Michigan: true stories of the unsolved and unexplained by Sally Barber

Recently the Michigan Secretary of State announced expanded online services. ExpressSos.com allows residents to renew or replace standard state driver's licenses and ID cards, change their address when they move order multiple copies of vehicle registrations and titles.

What kind of dog do you wish you had? How fast does a Corvette really go? What does the inside of the human body look like? If you have ever asked yourselves these questions and more, then you should definitely visit the J600-699 collection in the Children's Section. This is the nonfiction collection that is chock full of cats, cars, pets, cooking, gardening, health, body parts, and so much more. See you in the stacks!

As the Canton Public Library continues to deal with a declining budget, patrons are reminded the "magazine express" program has been discontinued.

Ford Motor Company TechShop, a membership based workshop that provides members affordable access to industrial tools & equipment, have announced a collaborative effort in the city of Detroit called TechShop Detroit. The Detroit studio will feature over $1 million in high-tech equipment and include everything from top-quality prototyping tools and industrial-grade sewing and textile equipment to laser cutting, welding and machine shop-type gear. As part of the arrangment Ford will incorporate a first-of-its-kind "Innovation Exchange" with the nonprofit organization AutoHarvest.

It's summertime, and it's traveling time. There is no other highway in the world that has captured the hearts and minds of travelers than Route 66, the 2,448 miles of highway linking Chicago to Los Angeles. My daughter recently took on this challenge and drove on stretches of this road. Parts of the road have long fallen into disrepair, but some roadside establishments that made it famous still exist. Whether you want to embark on a cross country trip or take on a sentimental journey, we have videos and books just right for you. Check out the many library materials on this famous route!

Each year, the Library of Michigan, compiles a list of "exceptional" books that showcase Michigan topics and authors. This year, two titles highlighting the triumphs and tragedies of Detroit's automobile industry have made the list.

Chrysler's turbine car: the rise and fall of Detroit's coolest creation by Steve Lehto — gives a detailed account of Chrysler's foray into the world of cars powered by jet engines.

The recent April 2011 issue of Consumer Reports reminds us of the many distracted driving scenarios many of us encounter in our daily travels. See the article on Consumer Reports website for a review of recent polling on the subject and further comments from various segments of our society.

Did you know that March is National Collison Awareness Month? Driving safely is living safely. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration promotes the use of seatbelts, child safety seats, and safe driving. It also reminds drivers to obey speed limits and heed safety tips to save lives, prevent injuries, and reduce vehicle-related crashes.
Photo courtesy of eLibrary.

Experience the next generation of cars at the 2011 North American International Auto Show where the automotive world and the public come together. See more than 500 vehicles of innovative designs and latest technology. Don't miss this exciting event taking place at the Cobo Center starting on Saturday, January 15!

Photo courtesy of NAIAS

AARP’s “We Need to Talk” online seminar sponsored by The Hartford provides practical tips and advice on how to recognize when it’s time to limit or stop driving and how to discuss the topic with loved ones. AARP recommends you complete the three modules in sequence. Each takes approximately 30 minutes to complete and you will learn what value driving has to older adults, how to objectively assess driving skills, and how to discuss limiting and/or stopping to drive.

Starting October 1, 2010 Museum Adventure Pass kicks off with nine new participants. Added to the program are:

• Michigan Youth Theater
• Holocaust Memorial Center
• The Art Experience
• Detroit Children's Museum
• Huron Lightship
• Carnegie Center, Port Huron Main Museum
• Thomas Edison Depot Museum
• US Coast Guard Cutter Bramble
• Monroe County Historical Museum

The following organizations will no longer be participating:

• Cranbrook House and Gardens
• Ford Rouge Factory Tour
• Henry Ford Estate, Fairlane
• Paint Creek Center for the Arts

I don't even follow stock car racing, and I am tearing through this entertaining history of NASCAR. The focus is on the first fully televised Daytona 500 in 1979, but other fascinating characters and times are highlighted along the way. Sometimes a subtitle says it all. Since this title has everything but the kitchen sink thrown in, I'll let it speak for itself: He crashed me so I crashed him back: the true story of the year the King, Jaws, Earnhardt, and the rest of NASCAR's feudin', fightin', good ol' boys put stock car racing on the map

Date: Saturday, January 16 - Sunday, January 24, 2010
Location: Cobo Center
The NAIAS is one of the premier international auto shows in the world and the public show is where you get to see it all. This year the show features more than 700 vehicles, representing the most innovative designs in the world, with over 30 of those being worldwide introductions. Don't miss it for the world.

Date: September 12-13, 2009
America's longest running antique car show fills the grounds of Greenfield Village with the sights, sounds, and smells of hundreds of authentic vehicles from the 1890s through 1932. Enjoy a self-guided tour, attend a presentation, talk to proud car owners, or just sit back and watch the parade of cars go by. Old Car Festival is free to members and free with Greenfield Village admission.

The Automotive Hall of Fame building, in Dearborn, Michigan, was opened on August 15, 1997. Over 200 individuals have been inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame, the highest place of honor in the international motor vehicle history.

Fordlandia : the rise and fall of Henry Ford's forgotten jungle city by Greg Grandin documents Henry Ford's 1927 purchase of a Connecticut-sized plot of land in Brazil for the purpose of growing rubber. The South American leaf blight and the advent of synthetic rubbers forced the company to abandon Fordlandia in 1945, long after Ford had poured millions of dollars and years of strenuous effort into the project. Grandin argues that this was more than an economic venture. It was a missionary application of Ford-style capitalism--high wages, humane benefits, moral improvement to a backward land.