Fringe-ology: how I tried to explain away the unexplainable—and couldn't by Steve Volk

But will the planet notice?: how smart economics can save the world by Gernot Wagner

The unexpected patriot: how an ordinary American mother is bringing terrorists to justice by Shannen Rossmiller; with Sue Carswell

If you weren't able to attend the National Book Festival in Washington D.C. on September 24-25, videos of the event including authors' talks are now available. Historian and author David McCullough appeared at the 2011 National Book Festival, as did Sylvia Nasar, Cassandra Clare, Wally Amos, Sara Paretsky, and more.

A key goal of SEMCOG, the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments, is to improve decision making by providing leadership and consensus building on key plans and policies. One way the agency achieves this is through the public involvement process, which provides opportunities for interested parties to comment on SEMCOG’s regional plans, programs, and activities. The document that guides the public involvement process is SEMCOG’s Public Participation Plan.

The revised Draft Public Participation Plan has been released for the 45-day public comment period. Now through November 22, 2011, anyone interested may review and comment on the draft (see link below). Your comments will help ensure the ongoing opportunity for effective, broad-based participation in the development and review of regional plans and programs.

The League of Women Voters of NW Wayne County has posted non-partisan voter guides on their website for the November 8th school board election. Specifically, voters can find information about the candidates running for the Plymouth-Canton School Board. There is also a hard copy of this same guide at the Adult Reference Desk so that you may peruse our copy or make your own personal copy to take along with you!

The League of Women Voters of Northwest Wayne County has released their nonpartisan voters guide for the school board election on Tuesday November 8th. Contact the Canton Township Clerk for information regarding polling locations and absentee ballots.

Arc of Justice: a Saga of Race, Civil Rights, and Murder in the Jazz Age by Kevin Boyle is this year's Great Michigan Read 2011-2012. To kick off the Great Michigan Read, Mr. Boyle will tour six cities throughout Michigan in late October. At each site, Boyle will host a presentation, question-and-answer session, and book signing. All events are free and open to the public.

The Obama Administration has launched a new website called We the People where ordinary citizens can petition the White House to take up any issue of importance to them. Participants must be 13 years or older and have an account on Whitehouse.gov. Once a petition is submitted, the creator must work to gather support. If a petition meets the 5,000 signature threshold in 30 days or less, the issue will be reviewed by the White House.

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

Do you ever wonder where all of your tax dollars are being spent? Do you need to know what the country's national debt is — and who's holding it? Or do you just want to know what campaign donations are being received by your legislators — and from whom? The answers to all of these burning questions can be found by a few clicks of your browser. USASpending.gov is a searchable database of all federal contracts, including the amount of the award and who's receiving it. For complete up to the minute information on the national debt, the U.S. Treasury site has it all. And to follow your legislators' campaign funds there are several places to check.

September 22, 5:30-7:00 PM, A talk with author William M. Adler, Harlan Hatcher Graduate Library Gallery

The man who never died : the life, times, and legacy of Joe Hill, American labor icon by William M. Adler — Joe Hill was convicted of murder in Utah in 1914 and sentenced to death by firing squad. In the international controversy that ensued, many believed Hill was innocent but condemned for being a union man. Author William M. Adler spent four years investigating the case, and in a biography that reads like a murder mystery, argues convincingly for Hill’s innocence.

Theft is a problem endemic to human nature. But what if theft were a victimless crime? In the computer age, copying a file from a friend or from the web has become easy and widespread; and it is often criminal in nature. The following books give insight into whether this is a problem of enforcement, of intellectual property laws, or of both:

The pirate's dilemma : how youth culture is reinventing capitalism by Matt Mason

Downloading copyrighted stuff from the Internet : stealing or fair use? by Sherri Mabry Gordon

What do a fiery patriot, a queen, a bank robber, a scientist, and a composer have in common? They were all born in the month of September.

Samuel Adams: a life by Ira Stoll

Death and the Virgin Queen: Elizabeth I and the dark scandal that rocked the throne by Chris Skidmore

The love pirate and the bandit's son: murder, sin, and scandal in the shadow of Jesse James by Laura James

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 Canton Response to Hate Crime Coalition is committed to working to secure the right of every person in Canton to be free from hate crimes and bias-motivated incidents. What is a hate crime? Who are its victims? How do we prevent hate crimes? Come hear the answers and get ideas about how to guide your children in a tolerant, non-violent, non-bullying life. Bring your questions and concerns on Thursday, September 8 at 7:00 PM in the Community Room to Officer Dale Waltz of the Canton Public Safety Department and library director Eva Davis, Coalition co-chair. 

Generations United recently published a fact sheet explaining The Affordable Care Act (ACA) and it's impact on older adults and children: Health Care Benefits for Children & Older Adults: The Affordable Care Act.

Stalling for time [Large print]: my life as an FBI hostage negotiator by Gary Noesner

My father at 100 [Large print] by Ron Reagan

Love me if you dare [Large print] by Carly Phillips

Dead zero [Large print]: a Bob Lee Swagger novel by Stephen Hunter

Bootleggers, lobstermen & lumberjacks: fifty of the grittiest moments in the history of hardscrabble New England by Matthew P.

The State of Michigan is offering delinquent taxpayers the opportunity to pay past due state taxes and have penalty charges waived. Taxpayers who qualify would also avoid criminal prosecution by the Michigan Department of Treasury. To be eligible, all taxpayers must submit the complete amnesty application and full payment, including interest, by June 30, 2011. Visit mitaxamnesty.org for more information.

The Michigan Humanities Council is proud to feature Arc of Justice: A Saga of Race, Civil Rights and Murder in the Jazz Age as the 2011-12 Great Michigan Read. Written by Detroit native Kevin Boyle, Arc of Justice tells the story of African American Dr. Ossian Sweet and the chain of events that occurred after he purchased a home for his family in an all-white Detroit neighborhood in 1925.