Emergency evacuation drills have been scheduled at the library this week. All patrons will be required to participate in these drills, so be prepared to quickly collect your valuables and exit the building. Safety drills are necessary to keep our staff familiar with proper procedure in the event of real emergencies. Thanks in advance for your cooperation and patience.

Leo Dillon, award-winning illustrator, has passed away at the age of 79. Working in collaboration with his wife Diane, Dillon illustrated numerous picture books for children, including the Caldecott Medal winners Why Mosquitoes Buzz In People's Ears and Ashanti To Zulu: African Traditions. The Dillons also created illustrations for the Madeleine L'Engle novels A Wrinkle In Time and A Swiftly Tilting Planet.

Leo and Diane Dillon were also famous for their cover artwork for adult science fiction novels, winning the Hugo Award in 1971 for Best Professional Artist.

Maurice Sendak, children's book author and illustrator, has passed away at the age of 83. Best known for his Caldecott Medal-winning book Where The Wild Things Are, which was also adapted into a major motion picture in 2009, Sendak wrote and illustrated many other well-known books in his 60-year career, including Outside Over There and In The Night Kitchen.

Adam Yauch, also known as MCA, died at the age of 47 after a long battle with cancer. He was one of the founding members of the hip-hop trio Beastie Boys and had been undergoing treatment since his diagnosis in 2009. In April the Beastie Boys were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but sadly Yauch’s illness prevented him from attending the ceremony. His treatment also delayed the release of the group’s latest album Hot Sauce Committee Pt. 2. As a practicing Buddhist he became heavily involved in the free Tibet movement. He is survived by his parents, wife and daughter.
[Photo courtesy of AP Images]

May is Older Americans Month and this year's theme is Never Too Old to Play. Canton Public Library offers several opportunities to play in May. On Thursday, May 3 view the new documentary Honor Flight Michigan. Travel with a group of Michigan's World War II veterans to Washington, DC, visit the National World War II Memorial, Arlington Cemetery, and catch up with old war buddies. The Canton Seniors Book Group meets on Wednesday, May 23 to discuss the 2012 Everyone's Reading selection, Lethal by Sandra Brown and on Thursday, May 24 sing along with former New Christy Minstrels member, Jackie Davidson and her partner, Gary Brandt as they sing the good old songs again.

American icon Dick Clark died Wednesday from a massive heart attack.  Nicknamed "America's oldest teenager", Clark was best known for hosting American Bandstand. His successful production company was responsible for many other famous television shows like $25,000 Pyramid and TV's Bloopers & Practical Jokes. Dick Clark was the most famous host of the annual New Year's Rockin Eve program with millions tuning in each December 31st to watch him ring in the new year.

CBS anchor and legendary 60 Minutes icon Mike Wallace died at the age of 93 surrounded by family in Connecticut. Wallace was known as a merciless interviewer who took on politicians, celebrities and other public figures in a 60-year career highlighted by the on-air confrontations that helped make 60 Minutes the most successful prime-time television news program ever.

Between you and me: a memoir by Mike Wallace with Gary Paul Gates

On Friday, August 19th, 2011, while vacationing in Martha's Vineyard President Obama and his daughters made an impromptu stop at the island bookstore. Of the books purchased by the president were two new books: The Bayou Trilogy by Daniel Woodrell and:

Rodin's debutante: a novel by Ward Just

The President also brought along three other books with him:

Jan and her husband Stan, who passed in 2005, authored well-loved children's books for over 50 years. Over 300 books have been published in 23 languages. This charming bear family touched the hearts of kids and parents, while at the same time addressing difficult issues that everyone faces in the process of growing up. Although Jan and Stan have passed, the Berenstain Bears family they created will live on.

Author J.K. Rowling of Harry Potter fame just penned a deal with Little, Brown publishing house to pen her first adult novel. The title, release date and details about the novel were not released. Rowling is quoted as saying, "Although I've enjoyed writing it every bit as much, my next book will be very different to the Harry Potter series." We'll all be on pins and needles until we get our hands on Rowling's newest book.

Veteran Irish actor David Kelly has passed away at the age of 82. Kelly was a familiar face in British television, as well as on the Irish stage. American audiences would most likely recognize him as Grandpa Joe in Tim Burton's adaptation of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, or from his role in the Irish comedy Waking Ned Devine. For more films featuring David Kelly try one of these from the library's collection:

Greenfingers [videodisc]

Into the West [videodisc]

Veteran stage and film actor Ben Gazzara died over the weekend. He was 81. Best known for his role in the classic film Anatomy of a Murder with James Stewart, he appeared in several notable films throughout his long career, including Husbands and The killing of a Chinese bookie with director John Cassavetes. He is also remembered for his starring role in the 1960s television series Run for Your Life in which he played a lawyer with a terminal illness determined to make the most of his remaining time.

Sunday Giffords announced that she would resign from the U.S. House to focus on her recovery from the attempted assassination on her a year ago. In Gabby: a story of courage and hope, a book that she and husband Mark Kelly coauthored with Jeffrey Zaslow they relate their moving account of a family surviving tragedy and the logistics of living through a medical nightmare.

Nominations for the 84th annual Academy Awards were announced January 24. Several of the nominated films and performances are already available in the Library's collection. Among the nominees for Best Picture ready to check out are:

The Help [videodisc]

Midnight in Paris [videodisc]

Moneyball [videodisc]

The tree of life [videodisc]

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal.

These wise words were spoken by Martin Luther King, Jr. in his famous I have a dream speech on August 28, 1963. There are many ways to celebrate this remarkable, loving man and his dream. Visit the Cherry Hill Village Theater on January 16 at 5:30 PM for a presentation entitled Martin Luther King, Jr., Building Bridges.

At the Canton Public Library, we celebrate during Black History Month with a performance by the Canton Christian Fellowship Praise Choir on Thursday, February 2 and a visit from local author Carol Mull on Thursday, February 9 when she will discuss her new book, The Underground Railroad in Michigan.

The first winner of the Printz Award in 2000 and author of amazing novels before and since, Walter Dean Myers, has been named the next national ambassador for young children's literature.

Simms Taback, award-winning author and illustrator of the picture books Joseph Had A Little Overcoat and There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly, passed away December 25, 2011. Check out Simms Taback's official website for a complete listing of his works. Also find a list of Taback's titles owned by the library.

The University of Michigan is in the midst of negotiations with publishers and will begin an e-textbook pilot program for introductory courses in the fall. Great news to the students! For CPL folks, we have increased greatly our eBook collections for all age groups. Log in with your CPL card number before searching to access the entire collection.

The Mousetrap, & Other Plays by Agatha Christie — begins it's 60th consecutive year in performance in London's theaters. That's 24,587 performances to date. Written for the radio, the play debuted on November 25, 1952 at the Ambassador Theater starring Richard Attenborough as Detective-Sargent. In 1974 the play transferred to the Martin Beck Theater in London and has been playing there since. Theater goers are asked at every performance not to reveal the play's ending. Beginning in September 25, 2012, The Mousetrap will go on tour. Additional 'murderous' events are planned in celebration.

Anne Inez McCaffrey (1 April 1926-21 November 2011) award-winning author of the "Dragonriders of Pern" series, has died of a stroke at her Ireland home. She was 85 years old. Ms. McCaffrey, the first woman to receive a Hugo Award for fiction and the Nebula Award, was named 22nd Grand Master of the Science Fiction Writers of America in 2005 and inducted into the Science Fiction Hall of Fame in 2006. She was the first science fiction writer to make the New York Times Bestsellers List.