Richard Griffiths (July 31, 1947-March 29, 2013) the versatile British actor who played Harry Potter's unsympathetic Uncle Vernon in the "Harry Potter" movies, has died. He was 65.  Griffiths was well-known to theater-goers as well as movie-goers. He played Uncle Monty in the popular British series, Withnail and I won a Tony Award for his portrayal of Douglas Hector, an English teacher in Alan Bennet's The History Boys
and DI Henry Crabbe in Pie in the Sky.

The Library of Congress has recently announced the selection of 25 new titles to be added to the National Recording Registry. Included in this year's selections are two historic broadcasts - George Hicks' 1944 radio reports during the D-Day invasion of Europe, and Dwight Eisenhower's prerecorded presidential message relayed from an Atlas satellite in 1958. This was the first audio "broadcast" from space. The registry was created with the passage of the National Recording Preservation Act of 2000 which charged the Library of Congress with preserving recordings that "are culturally, historically, or aesthetically important." Several of the most recent selections can be found in the Library's collection:

British rock guitarist Alvin Lee, founder of the band Ten Years After who burst to stardom with his memorable Woodstock performance of I'm Going Home, has died. He was 68.  Detroiters will remember his electrifying guitar solo at the Grande Ballroom in the late 60s. 

(Photo: AP Images)

The reality of our planet is we are an aging society. Soon over half the global population will be over the age of 50. This is unprecedented in human history. What will this mean to society? A new PBS documentary is in the works, Coming of Age in America. It will look at where we live, how we work, and what impact will this have on the world. Watch your local PBS station for broadcast times.

You have made your commitment to Canton Township's 100 Days to Health. Biggest Loser Contestant, Buddy Shuh shares the triumph of losing 163 pounds while overcoming the grief of losing his baby daughter. Buddy's spiritual journey is told in his book, The Story of Bella. Buddy will be speaking as well as selling and signing copies on Thursday, January 17th at 7:00 PM.

'Tis the season of good will, families, shopping and scam artists!  Sergeant Pat Sullivan of the Canton Public Safety Department, will share ways to avoid identity theft, especially during this busy holiday shopping season.  He will also discuss how to "Take Charge" if it does happen to you.
Join us for this important evening on Thursday, December 6th at 7:00 PM.

Portraits of Service is a moving, emotional book by local author Robert H. Miller.  It is also an award-winning record of the stories and faces of veterans of many different wars.  In 2012, it was awarded the Outstanding Book of the Year.  Miller is currently traveling the country and the world as his book is creating a stir worldwide.  Join us to celebrate our local veterans (some of whom are included in the book) on November 15 at 7:00 PM in the library's Community Room.  Bring your American pride and a hanky. 

According to the NOAA National Climatic Data Center's State of the Climate: National Overview June 2012 Report the last 12 months have been the warmest on record for the mainland United States. Although alarming, this does not come as a surprise to most people with the extremely high temperatures experienced over the last several weeks. But what is going on? To help you understand this crazy weather, you may want to check out CPL resources on climate change and in particular:

Waking the giant: how a changing climate triggers earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanoes by Bill McGuire

Actor Andrew Samuel 'Andy' Griffith (June 1, 1926-July 3, 2012) died today at his Dare County, North Carolina home. Most fans will remember him as television icon, Sheriff Andy Taylor in The Andy Griffith Show or lawyer Ben Matlock in Matlock. Before television, though, there were screen performances such as his chilling performance in A Face in the Crowd as malevolent drifter 'Lonesome' Rhodes, a country singer who rises to fame as a television performer/singer. In 1997, Griffith won a Grammy for Best Southern Country, Bluegrass and Gospel Album, and in 2007 was inducted into the Christian Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

Turner Classic Movies will feature Andy Griffith films throughout Wednesday, July 18.

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.