This year's selection for the Great Michigan Read is the memoir Stealing Buddha's Dinner by Bich Minh Nguyen. Sponsored by the Michigan Humanities Council, this is the second year for the statewide program which inspired more than 500 programs and events in 2008. Stealing Buddha's Dinner chronicles the author's migration from Vietnam to the United States in 1975 and her life growing up in Grand Rapids in the 1980s. Nguyen will embark on a five-city author tour on October 13-17, with stops scheduled for Lansing, Grand Rapids, Midland, Traverse City and Plymouth. She will speak at the Penn Theatre on Saturday, October 17.

Yesterday, the Michigan legislature's budget conference committee proposed another 40% cut to funding for joint library services, from $10 million to $6 million. A minimum funding level of $10 million is required to receive federal matching grant dollars of $5 million. These federal matching funds for MeLCat interlibrary loan and 25 MeL databases are at stake; due to the local economy and cuts to local funding associated with the recession, the Canton Public Library does not have the revenue to pay for interlibrary loan or online genealogical, historical, or reference products if the state legislature does not act to maintain statewide library services — Canton residents would lose access to these resources.

As you know from media reports, a tragic shooting occurred today outside of the library. We are thankful and relieved that library staff and patrons were not injured, and our hearts go out to the families of the two people who were involved. While the library is closed for the remainder of the day today, we will be open our regular hours on Wednesday. We thank all of you who have expressed concern about our well-being; it is a comfort to us all to have our community’s support. We also thank the Canton Township Public Safety Department for their quick and professional response to this emergency, and ask that any inquiries about their investigation be directed to them.

Phone or in-person registration is now open for the Investing 101 program with radio and print personality, Rick Bloom. Mr. Bloom will discuss the basics of developing a retirement portfolio in these difficult financial times. With years of expertise and experience, Mr. Bloom will surely get us all on the right track to a comfortable retirement.
Call 734.397.0999 to register for Thursday, September 24 at 7:00 pm in the Canton Public Library community room.

Metro Detroit Book and Author Society will present their 75th luncheon on Monday, October 19th at the Burton Manor in Livonia. Our guest authors include Nicholson Baker, The Anthologist; Rita Mae Brown, Animal Magnetism; Bruce Feiler, America's Prophet; David Alan Grier, Barack Like Me; and Jacquelyn Mitchard, No Time to Wave Goodbye.
Tickets are $30. each and are available by mail order only at Book & Author Luncheon, P.O. Box 82013, Rochester Hills, MI 48308. If you wish to sit together, please send your checks together made out to MDB&A Society.

According to an article in the Detroit Free Press, Hollywood is coming to the aid of the McGregor Library in Highland Park, Michigan. The library was forced to close in 2002 because the city couldn't afford to keep it open. Actor Danny Glover will reportedly star in a film - titled Highland Park - which will tell the story of the struggle to reopen the library. Significant restoration will be done on the building as part of the film project, and it is hoped that this will eventually lead to the library reopening.

Many parents use web monitoring software to keep track of what their children do online - it's the next best thing to being there, right? Maybe not. The Associated Press reports that several major brands of this type of software offer kids' chat message logs to businesses hoping to tailor their marketing messages to children. There are some software companies that do not sell information to other businesses - you may want to check to see what practices your web monitoring software engages in. CPL also has lots of resources for parents and kids on Internet safety.

With the increasingly digital nature of our culture, will writing become a lost art? No!
A recent study showed that the time young people spend on Facebook, texting, and other digital (text-based) interactions actually improves their writing. They are, on the whole, better able to write effectively to specific audiences and have far more experience writing than previous generations.

photo by Zawezome used under Creative Commons license

Staying in Canton during Labor Day weekend? Enjoy a walk along the Lower Rouge River Recreation Trail. The walk is Monday, September 7^th from 5-7pm and Trail Bingo will be provided by the Canton Leisure Services Staff. Having just recently taken a bike ride on the trail, I can tell you first hand that it is a beautiful piece of Canton that everyone should go out and enjoy.

The Michigan Helping Hand site helps Michigan citizens facing economic hardship find the services they need. You can find information about jobs and training, unemployment benefits, health care, family support and housing. CPL has also put together (along with other members of the Metro Net Library Consortium) a checklist to help those that are facing unemployment and feeling overwhelmed by the recession. Tough Times - Library Lifelines is a list of resources to help you: file for unemployment, find affordable health insurance, find a new job, keep your home, maintain and repair your credit plus find additional assistance.

If you're happy and you know it...write a letter. Seriously.

The library is applying for the Library of Michigan Foundation's State Librarian's Excellence Award, which is given annually to a library that exemplifies excellence in customer service. The recipient will receive a trophy and prize sponsored by the Roger & June Mendel Fund.

We need your help to win this prestigious honor. If we've done something you think merits praise - a program, a collection, our general staff demeanor and library culture - please address a letter to the State Librarian's Excellence Award Committee, telling them why you think the Canton Public Library gives great service, and send it to Kathie Gladden c/o Canton Public Library - 1200 S. Canton Center Road - Canton, MI 48188.

The deadline for us to receive recommendation letters is Tuesday, September 8.

Reading Rainbow has been a staple on many PBS stations for decades, but as of today, that contract expires and it will no longer be aired.
But don't fret! You can still check out DVDs of past Reading Rainbow episodes here at CPL.

On September 10, library supporters will rally at the State Capitol in Lansing to encourage legislators to save the Library of Michigan and the important shared statewide resources, such as MeL databases and MeLCat interlibrary loan, that Canton Public Library users value. The rally will start at 9:30AM and supporters are asked to wear red shirts to show their support for statewide joint services.

The Governor's Executive Order dismantles the Department of History, Arts & Libraries and places the services of the Library of Michigan — both physical and online collections — in jeopardy. State funding and federal matching funds for MeLCat interlibrary loan and 25 MeL databases are at stake; due to the local economy and cuts to local funding associated with the recession, the Canton Public Library does not have the funds to pay for interlibrary loan or online genealogical, historical, or reference products if the state legislature does not act to maintain statewide library services — Canton residents would lose access to these resources.

Senator Edward M. Kennedy passed away early this morning after a long battle with cancer. He was 77. Kennedy, nicknamed "Ted," and known as the "Lion of the Senate" was first elected to represent Massachusetts in 1962. He is one of only six senators in U.S. history to serve more than 40 years. Throughout this time he played major roles in the passage of such landmark legislation as the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the 1993 Family and Medical Leave Act. He has also been one of the Senate's foremost champions of health care reform. Speaking to reporters after hearing the news of Kennedy's death, President Obama called him "not only one of the greatest senators of our time, but one of the most accomplished Americans ever to serve our democracy."

As the month of August dwindles and fall approaches the Sept/09 edition of U.S. News & World Report arrives at the CPL. Exclusive rankings plus "Smart Ways To Pay For Your Education" are included for you reading. U.S. News is available for patron use at the Adult magazine shelf and Adult Reference desk. Additional copies are also available for immediate check out at the "magazine express" spinners.

It is the height of summer and everyone is in the middle of travelling. Since the recent outbreak of swine flu, travelers are becoming increasingly worried about their safety abroad. Before you travel it is essential to know any possible health risks you may or may not be exposed to at your destination. "The Center for disease Control and Prevention" is a site managed by the U.S. Department of Health Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that offers advice and tips for travelers. They have a database of countries that will tell you valuable health information. Before you see your doctor, first go to the CDC Travel website and read their updated page on the country you plan to visit. This is the same website the doctors use, to see which vaccines are needed, as well as Malaria and other issues.

This is the month for all your great ideas for a "better mousetrap" to be considered once again! Started in 1998 by the United Inventors Association of the USA, the Academy Of Applied Science and Inventors' Digest Magazine, August has been designated as National Inventors Month, celebrating invention and creativity.

Confused about the debate over health care reform? President Obama has unveiled a new "Reality Check" site to help you get the facts on this very important issue. The site has fact sheets, videos, and links to related sites such as Health Reform.gov. It also allows users to receive updates via Twitter and Facebook.

The Governor's Executive Order No. 2009-36 abolishes the Department of History, Arts, and Libraries as of October 1, 2009, and public libraries across the state of Michigan are concerned about how this will impact our services to you. These statewide cuts are in addition to the local cuts being made due to the recession, and are a double hit for Canton. The Michigan Library Association has issued a press release outlining the concerns public libraries throughout Michigan have with the Governor's plan as well as a position paper outlining the chilling effect the dissolution will have on statewide resource sharing, including interlibrary loan and research materials. A fact sheet is available that explains how these joint services are funded through state appropriations and federal matching funds. The Executive Order takes effect October 1, 2009, unless the legislature acts to create an alternative plan. Our hope is that our elected representatives in Michigan will recognize the importance of statewide library services and resource sharing that public libraries provide, and how we help our communities with job seeking, information gathering, computer access, and cultural activities.

Vice President Joe Biden, along with Governor Granholm and other local officials, will be in Detroit on Wednesday to make remarks on the economy. Some public tickets to this event will be available on a first-come, first-served basis, on request Tuesday at the event venue, the NextEnergy building.
For more information about the event, see the White House Press Release.