The Black Swan [videodisc] by Twentieth Century Fox

Central Station [videodisc] by Sony Pictures Classics ; an Arthur Cohn production ; a film by Walter Salles

The emerald forest [videodisc] by Embassy Films

Fitzcarraldo [videodisc] by Werner Herzog Filmproduktion

Looking for some places to visit and recreational activities that will excite the kids? What better way to spend a summer day, weekend or longer--or even a short vacation in the spring or fall--than to have that getaway in Michigan! This Special Collection will help you discover a variety of opportunities for a Michigan-style good time.

Books

The Complete Guide to Michigan Sand Dunes by Jim DuFresne: With its comprehensive explanation of dune formation and variety, the book also includes information about activities at the dunes, including hiking, skiing, picnic and swimming areas.

Hey kids!
Thorndyke here! Hope you are having a fantastic summer! I sure am with all of you coming in to say hello! In fact, a whopping 3,286 of you have signed up for summer reading. Good job!
Well, last time I wrote I gave you a hint as to where LB was headed next. Did you guess? Have you been waiting with bated breath? Well, it's time to reveal the answer. LB went to Canada! Wow! He sure gets lots of stamps in his passport!
He started out in Niagara Falls. This town is famous for it's really big waterfalls! Did you know that there is an American falls and a Canadian one there? You can even ride in a boat right up to the falls, but LB didn't do that, because the humidity does a number on his fur. He'd look like a big brown puffball. A long time ago, daredevils used to try to ride down the waterfalls in barrels. Today, the waterfalls are used to generate electricity. Pretty cool! There are other fun things to do in Niagara Falls too, like the Skylon Tower and the Butterfly House.
Next, LB went to Toronto, Ontario, where there is another really cool tall tower! The CN Tower is 1,815 ft, 5 inches tall, making it the tallest tower in the world! Woah! That's way taller than me. At the top there are glass floors that you can stand on, and then it looks like you are floating way up in the sky. LB is really brave. He took a nap up there on that floor! Next door to the CN Tower is the Rogers Centre. That's where the Toronto Blue Jays play baseball. The Blue Jays weren't there that day, but LB still got a tour. And then he ended the day at the harbour where there are some really tall boats! Everything is big in Canada it seems!
LB sure had fun! Remember, you can always see all of LB's pictures on the library Flickr account (and maybe you'll even see pictures of YOU!). LB's off on another adventure next week. Do you want your hint? He's got quite an itinerary, but one of the cities he's visiting is the home of another famous baseball team and the home of some pretty important people in our country's history. Good luck guessing! Until next time...
Bear Hugs!
Thorndyke

Hey Kids!
Thorndyke here! I am so enjoying seeing all of you here at the library! I hope you are having a great summer! As promised, here's the latest update of what LB has been up to. This time he went some where local, the Toledo Zoo! And he got to see some REAL bears! Did you know that the Toledo Zoo has a new polar bear cub? In fact, he's the only polar bear cub in the whole US! And there's a whole website about him! Isn't it cool to have something so neat so close to home? Makes me want to check out some books about polar bear books! Sometimes the librarians say that they work in a zoo, but they're just joking... I think.
LB's been here at the library for a week or so, but he's gearing up to go on another big adventure soon! The people here at the library sure love taking him on their trips! He's a pretty popular bear! I'll give you a hint to where he's headed next. It's not in the USA, but you can get there by car! Where do you think he's going? Tell me your guesses!

Bear Hugs!
Thorndyke

Hey Kids!
As promised, here's an update on where LB has been! Did you make a guess about where he was headed? He just got back from Williamsburg Virginia! Were you right? LB came back with this really great letter about where he'd been, which he said I could share with you...

Wow! It's only mid June and I've already become a well-traveled bear! I had a great time up north with Ms. Ophelia and after a short stop back at CPL, I was on my way south on a road trip with Ms. Jeanine and her daughter. We left June 10th and drove all the way to Williamsburg, VA, in one day (about 12 hours driving)! We stayed at the Patrick Henry Inn, just a short walk from Colonial Williamsburg. (Patrick Henry was the patriot famous for saying, "Give me liberty or give me death!") The next morning, we visited the Yankee Candle "flagship" location in Williamsburg. They have a really cool room that looks like a starry sky at night, and every 15 minutes it "snows" right in the room! I made myself right at home in the shop full of stuffed animals. Needless to say, there are a lot more than candles at the Yankee Candle complex!

In the afternoon, we stepped back in time and walked through Colonial Williamsburg. It looks a lot like it did back in the late 1700s, around the time of the Revolutionary War. At the town hall, Ms. Jeannine put me in the stocks (where they used to punish convicted criminals), but it was just for fun, because I'm a really good bear! We also visited the campus of William and Mary College, the second oldest college in the country and the place where Thomas Jefferson earned his law degree. We later had dinner at Christiana Campbell's Tavern, where George Washington himself often dined! Then at night, we took a "Ghosts of Williamsburg" candlelight tour — kinda scary, but I'm a really brave little bear! No ghosts were spotted that night...whew!

Saturday morning, we were back on the road, this time to Kill Devil Hills, NC, which was the location where Orville and Wilbur Wright made their first successful airplane flight and literally "flew" into the history books! They picked Devil Hills because it's a flat, sandy and very windy island on the Atlantic Ocean coastline. It's a great place to fly kites, too! I got a taste of salty air and ocean breezes on the beach and wanted to stay all day, but unfortunately, they don't make sunscreen for bears. :-( . Ms. Jeanine's daughter gets to spend all summer in Kill Devil Hills (she has a summer job there), but Ms. Jeanine had to get back to Michigan and CPL, so we flew Monday evening from Norfolk, VA, to Detroit. Hmmmm, maybe I should sign up for frequent flyer miles so I can get a free airplane trip later in the year!

love,
LB

Wow! What a fun adventure! Thanks Ms. Jeanine for taking LB with you! Now I've got a whole bunch of new places to read about. Remember, you can see all the pictures from LB's adventure on the library's flickr account. LB left on another fun adventure almost as soon as he got home. This time it was somewhere more local. I'll give you a hint, there's lots of animals and it starts with the letter Z! Can you guess?

Until next time!
Bear Hugs!
Thorndyke

Hey Kids!
Well, LB just got back from another fabulous adventure! And now, you can see all the fun he's having on the library's Flickr account! Thanks Miss Laurie for showing me how that program works! I'm getting to be quite a tech-savvy bear.
LB just got back from Grand Traverse Resort and Spa in Traverse City! It sounds like such a neat hotel — there's a pool, and the Aerie Restaurant that has a revolving floor so you can see all the pretty scenery!
LB also got to see the Bay (too cold to go swimming) and climb the Sleeping Bear Dunes! Have you read the legend about those dunes? We have it here at CPL. You should check it out. But bring kleenex. It always makes me cry. I'm such a softie.
And then he "checked out" the Petoskey District Library. (Get it? Checked out? Just a little library humor.) That library's been around a long time! The original building was built way back in 1909 and funded by Andrew Carnegie. He's a rich guy from a long time ago that funded lots of libraries across the United States. Anyway, it's a very neat library. But no cool bears like Your's Truly! They did have a special exhibit on Lewis and Clark. Now there's some interesting history. And we have lots of information about those guys here at our library too!
So that's what LB's been up to. Of course, he wasn't home long! He left on Wednesday for another fun place! So keep watching and see where LB goes next. I'll give you one hint...It's Historical, and in a state named after a ruler of another country! Where do you think he's going? tell me your guesses! Let's see if you get it right!
Bear Hugs!
Thorndyke

Hey Kids!
Nope, that's not me in that picture! That's my Little Buddy, LB! He get's out more than I do. In fact, in this picture, he's all the way down in Texas! He went there with Miss Kristen a little while back. They did a lot of fun things! They went camping and went to the park, and, as you can tell, LB made some new friends! There's lots of fun things to do in Texas! You can visit the Alamo, pretend you're a cowboy, or eat chili! Did you know that this animal is the state animal of Texas? Did you know that we have a stuffed animal one here in the library? Are you curious to learn more about Texas? There are lots of book about it here in the library!
Man, LB is so lucky! Now that it is warm out, he has all kinds of adventures planned. I'm just staying home. But I'm okay with that because it's my favorite time of year...Summer Reading! I can't wait until you all start coming in to get your reading log! It's only 20 days away you know! Woohoo! I'm so excited! See you SOON!
Bear Hugs!
Thorndyke

Everyone has their own idea of the perfect getaway, whether it´s a romantic retreat, fun with the family, or a weekend away with friends. Now planning one to the magnificent state of Illinois is easy thanks to the following getaways that immerse you into a specific region of Illinois. Just pick the getaway that´s right for you and start packing.

The program "Exploritas" that had been scheduled from 7:00-8:00PM on May 27th 2010 had to be postponed at this time due to the ill health of the presenter.

Don't miss the Ann Arbor Book Festival, May 14-16, featuring poetry readings, Breakfast with the Authors, writers' conferences, and culminating with the Ann Arbor Antiquarian Book Fair on Sunday, May 16.

On Tuesday April 20, 2010, MDOT will host an open house featuring the upcoming construction for the I-275 Metro Trail in Wayne County. This project, which is scheduled to start this spring, will reconstruct 7 miles of the bike path between Michigan Avenue and Edward Hines Drive. Attendees will be given the opportunity to review final designs changes before construction. For more information, including meeting time and location visit the MDOT website.

If you are new to the area, new to biking, or simply want to explore new routes, check out Washtenaw County Bike Rides: a Guide to Road Rides In and Around Ann Arbor by Joel D. Howell. All the routes are paved and start from Ann Arbor. The difficulty of the rides and areas that require caution are clearly noted. Route maps for Dixboro, Dexter-Chelsea, Gallup Park, Hell, Huron River Drive, Manchester, Waterloo and more are included. A perfect weekend outing for the motivated rider who loves a challenge!