Arbor Update

Ann Arbor Area Community News

AADL offers a class on how to get online news

Posted by Matt Hampel on 9. May 2009

The AADL is hosting a class on finding online news this coming Wednesday. Hopefully it’s the first of many. If you’re here, you probably don’t need it — but maybe you know someone who’s interested, or want to pick up some more skills. Registration is required.

Are you sad that your traditional newspaper may no longer be delivered to your doorstep? Do you want to learn how to make that news come to you electronically, but don’t know how?

Join us for the Online News Delivered class this upcoming Wednesday, and learn all about it! We’ll explain how you can get your local, national, and world news from your favorite media sources delivered to your RSS Reader or E-mail automatically, and help you set everything up. Register today by phone or online!

Recap: Online News Delivered class, Wed., May 13, 10am-12pm, Malletts Creek Branch, Registration Required.

They have a whole program of interesting classes coming up. It’s more than basic Microsoft Word.

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Downtown Library Project Suspended

Posted by Bruce Fields on 24. November 2008

From aadl.org:

This morning the Board of the Ann Arbor District Library voted unanimously to suspend work on the project to renovate, or tear down and rebuild, the Downtown Library at 5th and Division.

The Library’s 2004-2010 Strategic Plan called for this project, but with more bad economic news expected for Michigan, Board members agreed that continuing this project now would be inappropriate. The AADL will instead focus its attention on maintaining the Downtown Library.

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Washtenaw County Library for the Blind & Physically Disabled to Become Part of the Ann Arbor District Library

Posted by Matt Hampel on 17. September 2008

Via an AADL press release, some portions removed for length:


The Ann Arbor District Library has agreed in principle to take ownership of the Washtenaw County Library for the Blind and Physically Disabled.

If approved by both the Ann Arbor District Library Board and the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners, the Ann Arbor District Library will become the sub-regional Library for the Blind and Physically Disabled for Washtenaw County. Approval is expected to take place by mid-October and the entire transition should be accomplished by January 1, 2009.

The move comes as part of Washtenaw County’s ongoing efforts to make structural reductions in its budget for 2009 to help eliminate a deficit of approximately $15 million. A complete package of recommended solutions, due largely to the loss in revenue from property taxes, will be presented to the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners on September 17, 2008.

The Library for the Blind & Physically Disabled (LBPD) is part of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress Network, and has been operating as part of Washtenaw County. It provides traditional services such as audio books, playback equipment, large print materials and descriptive videos to individuals who are unable to read or use printed materials due to physical disability (e.g., blindness, macular degeneration, paralysis, multiple sclerosis, stroke, dyslexia).

The AADL has agreed to accept many of the collections of the Library for the Blind and Physically Disabled. If the transition is approved, these collections will be housed and accessible at the Downtown Library, located at 343 South Fifth Avenue in Ann Arbor.

No details yet on where and how the LBPD will continue, or what will happen to staff. Inquiries are in to the AADL and County.

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