Interest: Civic Engagement
Construction has Begun!
Published: June 3, 2021
After the YDL Board of Trustees approved initial construction bids, construction work has officially begun! Beginning the week of May 24, O’Neal Construction is on site to coordinate work, and subcontractors have begun earth moving operations. This involves leveling, moving, and compacting soil in preparation for foundation work and stormwater retention development. A construction trailer will be installed on site in the next week. We kicked off the Next Chapter Capital Campaign on June 1. You and your friends can help make the new library everything the community wants and needs! Please visit ypsilibrary.org/nextchapter to learn more about how your …
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Improving access to fresh food
Published: April 29, 2021
A new pilot project aims to make it easier to use food assistance benefits, like SNAP, to get fresh produce.
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Ready to Build!
Published: April 19, 2021
We have officially broken ground! Our Groundbreaking Celebration, held April 7, was an exciting milestone in the construction process. The enthusiastic in-person crowd, engaging speakers, and fabulous weather made for quite a memorable event. Thank you to Bank of Ann Arbor for sponsoring the livestream, which allowed many more people to attend remotely. If you missed the event, check out the recording on the YDL Youtube channel. Thanks to an in-kind gift from Superior Township, we finalized the transfer of the land on March 29 for the rock-bottom price of one dollar. We are so grateful to Superior Township for …
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Groundbreaking Celebration and Progress Report
Published: March 4, 2021
At its meeting on December 16, the Superior Township Planning Commission approved the final site plan for the new library! Now our design work can be finalized and the construction can go out for bid.
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Committing to Compassion
Published: December 29, 2020
Last year brought challenges. It also brought opportunities for compassion, community, and patience. In addition to the pandemic, racial unrest throughout the country forced us to think about how we make a community work for everyone. This year, renew your commitment to personal and community growth. In the spirit of spreading knowledge, here are some tools and tips for achieving your resolutions and becoming a more informed and engaged citizen. Talk to your family about race Research from the American Psychological Association shows some preschoolers may have already developed racist beliefs well before adults start talking about race with them. …
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NEH For All the World to See Virtual Tour
Published: December 22, 2020
The virtual tour and accompanying activities for the NEH For All the World to See exhibit are ready to explore!
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Final Site Plan Approval
Published: December 17, 2020
At its meeting on December 16, the Superior Township Planning Commission approved the final site plan for the new library! Now our design work can be finalized and the construction can go out for bid.
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Help YDL Prepare for Reopening
Published: December 1, 2020
To welcome patrons back to the library safely, YDL wants to install air purification systems at Whittaker Road and Michigan Avenue. Read on to learn more, and visit our Donate Page to contribute to the project.
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Ypsi Stories
Join us quarterly to hear Ypsilanti History in story form!
Ypsi Stories Episode 1: Lucius Lyon and the Land Speculators
Published: November 4, 2020
Hear Chapter 1 of Look Both Ways!
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Site Clearing Progress
Published: November 3, 2020
If you have traveled past the future library site on North Harris, you no doubt have noticed exciting changes: site clearing work is underway! Brush and small trees have been cleared from the construction area. Once a soil erosion permit is secured, temporary fencing will be placed and the land will be prepared for groundbreaking. We anticipate groundbreaking in Spring 2021. Having the site clearing performed in the fall means the construction work can get a quicker start as soon as the weather permits. Over the winter months, we will continue finalizing all of the planning pieces so that construction …
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2020 Election for Kids
Published: October 17, 2020
Kids, learn about elections and the book character candidates, then cast your vote!
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LET’S COMPLETE OUR HISTORY
Published: September 24, 2020
In October, YDL will co-host a Wikipedia edit-a-thon of Ypsilanti and related pages. We want to engage our diverse community to paint a more complete picture within those articles.
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Let Your Voice Be Heard
Published: September 22, 2020
Everyone has a voice in our community and government. Make sure yours is heard!
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Powerful Films on Race Relations in YDL Collection
Published: July 3, 2020
Powerful Films on Race Relations YDL owns copies of all but one of these films: reserve your copy today The Color Purple (1985) PG-13 Fiction: Based on the novel by Alice Walker Do The Right Thing (1989) R Fiction Get Out (2017) R Fiction: Horror Django Unchained (2013) R Fiction-Western Harriet (2019) PG-13 Fiction: Biographical: Harriet Tubman 13th (2016) Documentary about 13th Amendment & Mass Incarceration No DVD release; streaming only on www.Netflix.com Birth of a Nation (2016) R Fiction: Biographical: Nat Turner Note: For historical purposes, YDL also owns a copy of the original film called Birth of a …
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Anti-Racism Book List for Adults
Published: June 4, 2020
The following books are available through YDL’s digital collections:Abu-Jamal, Mumia | Have Black Lives Ever Mattered? ebook on HooplaAlexander, Michelle | The New Jim Crowebook on HooplaAnderson, William & Zoe Samudzi | As Black as Resistance: Finding the Conditions for Liberationebook on HooplaCoates, Ta-Nehisi | Between the World and Meebook and eaudio on OverdriveDavis, Angela | Freedom is a Constant Struggle: Ferguson, Palestine, and the Foundations of a Movementeaudio on Hoopla, ebook on OverdriveDiAngelo, Robin | White Fragility: Why it’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racismebook & eaudio on OverdriveDunbar-Ortiz, Roxanne | An Indigenous Peoples’ History of …
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Information on YDL-Michigan’s Closing on 3/4/2020
Published: March 4, 2020
We are set to reopen our downtown branch on Thursday, March 5.
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Information on YDL-Michigan’s Closing
Published: October 17, 2019
Our Michigan Avenue location is closed after confirmed evidence of bed bugs. The library branch is scheduled to be inspected and treated on Friday, October 18. We plan to reopen on Saturday, October 19.
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Preparing Your Family for Immigration Enforcement
Published: October 7, 2019
Know your rights: Immigration Enforcement Michigan Immigrants Rights Center (MIRC) has released a comprehensive guide entitled, “Preparing your family for immigration enforcement.” Print copies of this guide will be available for free at all YDL Branches in English, Spanish, and Arabic. Electronic copies in English, Spanish, Arabic, Bangla, and French are available on the MIRC website. The guide focuses on navigating your rights throughout any immigration enforcement encounter, whether it be before, during, or after a raid. Topics include: An outline for creating an emergency plan. Short scripts and advice for interrogation situations. Multi-lingual, Printable “know your rights” cards that …
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