Michigan

Recently, the Troy Public Library has been receiving a lot of press – locally, nationally, and internationally.

It seems everyone wants to hear about the Library’s current situation (funding and the August 2 millage) and about our rare collection of Letters to the Children of Troy. These 97 letters were written in 1971 by the political and cultural leaders of the day, on the occasion of the opening of the Library.

Among the press we have received:

TroyPatch (Troy)
The Craig Fahle Show (Public Radio in Detroit) audio
The Takeaway (Public Radio in New York) audio
SeattlePI (Seattle)
The Sundance Channel (New York)
Letters of Note (Manchester, England)
The Guardian of London (England)

If you are interested in the Letters to the Children of Troy, drop by the Library and view the display in the lobby.

Are you looking for work? Do you need basic computer skills to help you apply for jobs?

If so, you will want to attend the Troy Public Library’s free, two-week program, Computer Skills for the Job Seeker, which runs from 10 am to 2 pm, July 11-22. This program includes 30 hours of hands-on computer training, and plenty of one-on-one assistance, to bring your skills up-to-date and improve your job search. You will learn how to

• organize your computer files;
• create an electronic resume in Word;
• communicate with employers via email;
• apply for jobs online; and
• stay in contact using social network websites.

Click here to print an application, or click here to fill out an application online. (Note: Preference will be given to Troy residents.) The training is limited to 16 students, and taught by the Library's award-winning Technology Department staff.

For more information, contact the Phillip Kwik, Head of Public Services, at kwikpj@troymi.gov or phone 248.619.7577.

Computer Skills for the Job Seeker is made possible through the generous support of the Friends of the Troy Public Library. For more information about the Friends, go to www.friendstpl.org.

From March 15-17, 2008, AJ’s Cafe pursued a world record in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day, with the Longest Running “Danny Boy” Marathon. Sunlight or in Shadow is the true story of the great Danny Boy marathon, held in AJ's Cafe, a small establishment in Ferndale.

AJ O'Neil had a dream; how could he pay tribute to a song that he so dearly loved? It was first sung by him at his father's funeral, but had become an over-sung joke at his upstart music cafe. Easy! Just put together a Danny Boy marathon, in which over a thousand people, from all walks of life (including Michigan's governor) would sing, strum, pipe, and perform it for 50 non-stop hours, to the excitement and notice of the entire world!

"A tender book which will be enjoyed by many." Michael Illich, owner of the Detroit Tigers & Detroit Red Wings

"...stories of joy and sorrow will make readers want to laugh and cry... I felt like I was there." Ernie Harwell, voice of the Detroit Tigers

The Troy Public Library is one of 16 Detroit-area libraries participating in Everyone's Reading, a community-wide program designed to promote dialogue through the shared experience of reading and discussing the same book. This year's selection is the blockbuster courtroom thriller Presumed Innocent by best-selling author and attorney Scott Turow. (Watch for the sequel, Innocent, to be published in May.)

To enhance your reading experience, join us for one of these programs:

The Law from a Prosecutor's Perspective: Eric J. Smith, Macomb County Prosecutor, Thursday, February 18, 7-8:30 pm

CSI: Troy with Police Officer James M. Feld, Wednesday, March 10, 7-8:30 pm

Presumed Innocent book discussion, Wednesday, March 24, 7-8:30 pm

In addition, Scott Turow will speak about Presumed Innocent, his other best-selling works, and his involvement with the Innocence Project on Thursday, April 15 at 7 pm at the Millenium Centre (15600 J.L. Hudson Dr., Southfield, MI, on the campus of Providence Hospital). Due to popular demand, a ticket will be required for the author appearance. Tickets are free but limited. They will be awarded via a random lottery on April 1 for Troy residents only (one entry per household). Register for the lottery here beginning February 15 or by calling 248.524.3534.

The Troy Public Library, the Troy Ethnic Issues Advisory Board, the Friends of the Troy Public Library, and the Troy Community Affairs Department, are proud to sponsor a Community Read book discussion featuring Stealing Buddha's Dinner. Chosen by a group of librarians, teachers, students, professors, and authors from all corners of Michigan for the 2009 Great Michigan Read program, this memoir chronicles Bich Minh Nguyen's migration from Vietnam in 1975 and her coming of age in Grand Rapids in the 1980s.

The discussion will take place in room 304-305 of the Troy Community Center on Thursday, January 14, 2010 at 7 pm. To participate, register by sending an email with your name, address, and phone number to troyethnicity@yahoo.com. A kit - which includes a copy of the book, a Friends of the Troy Public Library cloth tote, a reader's guide, and a bookmark - is available at the Friends Gift Shop for just $6 on a first-registered, first-served basis. Walk-ins to the book discussion are also welcome.

The Library also has copies available for check-out (make sure and check the "HITS" section for 1-week copies).  So, read and share the book, talk about it with your friends and neighbors, and come to the Community Center for a stimulating discussion.

Happy reading!

2009 is Motown's 50th birthday, and the party's on at the Troy Public Library.

Check out the display near the New Books in the Adult Services area for titles on the made-in-Detroit record company and its many artists past and present.  Included, too, are books on other significant African-American music genres, notably jazz and blues.  Don't forget to stop by our CD collection to sample that marvelous Motown sound.

For a more hands-on experience, consider a visit to the Motown Historical Museum and the adjacent Hitsville U.S.A., Motown's original recording studio.  Call 313.875.2264 for visitor information.

(Photo: pocketdora)