Community Corner

Spend Your Summer at the Ferndale Public Library: It's More Than Just a Library

Find out what's happening at the library including summer programming and concerts; a film crew's visit Tuesday, June 18; and more.

This article was written by Jeff Milo.

To the Ferndale Public Library's supporters and fans, you already know: We’re way more than just a library. 

I was thinking, recently, while attending a film at the Detroit Film Theatre (inside the Detroit Institute of Arts), how that fine institution’s patrons have come to expect great, cool and exciting features to featured regularly within its walls. We’re the same way, I’m telling' ya! You could come into the library almost any week and find something going on that is much more than just static books on a shelf, or new DVDs flying off the racks. We’re much more than a library. We’re a community center, really. 

Find out what's happening in Ferndalewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Not that I’m trying to stand on a soap box between the library stacks or anything. I’m merely saying, we’re as cool as the zoo or as the museum or, sometimes, as cool as The Loving Touch. Film screenings, framed artwork, author talks and live music? C’mon! 

Beyond interesting events hosted regularly in our Community Room (from in-house productions like the curations of our Arts & Exhibitions Committee to the live local music brought to you by First Stop Fridays), beyond our engaging special selections (where community members such as the Ferndale Historical Society or Rep. Sandy Levin utilize our space to host their own events, often free and open to the public) and beyond our entertaining and educational, flat-out fun and often insightful activities, assemblies and story-time reading hours dreamed-up and displayed by our Youth Services librarians …

Find out what's happening in Ferndalewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Beyond all that, we’re also the vital connector, the online switchboard, the professional development hub for a range of citizens who do not have regular access, if any, to the Internet for their various needs (including résumé updates and print-outs, paying bills and networking with new friends or business contacts). 

E-Books on Tap

You’ll also want to make sure your library account’s in good standing, since you can start lending out e-books (from our main site, online, with your card’s barcode number). A recent Op-Ed in The New York Times points to all six major publishers (Hachette, HarperCollins, Macmillan, Penguin Group, Random House and Simon & Schuster) likely having their e-books made available to library users. 

Summer Reading Program 

This Saturday is the kick-off of our summer programming for kids in kindergarten through eighth grade, as well as adults. We’ll have recommended lists of titles (via special brochures at the Reference Desk) for adults to peruse and check out along with special prizes for which you can enter to win. We’re also featuring a packed line-up of staggering, stupendous activities and educational programs for which young readers can register to ward off summer reading loss

Special Events

    • June 15: Ice Cream Social with Treat Dreams, 1 p.m.
    • June 22: Arts & Scraps: Journals/Create Your Story (registration required), 2 p.m.
    • June 29: Animal Encounters, 2 p.m.
    • July 6: Preschool Yoga with Karen Springsteen (registration required), noon
    • July 13: Game Day, 2 p.m.
    • July 13: Teen Henna with Monique Herzig (registration required), 2 p.m. 
    • July 20: DanceAbility, 2 p.m.
    • July 27: Detroit Waldorf Story Hour, 2 p.m.
    • August 3: Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum SUPER SCIENCE DAY! (registration required) - Noon

    Parents, meanwhile: Check-out a book as part of our "Groundbreaking-Reads"-themed roll-out and submit an entry-form to the Circulation Desk for a prize from somewhere in Fabulous Ferndale. Stop by the Reference Desk to seek our handy prepared brochure of Title Recommendations with fun themes like: It’s A Wild, Wild World!; History’s Higlights and Lowlights – or – What If? – Alternate Histories & Dystopian Futures. Each theme/list features well-known works from iconic authors, quite likely some of which you’ve always been intending to read. Now’s your chance and you get a chance at some prizes!

    Summer Concert Series

    We’ve got more live music coming your way! 

    The exciting roster of Michigan bands and professional musical outfits that will play the Summer Concert series is funded by proceeds from the annual November bake sale, along with donations raised by the Friends of the Ferndale Library boosters group.

    Here's the 2013 Summer Concert Series lineup:
    • 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 18: Soul Explosion – classic soul, R&B and funk tunes.
    • 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 16: Obed Sucarri –Latin/world styles.
    • 7 p.m. Tuesday,  Aug 13: CelloBella –cello/guitar selections spinning jazz, pop and country music together on classical strings. 

    Did You Know?

    A recent Pew Research Study in Publisher’s Weekly ays that parents depend on libraries to nurture their children's reading habits. The report says 81 percent of parents see libraries as important providers of information and resources otherwise not available at home, while 71 percent say libraries vitally provide “safe places” for children. 

    We'll Be 'On Camera' Tuesday

    The Ferndale Public Library will be the focus of The Library of Michigan’s video “The 21st Century Library – The Library as Place.” A film crew will record the library’s first summer concert of the year by soul and R&B group, Soul Explosion on Tuesday, June 18. “It’s a great opportunity to show off what makes (the) Ferndale Public Library a great place to be,” FPL Director Jessica Keyser says. “We’ve worked hard to create the kind of library where people come, not just to study or check out books, but to be entertained and to meet up with friends.”

    Well, just thought you should check some of that out. See you at the Library! 


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