Ypsilanti District Library

This past weekend, YpsiWrites hosted "A Great Day in Ypsi." The event, which celebrates Ypsilanti writers and storytellers, was inspired by Art Kane's "A Great Day in Harlem" photograph and by the book "Sweet Music of Harlem" by local author Debbie Taylor. Taylor joined Rylee Barnsdale to discuss the event and how it can inspire more Ypsilanti stories and storytellers.

Ypsilanti residents no longer have to wonder and wait as the downtown location of the Ypsilanti District Library on Michigan Avenue reopens today after a series of delays. WEMU's Ana Longoria reports.

The Ypsilanti District Library is looking to hire an on-site social worker for their downtown main branch location. WEMU’s Ana Longoria has the details.

The Ypsilanti District Library has released a list of their most borrowed books of 2024. Books frequently checked out range from local and state interests to educational material. WEMU’s Ana Longoria has more.

Leadership races for both the Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti District Libraries were decided in Tuesday night's election.

The Ypsilanti District Library’s Whittaker Branch is about to launch an exhibition capturing what enslaved people might have witnessed on their journey along the Underground Railroad. It will also offer programs highlighting Washtenaw County's connections to the Underground Railroad throughout September and October. YDL assistant director Julianne Smith joined Rylee Barnsdale for a conversation about those very things.

The free fare program is in partnership with the libraries' Summer Games. WEMU's Taylor Bowie has more.

YpsiWrites has been providing resources and space for local writers to hone their craft and foster unity between writers and the with the community they call home. Since 2019, the nonprofit has hosted events and workshops, and the next is the upcoming Ypsilanti-Area Authors Reading on May 22nd. Dr. Toni Pressley-Sanon will be among those presenting. She is an Africology and African American studies professor at Eastern Michigan University and has authored the book, "Lifting as They Climb: Black Women Buddhists and Collective Liberation." She joined Rylee Barnsdale to discuss the book, the event and the value of community connection.

Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners Chair Justin Hodge will be holding a townhall meeting tonight to talk to residents about some of the programs to help their families. WEMU’s Kevin Meerschaert has this report.

There is a long and storied history of African American farmers in Washtenaw County. Its impacts are often overlooked and underappreciated. Bringing the stories to light is the mission of the Ypsi Farmers and Gardeners Oral History Project. The project is headed by University of Michigan-Dearborn Assistant Professor of Human Services Dr. Finn Bell. He not only joined WEMU's David Fair to discuss the project but brought Patricia Wells with him. She is a master gardener with a rich history of her own. This is the first in a series of Black History Month editions of "Washtenaw United" for 2024.