Ypsilanti District Library

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.

It is safe to say future successes require most, if not, all of us to have a competency in writing. Creative writing, self-expression and the ability to connect through the written word are life skills that make a difference. Fostering these skills in students in Ypsilanti, Ann Arbor and Detroit is the mission of 826michigan. Executive director Megan Shuchman joined WEMU's David Fair to share the process of "writing a better future, one story at a time."

The Michigan Avenue branch of the Ypsilanti District Library flooded during a severe rainstorm back in July. Its closing has been a big loss to the community, but plans are in the works to come back bigger and better. WEMU's Josh Hakala and Concentrate Media's Rylee Barnsdale caught up with downtown branch manager Joy Cichewicz for the latest.

The Ypsilanti District Library and Eastern Michigan University are working to make menstruation products more accessible. In fact, the tampons and pads are available free of charge. As you’ll learn on WEMU’s 'On the Ground Ypsi,' the hope is to reduce the financial burden of these essential items while also getting rid of the stigma of menstruation. WEMU’s Josh Hakala and Concentrate Media’s Sarah Rigg get all the details in a conversation with Jesse John from EMU’s ‘Changing the Cycle’ program.

The Ypsilanti District Library (YDL) won a grant from the American Library Association (ALA) to create a "Great Stories" Book Club. It is a reading and discussion program for underserved teens with books specially chosen by the ALA. The YDL staff will work with a small group of teens to read and discuss stories that explore questions of race, identity, and more. WEMU's Josh Hakala and Concentrate Media's Rylee Barnsdale dig deeper into this exciting, new program with YDL teen librarian, Kelly Scott.

The Ypsilanti District Library is kicking off its summer-long challenge. WEMU’s Victoria Smith has more.