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Missions
Our librarians have put together several missions, for a variety of challenges and levels. Select the mission to see the quests you need to complete, and then let us know how you did. Complete the mission and you might unlock a more advanced one, and bragging righs, cool badges and maybe even a prize!

1000 Hour Outside

You might have heard about our 1000 Books Before Kindergarten program, but outdoor play is also important for kids' development. 1000 Hours Outside helps you match nature time with screen time. Find and download a tracker online to get started.

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Bicentennial Monument Tour

Learn local history! Check out this list of Ypsilanti historical monuments. 

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Bicentennial Word Search

Find the puzzle in the summer edition of The Loop, available at any YDL location.

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Birding

Go outside to listen and watch for birds. Use these guides to help you identify the birds you hear or see. Make a list or sketch the birds you hear and see. 

Watch this video to get birding tips! Or stop by YDL-Whittaker's Youth Department and borrow the binoculars and guide and take a walk around the building to see what you can identify. 



Learn more about conservation and cultural ornithology in this short documentary




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Chalk Your Walk

Make a sidewalk obstacle course or silly walk challenge.

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Clean Up!

Help clean up our county by getting rid of or recycling unwanted items like appliances (including freon-containing appliances), mattresses, furniture, scrap wood, electronics, household hazardous waste, scrap metal, car tires and more.

Washtenaw county has several clean up days on the calendar at various locations. Registration is required and will close one week prior to each event, or when all slots are full.



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Climb Aboard

Hop on the bookmobile and find the hidden code! Wonder where the bookmobile will be this week? Check out the schedule and interesting bookmobile facts at ypsilibrary.org/bookmobile.



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Cook It

Cook something new!

Use your library card to check out a cookbook. Or, kids can explore Chop Chop for ideas. You'll build reading AND math skills while you cook.






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Embracing Our Differences

Embracing Our Differences has billboard-size art displays on themes of diversity, encouraging discussion and appreciation. Visit one of the EOD art sites - at Riverside Park in Ypsilanti, or Gallup Park in Ann Arbor. Visit both!

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Fairy Doors

Find the fairy doors in downtown Ypsilanti! Where, you ask? Look for the downtown businesses who've donated a prize for the Summer Challenge.

Use our Google map for help finding the doors! 




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Game Unplugged

Turn off the computer or TV and play a card game or board game with someone.

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Garden Senses

Visit a YDL garden--there are 3! 

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Geocache Ypsi

Geocaching is a fun outdoor activity that makes use of the Global Positioning System (GPS) to allow people to hide containers called “caches" at specific locations marked by GPS coordinates that other people can search for using an app on a smartphone.


YDL is a geocache hider! This summer we are celebrating Ypsi's Bicentennital. We’ve hidden three boxes around our district this summer to help you learn about Ypsi's history. 


Want to know more about geocaching? Watch this short video!





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Get Creative

Kids, what will you create with your unique and powerful brain?!

Adults, find a project in the Creative Bug database of art and crafts how-to videos you can access with your library card.




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Jazz in the Parks

Hear live jazz outside this summer at the Ypsi Jazz Festival, Fridays in Riverside Park, 7-9pm, beginning June 30. Free for everyone. On July 21, the concert will take place from 6-9pm in the YCS high school parking lot.

Or in the township, the Summer Jazz Series happens every Friday 7-9pm at Ford Heritage Lake Park. 



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Library of Things

Yes, we have that! Check out our Library of Things including everything from games, cake pans, and a power washer, to kits with toys and games to build reading and STEM skills.



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Listen Up

Have you listened to an episode of YDL's podcast, YpsiStories? Learn about local history.

Teens can try TAG You're It, a discussion based podcast created by youth interns at the library. 

Kids will enjoy Story Seeds or Circle Round!



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Little Ones Learn and Explore

Find fun challenges for little ones below. Earn a special badge for each activity you complete and log here! If you prefer the paper log, pick one up at any YDL library, check off your activities and record the books you read, then turn it in at a library to claim your prize. Any combination of 10 earns a free book and kids' meal at Aubree's.





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Live Here Now

Hear live music at Fireman's Park as part of the Ann Arbor Summer Festival Live. Here. Now. series. Music, snacks, games! Thursday, August 24, 4-8pm. 8795 MacArthur Blvd. Look for the library table too!






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Market Time

Visit the Farmers Market to buy healthy food from a local vendor.

You'll find us reading stories at Depot Town June 24, July 22, and August 19. Stop and listen for an extra badge!



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Murals Around Town

Learn about the murals around Ypsi. 



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Reading Gives us Wings

Visit each YDL library and take a photo in front of our wings mural series. Earn a badge for each! 

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Ride the Ride

Ride an AAATA bus with your library card for FREE any Saturday or Sunday this summer. Earn a badge anytime you ride! 



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Share Your Garden

Collect seeds from the vegetables, herbs or flowers you've grown and donate them to any YDL Seed Library. Learn more here

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The Play's the Thing

Write a story and perform it with your friends! Need inspiration to get started? Check out a book! Be sure to give yourself a round of applause when you finish.

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Tour Ypsi

Choose one or all four self-guided tours and learn about the beautiful architecture and interesting history of Ypsilanti.

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Walk the Walk

Walk a trail in a Washtenaw County preserve or park.

Here are some places you might explore:

City of Ypsilanti Parks

Superior Township Parks

Ypsilanti Township Parks

Washtenaw County Parks

Nature Preserves





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What's All the Hoopla?

Instantly borrow eBooks, audiobooks, comics, movies, music, and more, 24/7 with your library card! It's easy as 1, 2, 3!

1. Download the app from the App Store or Google Play, or use your computer and visit the Hoopla website to set up an account you can use from your computer or Apple TV. 

2. Create an account with your library card

3. Borrow cool stuff!



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Where are the Little Free Libraries?

Did you know there is a map of Little Free Libraries? Search by zip code to find where they are near you!


You can earn this badge up to 10 times, so make it a scavenger hunt and see how many you can visit!




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Write a Review

Love or hate the last book you read or listened to? Share your thoughts with others by writing a review for our other Summer Challenge players!

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Your App to the World

Did you know that YDL has an App? Manage your library account, download a book, watch a movie, conduct research right from your phone. With the YDL App, you'll have library services at your fingertips. Find it at the App Store or Google Play.

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Ypsi Fine Arts Club

Meet other art enthusiasts and enjoy art on first and third Wednesdays, 5-8pm, at Riverside Arts Center. Free!

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YpsiWrites Love Letters

YpsiWrites encourages you to write about what you love most about Ypsi as part of the bicentennial celebrations. 



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Your Next Great Read

Break out of your reading pattern by trying a book in a different genre or format. Here are some to choose from!

Little Ones

Kindergarten-2nd Grade

3rd Grade-5th Grade

6th Grade-8th Grade

Teens Top Picks

Adults or listen to the Book Riot podcast for suggestion




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Adventure Awaits

Check out a Michigan Activity Pass to get free or discounted tickets to MetroParks, State Parks, museums, zoos, and activities throughout Michigan.


Learn more about how to use the website to find activities here.





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