TADL April Newsletter Highlights Programs, Services for All District Patrons

A library card in Grand Traverse County is worth considerably more than most cardholders realize. The Traverse Area District Library's April newsletter, published April 6 and distributed to more than 30,000 TADL cardholders, lays out a suite of free and low-cost programs that stretch household budgets across six district locations without a single fee.

April is National Poetry Month, which puts Poets' Night Out back on the calendar at the Main Library on Woodmere Avenue in Traverse City. Friends of TADL has underwritten the event every April since 1997, and it is the same Friends-backed funding that makes museum passes available to library cardholders at no additional cost, eliminating what can be a $15 to $25 per-visit barrier for families seeking cultural outings.

For families with young children, children's librarian Ms. Beth runs Wigglers Storytime at the Main Library, building early literacy through movement, music, crafts, and stories designed specifically for pre-readers. The program is free and listed in the monthly events calendar.

Job seekers across the district can use public computers and free WiFi at any of TADL's six locations to access Career Explorer and Pure Michigan Talent Connect, two tools that match users with open positions and connect them with job training programs across the state. Both are available through the career resources section of the library's website.

The Larry Gorton Talking Book Library, tucked just inside the second set of entry doors at the Main Library, may be the district's least-publicized service. It is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and provides free audio and Braille materials to visually, physically, and reading-impaired residents across eight counties: Grand Traverse, Antrim, Benzie, Kalkaska, Leelanau, Manistee, Missaukee, and Wexford. Staff there also help patrons configure screen readers and mobile assistive devices. Residents who cannot travel to the Main Library can arrange curbside pickup by calling 231-932-8558.

Teen readers at any branch can enroll year-round in free reading challenges set at three tiers: 25 books annually for general participants, 75 books before high school for middle schoolers, and 100 books before graduation for high school students. Guest author Jacqueline Burke joins Teen Services programming this spring for young writers at the Main Library.

Looking ahead, the 2026 Summer Reading Club opens June 1, built around a theme of colors, stories, and art, with free participation available through TADL's three core locations: the Main Library on Woodmere, the East Bay Branch, and the Kingsley Branch. For residents of Kingsley, where cultural and educational programming options are more limited than in Traverse City, the branch calendar represents a direct connection to resources that would otherwise require a longer drive.

The April 6 newsletter includes a link to an accessible text version for patrons who need assistive formats. The full events calendar is available at the library's website, and patrons with questions about specific programs or accessibility accommodations can reach the Main Library at 231-932-8500.