What’s the first thing you think of when you think of the word “vacation”? Is it beaches? Maybe cruises? I bet you don’t think of the library! Well, the library is useful for so many things besides guidebooks! Yes, guidebooks are helpful for finding hotels, restaurants and museums, but it's not the only travel-related info you can find at the library! The following is an excerpt from presentations I've done for libraries in my area, so I'd thought I'd share the information with you! Enjoy!
Book Worm
Get a novel about the country! Reading a novel about a country gives you insight into the people and culture, in an interesting and entertaining way that’s not “guide-booky”.
Chow Hound
Get a cookbook from the country you’ll be visiting to learn about the cuisine that you’ll likely be sampling. And, while you have that cook book, create a food list of “stuff you’ll eat” and “stuff you definitely won’t eat” (really). Before a trip to Peru, I borrowed a Peruvian cookbook from the library and created a food list. I carried it with me and it proved unbelievably useful.
Got the Music in You!
Take out a CD or download music from the country you’ll be visiting. Music is very important in many cultures so listening to the country’s music is a way to get to know the culture before you get there!
Movie Night!
Besides finding a movie online, many libraries rent movies, too! You might be able to find one that's set in the country you're headed to!
Not the “Fake News”
Read the news. While not every library will have actual newspapers from the country you'll be visiting, you can search for newspapers and/or news articles on the computer in the library!
But I Can’t Read the Language …..
Many libraries have language programs you can download that will help you learn basic phrases. My library offers a program called Mango.
Similarly, while not everyone can read or speak another language, the good news is that you can usually find articles in English about almost anywhere you might visit.
Computer Geek!
If you don’t have a computer at home, the library is the place to go! Like I mentioned earlier, you can use the library’s computers to search the web for newspapers or to learn a language! You can also use them to search for destinations you're interested in, as well as for deals and travel information on those destinations! Remember – think about your library for destinations near and far! A trip around the block can be as much fun as a journey around the world!
How do you use your local library when planning a trip? Tell me about it on Facebook or in the comment section below!
