This blog will report on the adventures I have as I spend
the summer following the Lewis and Clark Trail, carrying out research in public
libraries across the country.
Public libraries are such an important part of the fabric of
a community, and of our country as a whole. Every day, public libraries are
providing exciting services, providing information, sharing materials – a vast
array of fantastic things!! And I want their work to be much more widely known
that it is now.
This summer I’ll be visiting public libraries and
interviewing librarians to learn about the work they are doing, their history,
and their plans for the future. It will be fantastic! Stay tuned to learn more
about the great work being done by librarians everywhere!!
As this is a summer road trip, along a historic trail, I
will also be sharing the historical sites I pass, tourist stops and
information, and exciting/interesting places I visit. I will keep track of all of them here. To preserve the spirit of
the original Corps of Discovery, I’ll be camping in many places; I’ll share
those adventures as well. Last summer while camping I saw grizzly bears, Dahl sheep, elk, moose, and all sorts of other creatures big and small. I also stuffed myself on huckleberries and blackberries and blueberries picked along the way - yum! While I may not see grizzlies this summer, I am sure to see all kinds of exciting animals and
plants just as the Lewis and Clark group did.
Their journey was one of exploration, with a focus on recording information and bringing it back to share with everyone else. This goal is much more easily accomplished now, with all the social media tools available to us.
Follow me here, and on Twitter (
https://twitter.com/TrailLibraries) to share in the adventure!
I also have the advantage of paved roads, a working GPS (named Jane, and she talks to me - calling out directions and missed turns), a cell
phone, and a jeep; so my trip will not be as arduous as theirs – and will
involve visiting many libraries, which they did not have the opportunity to do. Visiting public libraries is a great idea for anyone on a summer vacation - as well as everyone who stays home! Public libraries offer many exciting and useful services and programs for their communities; visit yours today!!
For now, I am working to get everything organized and ready
to depart for Stage One of the trip. Any big trip involves a lot of planning and preparation and packing, so I am putting my librarians skills in organizing to work! Several months of preparation are about to culminate in this trip and I can hardly wait to get started!!!
The Library Corps of Discovery prepares to depart!
