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| A library stop in Elko, Nevada |
Most people think of RVing as taking to the open road, sightseeing, perhaps hiking and fishing. The outdoor life is vital for us, too, but we enrich our travels by spending some time in libraries along the way.
Our
local branch of the county library is always a good place to begin. The Pollock
Pines library is a cozy one-room operation, nestled beneath pine trees and
dogwoods. It has a basic set of travel books that help with general planning;
for more specific needs, we can Google on the library’s computers or on our own
laptop. Just before leaving home, we may check out a few books to take along. Being
a mystery addict, I am likely to take some paperback whodunits or DVDs, which
are perfect for entertainment during enforced layovers in rain-drenched
campgrounds.
Libraries
themselves can be mysterious. In Tonopah, Nevada, we saw a tiny library on a
side street. The intriguing sign on the front lawn read A.D. 2500. What was
that about? Because Tonopah is on the Extraterrestrial Highway, we speculated
that it might mean After Descent or (more scarily) After Dominion.
Lockport,
New York, has a beautiful library
where I did some online research for a book while Thane admired the
architecture. We hadn’t realized Lockport was on the historic Erie Canal, but
the librarians soon set us straight. Following their directions, he saw the
canal and locks, and took many photos.
In
general, the libraries in large cities or in wealthy suburbs offer the most in
books, architecture, and other attractions. Some newer libraries even have
coffee shops where patrons can have coffee and a snack while reading books and
magazines. The new Alameda, California, library (built for $25 million with state funds and a local
bond issue before the current recession) is spacious and beautiful.
The
old library that it replaced was beautiful in another way, having stained glass
windows, marble floors, wooden paneling, and lovely ironwork. It was a Carnegie
library, one of the hundreds of United States libraries provided around the
turn of the twentieth century with financial help from philanthropist Andrew Carnegie.
Many of these libraries have a characteristic Greek Revival architectural
style, with a stairway leading up to the entrance and pillars on each side of
it, that is easily recognizable. We have seen Carnegie libraries all over the
country. It is always a pleasure to visit one of them and perhaps curl up in
front of a fireplace with a good book for a while. Unfortunately, they are
gradually disappearing.
Librarians
are usually experts on their local areas. When we drove into Las Vegas and had
trouble in finding our way to the main strip of casinos, we stopped at a
library for help. The idea that anyone could have trouble finding the flashiest
square miles in America must have considerably amused the librarians, but they
printed out a map of the city and marked it clearly so we could find our way.
Wi-fi
is available in libraries nearly everywhere now. If I am writing or editing something,
access to the Web is essential; even for e-mail, we need wi-fi every few days. Occasionally we must pay a small charge
for access, but it costs less (and is less fattening) than buying coffee and
pastry in an Internet café.
While
in a library, we can catch up on magazines and newspapers without spending any
money or accumulating paper that must be recycled or thrown away. (We are frugal
environmentalists.) Because local newspapers can be read in libraries, we can
get an understanding of local issues that would be unlikely otherwise.
Thane
devours magazines about anything having wheels—planes, RVs, or motorcycles—or about
astronomy or photography. At the library in Pocatello, Idaho, he was delighted
to find the latest issues of his favorite magazines on those topics. The library in Bismarck, North Dakota, was another
treasure trove of magazines. When I had to fly home because of a family
emergency, Thane spent a blissful day in the Bismarck library. I’m not sure he
even noticed I was away. North Dakota seems to have excellent libraries,
possibly because people need help in getting through the long winters. When we
found ourselves in Minot waiting several days for RV repairs, we spent many
happy hours in the city library.
In
Oregon we bought a large box of cherries at a roadside stand, then realized
they would spoil before we could eat all of them. A librarian at the Bend
library saved the day by helping me find a recipe for cherry pie.
In
general we have been lucky in finding libraries open whenever we happen to stop,
but were disappointed in Winnipeg when we found a “closed” sign on the library door,
with no explanation. A passerby shrugged and commented “It’s summer,” as if
that accounted for it.
Sometimes
libraries in rural areas can be surprising. When we drove into Frazier Park, California, the day was late, and we needed to find a campground for the
night. As we searched, we noticed
a library sign and decided to ask there for directions. This library is a gem—a
recently built Arts & Crafts creation, complete with stained glass windows,
sculptures, music, computers, community meeting rooms, and so on. The helpful
librarian pointed us up the mountain to the lovely Chuchupate Forest Service
campground, which we would never have found on our own.
So,
some day you may see our Winnebago View in a library parking lot. We will be
indoors happily catching up on e-mail, work, and reading. Or asking for directions.
