Travel Books: On a Shelf Near You

August 01, 2012

Want to travel to faraway destinations like Hong Kong, Ireland, or the Bahamas? Travel books are a great way to study up on the destination of your dreams. At our branch alone, we have many adult nonfiction books dedicated to travelling, and we can get copies of the ones we do not have from other branches or from WorldCat, our Interlibrary Loan portal. These travel books provide a lot of information about where to go, what to see, and what to expect in a different city or culture.

When I went to Ireland earlier this year, I took a Library book with me that was called Back Roads Ireland by Donna Dailey, which is a Dorling Kindersley Eyewitness book. Blue Springs South Branch has a copy of this, in case you were wondering. These DK travel guides are my favorite travelling companions because they do not just give you a lot of information; they show it to you by giving you page after page of pictures. That way you can have an idea of what you will be seeing once you get to your dream destination.

DK travel books not only list important places to see, they also let you know how much the attractions charge, along with addresses and phone numbers so you can contact the hotels or attractions if you have any questions. That way, you do not have to write them down and keep track of them yourself; you will already have them at your fingertips. Usually at the end of DK Eyewitness books, there will be tips on where to stay and where to eat. The book I took to Ireland also had a lot of maps and very specific directions on how to get places, which was great for us because we were driving and many of the roads were not labeled. If you want to own any travel books, I must warn you they are very expensive. So, checking them out at the library is an inexpensive alternative, and chances are, you will not need the book after your trip anyways.

Frommer’s and Fodor’s travel books are also popular and very handy. Our branch has many of these on the shelf in adult nonfiction, located in the 900s section (which refers to the call number); to be more specific, they will be located in the 914s-919s. Everything in nonfiction is shelved by call number, not by author. In case you are not familiar with our nonfiction area, it is located on the right side of the building (once you walk into the branch) past the children’s books and CDs.

If you are planning a summer vacation, stop in and we can help you locate a travel book that is perfect for you. Also, if you need a good book to read while you are on your trip, be sure to browse our MRA (Most Requested Author’s) section. Have a great summer!

Amanda S.
Blue Springs South Branch