Going on a Trip? Start at your library

The weather is starting to get colder, which means lots of us are starting to think about sunny destinations as winter getaways. Whenever I’m going on a trip, the first stop on my itinerary is the library.

The library carries an extensive collection of Travel Guides to help you find out more about your destination. There are shelves full of guides from Fodors, Frommers, Lonely Planet, Rough Guide and more for destinations around the world. Travel guides focus on countries, on regions and on specific cities to help you plan trips to a single location or a whole bunch. There are also theme guides for shoppers, foodies, and travelers with children, as well as guides that focus on driving, biking and walking in various places in the world. Borrowing from the library is a great way to save extra dollars for your trip, or to test drive a number of travel guides to help you find the one you want to buy.

When I’m going on a trip, I not only want to know something about the place that I’m going, I also want to learn something of the language spoken there. Stop two on my trip itinerary is often the library’s language learning collection where there are both books and audio for developing my skills. For a basic introduction there are “learn on your flight” style audio and travel phrase books that teach you the basic necessities for any trip. If you’re looking to dig a little further into a language there are complete courses and workbooks to practice your new found skills. My favourite language introductions come from Michel Thomas – the learning method takes a conversational approach, building your knowledge and vocabulary so subtlety you don’t even realize it’s happening, but it really sticks.

Don’t want to leave your house before your trip? The library has lots of digital resources that can help you plan. There are eBook versions of popular travel guides via Overdrive and language learning materials with audio, video and eBook content. The newest digital library service at Halifax Public Libraries’ offers interactive language learning. Rocket Languages contains courses for 13 languages, including French, Spanish and American Sign Language. You can use it on your computer or via App on your phone.

Have you used the library for trip planning in the past? What’s your favourite resource that you’ve discovered?

All events are free

EVENTS AT THE LIBRARY

Seniors Fall Prevention, Cole Harbour, Wed., Nov. 18, 7 p.m.

Private Refugee Sponsorship, Alderney Gate, Thurs., Nov. 19, 12 p.m.

Science and Society, Central, Thur., Nov. 19, 1 p.m.

Living with Stress, Cole Harbour, Thur., Nov. 19, 1:30 p.m.

Author Alan Wilson, Central, Thur., Nov. 19, 7 p.m.

Painting Together, Musquodoboit Harbour, Fri., Nov. 20, 1 p.m.

Meditation, Keshen Goodman, Fri., Nov. 20, 1:30 p.m.

Introduction to Art History, Woodlawn, Fri., Nov. 20, 1:30 p.m.

Movie: Testament of Youth, Halifax North, Sat., Nov. 21, 1:30 p.m.

One Book Nova Scotia Reading, Central, Sat., Nov. 21, 2 p.m.

Bedford Leisure Orchestra, Keshen Goodman, Sun., Nov. 22, 2:30 p.m.

How to Talk Back to a Statistic, Keshen Goodman, Mon., Nov. 23, 1 p.m.

A Woman’s Journey: Living with Type 1 Diabetes, Central, Mon., Nov. 23, 7 p.m.