Travel Around the World at Your Library

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Instead of letting the cold weather keep you cooped up, why not take a trip around the world? You don’t need a passport to travel around the globe. All you need is a library card.

Travel for Free

Learning about different cultures and far-away places can be just as exciting as taking a trip, without any of the hassle or expense.

“Libraries are a cultural oasis,” says Barbara Schwartz, branch manager at the San Diego Public Library’s Rancho Penasquitos branch. “This is the only place where people can experience these things for free.”

So leave your suitcase at home and head over to your local library for a trip around the world that is sure to cure those winter blues.

Guided Tours

Need a tour guide? Some libraries, such as the Spruce Grove Public Library in Spruce Grove, Ala., have Armchair Traveler Series to help you discover different countries. At these events, you can journey to foreign places like Italy — all from the comfort of the library.

Many libraries offer creative, hands-on ways to learn about different cultures. At the San Diego Public Library, kids can travel to Mexico and learn about El Dia de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) by painting sugar skulls.

The library also hosts jam sessions where kids can learn music from different cultures and create their own songs. “ It’s a way of teaching tolerance and diversity,” says Schwartz.

Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library in Topeka, Kansas, even has a “READ Around the World” booklist for kids on its Web site.

Africa

So where would you go if you could travel around the world? How about Africa to start? Try reading Facing the Lion: Growing Up Maasai on the African Savanna by Joseph Lemasolai Lekuton. This is the true story of a boy who grows up in one of Kenya’s poorest tribes. Although he grew up herding cows and playing in hyena holes, the boy becomes a missionary and moves to America, but he never forgets his home in Kenya.

China

If China strikes your fancy, pick up In a Chinese City by Sungwan So. You can follow main character Ren Yikang through her neighborhood as she goes to school and interacts with her family.

Try to notice the similarities and differences between her life and yours. This book is also filled with information about Mandarin, a widely-spoken-dialect in China, and a detailed map so you can get a better picture of what it’s like to grow up in China.

Australia

Fancy visiting Australia? Skip the long flight and check out Are We There Yet? A Journey Around Australia by Alison Lester.

In this fun read, Grace and her family set off from their home in South Australia to explore the entire country in their camper trailer. As they travel and enjoy the country’s diverse landscapes and cultures, they experience the regular pastimes of the family and friends they visit.  

These books are just a few suggestions for your trip around the world. There are countless other ways to take your trip. National Geographic’s Web site for kids lets you explore places like Egypt, Guatemala or Germany. 

Or you can play “Quiz Your Noodle” and see how much you know about Mount Everest or the order of the world’s continents. Another good site for world explorers is Altapedia.com, which contains maps, facts and figures about hundreds of countries around the world.

Learning about different people and places is a great way to escape from winter boredom. Maybe the learning experience will even inspire you to visit these places one day. Until then, your librarian can be your travel agent. Bon Voyage!