The number of travel guides and guidebooks that are available
to the public is growing at an extraordinary rate. At the same rate, people are using travel and
guide books to research travel destinations for both pleasure and business
purposes. The main purpose of this type
of resource is for recreation. As we’ve
already seen, recreation is the second most common reason that travel
literature is used. These resources are
used to answer questions like what attractions are there in Washington, DC or
where you can find the best deal on food.
Readers can view guides on museums, cathedrals, pubs and other tourist
attractions. Guide and travel books can
also be used to plan a dream or future vacation.[1]
Guidebooks are a great resource for those looking for specific travel information. Even many online resources fall behind the well-researched information in some guides like Frommer and Fodor. As with most things electronic guidebooks are becoming more common as technology advances. While guidebooks are a great resource for those who are looking for specific travel information travel books can easily go out of date leaving users with either incorrect or missing information in some cases. For this reason, libraries must choose resources wisely. Another issue that libraries have with travel and guidebooks is the size of travel collections. "The amount of travel literature available today is more than any library could possibly accumulate."[2]
It can be difficult for librarians to make choices when it comes to purchasing literature for travel collections so librarians must keep a few things in mind. Librarians must decide amongst the choices for various regions. Choosing travel guides for popular travel destination is a must while literature for less popular locations are less of a priority. Europe, the Caribbean and the United States are the most common places for travel. Librarians are encouraged to use the Publishers Weekly issues on travel literature to get a better idea of which travel literature is best. Another element to consider is the type of patrons visiting the library. In a recent article by Carolyn Anthony, travel literature is broken down into 4 categories; popular annuals, “Let’s Go!” publications, specialized traveler information and literary travel books for those who like to take imaginary trips.[3] Special attention to trends and users will be useful when purchasing this type of resource.
[1] Reference
and Information Services – An Introduction, ed. Richard E. Bopp and Linda C. Smith
(ABC-CLIO, LLC, 2011), 571
[2] Reference
and Information Services – An Introduction, ed. Richard E. Bopp and Linda C. Smith
(ABC-CLIO, LLC, 2011), 557
[3] Reference
and Information Services – An Introduction, ed. Richard E. Bopp and Linda C. Smith
(ABC-CLIO, LLC, 2011), 570-571
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