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This article is from The Source, EPL's now defunct library information and program guide.
Volume 6, Issue 1, Winter/Spring 2001
ISSN 1203-1666
Travel the World
by Video
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by Darrell Podlubny, Audio Visual, Stanley A. Milner Library Whether it’s armchair travel during the winter or pre-trip research you’re doing, travel videos are often a useful source of information or entertaining viewing on many countries, regions and cities. Library travel videos are catalogued by the Dewey decimal system and you can find them, as well as guide books, in the 914 through 919 range of our collections. Although we don’t have every imaginable destination covered, every effort is made to find a balanced representation of the most popular - and sometimes most unusual - locations. Several publishers of travel videos make our most frequently borrowed title list. Fodor, Going Places and the Travel the World series hosted by Rick Steves produce videos on worldwide destinations; while the Lonely Planet collection is a fine choice for more adventurous travelling.Fans of the literary travel approach will appreciate video productions based on the storytelling abilities of a genial host. Why not prepare for a trip to the French countryside by screening Peter Mayle’s A Year in Provence? If you’ve enjoyed the comic writing of Bill Bryson, check out Notes From a Small Island: An Affectionate Portrait of Britain.Worldwide travel with a sense of delight, and a sometimes mildly bewildered tone, is provided by Michael Palin, of one-time Monty Python fame. The library circulates both of his video series: Full Circle and Pole to Pole.The means by which we travel can determine the way we appreciate the world, and railroad journeys can be a wonderful way to experience cultural and physical landscapes. By choosing the general subject heading "railroad travel" from the library’s catalogue, videos on train lines running through regions as diverse as Africa, Alberta and Russia can be found. Alternative modes of transportation bring other insights. There are selected videos on sailing, cruise ship, bicycle touring and hiking destinations. For those adventurous people excited by the open-road, leather-jacket, wind-blowing-through-your-hair image motorcycles often suggest, the library offers the video Dream Machines, Harley Davidson.It pays to think about culture when searching for videos. For inspiration as well as background information, take a look at a few art history titles. If you’re planning a trip to pastoral France, consider videos about impressionist painters like Monet, Renoir and Pissarro; if it’s the British Columbia coast, north of urban development, think about Emily Carr. Good art series like Robert Hughes’ American Visions or Sister Wendy Beckett’s Story of Painting are worthwhile pre-trip screenings. Broad subject searches to inspire you in your travel plans could include videos on architecture, history, nature and cookery. Another imaginative way of getting an advance look, on video, of other countries is to borrow an international feature film. Just check for the language spoken in the country you’re planning to visit. One final travel tip for your consideration: You can help yourself get in the right mood by listening to the music of the people. The library has a great collection of world beat music in our national and other language CD collection, and a good start would be the informative and culturally diverse Rough Guide series of recordings. However you go, bon voyage! |