America's National Parks

Did you get a chance to watch any of Ken Burns' documentary The National Parks: America's Best Idea on PBS last week? I was able to watch a few of the episodes, and I was so interested by the history of the parks. It was amazing to me to learn about the passion and hard work of those who wanted to save beautiful places that were important to them.

When I did a search in our catalog for National Parks, I was surprised and delighted to see that a number of libraries in the Four County Library System own the companion book to the film. (Of course, I put it on hold right away, and I'm enjoying reading it!)

I've had a couple of patrons ask me for books about people they learned about through the series, and although we don't have information about all of them, we do have materials by and/or about the following notable people mentioned in the film:
- John Muir
- Theodore Roosevelt
- Horace Albright
- Shelton Johnson

If the film inspired you to do some exploring of the parks themselves, we've got a few series that might be of interest to you:
- Frommer's National Parks guides
- Fodor's National Parks guides
- Adventures in America's Western Parks (DVD series)
- The World's Greatest Parks (VHS series)
- National Park Guide series

There are many more books about the National Parks and their history! You can search our catalog to find others that are in our system, or you can stop by the library, and we'd be glad to help you find what you're looking for.

In Memoriam: Ted Kennedy

Last night Senator Edward M. (Ted) Kennedy passed away of complications related to a malignant tumor in his brain. He was 77 years old.

Kennedy had served in the US Senate since 1962. He was known for his strong liberal convictions, but also for his willingness to make partnerships with his conservative colleagues.

From NPR.org:
"Kennedy was passionate about his beliefs, a tireless worker for his causes, and he loved fighting the good fight."

If you are interested in learning more, the Broome County Public Library has a number of books by and about Senator Kennedy:


Additionally, the materials below are available at other libraries in the Four County Library System.

Roberto Clemente's 75th Birthday

Today is the birthday of Roberto Clemente, a National League baseball player who was born in Puerto Rico and was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1954. His incredible talent and his passion for humanitarian concerns made him a well-loved figure both in the continental United States and in his birthplace.

Clemente was killed in a plane crash in 1972, while on a trip to deliver aid and supplies to victims of an earthquake in Nicaragua. If he were still alive today, today would be his 75th birthday.

We have a couple of biographies of Roberto Clemente:

Clemente: The Passion and Grace of Baseball's Last Hero by David Maraniss (2006)


Roberto Clemente: The Great One by Bruce Markusen (1998)


Also, if you visit the National Baseball Hall of Fame's website, you'll find some photos and articles about Clemente, along with statistics for his career in Major League Baseball.