by Brittany Burns, Children's Services Specialist, Feb. 2022
I love to learn about different countries. The differences in cultures, languages, and food are amazing to me. It’s always fun to see the world from a different point of view that I can’t get from everyday life! One of the best ways to do this from home is to read books by people from the country you are interested in, or explore the library’s online resources.
My absolute favorite A to Z databases are A to Z World Food and A to Z Food America. In each database, you can see pictures and descriptions of popular dishes found all over the world, but the best part is that you can get recipes for each dish! Making dishes from another country at home is a tasty way to get to know other cultures. It can also help you understand your heritage. For example, my ancestors came from Ireland, but I don’t know anything about the food there except that they eat potatoes. This database helped me find a recipe that has been around for a long time that I love!
Another favorite of mine is A to Z World and A to Z USA. These are a great way to learn about the culture, customs, languages, history, and other important facts about places you may want to visit. These databases can be very useful when you are planning a trip because customs are different everywhere you go. One example of this is soccer and football. The sport that we call soccer is not called that by the rest of the world. If you go to another country and hear someone talking about futbol, they are not talking about the football we know. They are talking about soccer! You’ll also find different customs even within the United States. You may not realize it, but the U.S. is a very big place and states can have very different cultures! These databases are a great way to bulk up before a trip or just see how other people live.
The final database in the A to Z collection is A to Z Maps, which you can use to see maps from all over the world. You can explore old maps, new maps, world maps, and state maps. Maps are a great way to learn about how areas have changed and discover new things about places you didn’t know, even in the days of GPS!
Whether you’re ready to travel or prefer to stay home, each of these A to Z online resources offer a wonderful way to get to see the world and learn about the many cultures that exist across the globe.