Library Notes

Amy Notarius

Memorial Day marked the unofficial start of the summer travel season. If you’re headed to the beach soon, or even if you’d just like to learn more about North Carolina’s coastal areas, Rowan Public Library has some great books to check out.


A new edition of Peter Meyer’s “Nature Guide to the Carolina Coast” was released in 2010. Originally published in 1991, the text was updated several times during the title’s ten printings from 1991 to 2007. In his introduction, Meyer describes his work as an entertaining, informative, easy-to-read reference for coastal residents, visitors, and vacationers.

‘Nature Guide’ offers descriptions, black and white drawings, and full color photographs to help you identify the common birds, crabs, shells, and fish you’ll find in the coastal environment. From the Great Blue Heron to the tiny Marsh Crab, Meyer tells which species are most common in this area and describes their habitats and distinguishing features.

Meyer practices medicine in Wilmington and is also a naturalist. He uses common names to identify animals and plants, but in many cases also includes scientific names. Descriptions of anatomy and life cycles are also more scientific in nature, but Meyer makes a point of including many general, and often fascinating, facts and figures. (Did you know cockle shells have been on earth for at least 65 million years?!)

The 2012 publication of ‘Insider’s Guide to North Carolina’s Outer Banks’ marks the 31st edition of this popular travel guide. It includes helpful information on accommodations, restaurants, and shopping. This work really excels, however, in tracing the history and development of the different areas that make up the Outer Banks. Another highlight is the list of annual events, from arts and pirate festivals to surfing championships and fishing tournaments.

If fishing is an interest of yours, check out ‘Fishing North Carolina’ by Mike Marsh. Marsh begins with a section describing North Carolina’s freshwater and saltwater fish species and the best fishing techniques for each one. In the next section, Marsh tries out every fishing spot he can find, travelling from mountain lakes and streams, across the piedmont, and down the coast. For each area, he indicates which fish species are most prevalent, the best times of year, and the best ways (boat, pier) to fish there.

Get a start on summer fun by checking out these and more outdoor guides from Rowan Public Library today.



Amy Notarius