Fri, 10:12: Okay this will be sort of esoteric to my interests, but the point is what an invaluable resource public libraries are.
I’ve been trying to get official Seattle snowfall amounts for each day on snowfalls for which I have photo albums online, which go as far back as 2004. Scouring the internet for this information has been a frustrating and often elusive process, trying to find archived news stories (or in some cases, just tweets) that note official snowfall amounts, in inches, by date. But then it occurred to me: why don’t I ask a local librarian?
All I did was use the email form on the “contact us” page for the Seattle Public Library (goo.gl/4qYoX5), and I sent in an inquiry stating exactly what I was looking for and asking if someone could tell me where I could find it, either online or even in a published book if necessary.
I received a personal email response the very next day, not just with multiple online sources, but with one particular source they included directions on how to filter the data, with incredible specificity. (In this case, I can find local climatological data via the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Information website: goo.gl/shQzLQ. Even though the page uses language like “add to cart” and “order,” it’s actually all free, and you get a super detailed report by month emailed to you for whatever date range you want: goo.gl/AMfRji.)
Their data seems to be missing for years prior to 2008, but going even back that far with charted data this specific was kind of beyond what I could have hoped for.
So the broader point, again: the public library isn’t just for books, although that’s obviously still vital. No matter what you want to know, the library can tell you how to find the information. Support your local public library!
