Achievement 16: Final Image Unlocked!

You did it! The comments you and other SummerQuest heroes wrote have unlocked the complete image created for this year's Summer Reading program from Pima County Public Library!

The last two pieces of the image are from northern Arizona, with a united concept of being about trees.

The lower blue picture shows a bank of pines standing in snow near Flagstaff. People who have never been to Arizona find it hard to imagine we have wide tracts of pine forests, much less that we have whole regions of the state that get snow every year.

The upper red picture shows a scene from the Petrified Forest National Park. You are looking at segments of gigantic redwoods that died over three millenia ago, then slowly petrified by the same mechanism that creates the many fossils being uncovered and studied by researchers at the park. Paleontologists and geologists come to the park, adding to the scientific knowledge to be gleaned from this globally-important site.

To learn more about Flagstaff -- its history and prehistory, geology, as well as opportunities for biking and birding (or just to find a fun hike in the north country), have a look at the selection of books and information we can offer: http://bit.ly/about-Flagstaff

For more about the Petrified Forest, see what interests you here: http://bit.ly/Petrified-Forest

The image of the pines outside Flagstaff was made available courtesy of photographer Patrick Nouhailler through a Creative Commons license: http://www.flickr.com/photos/patrick_nouhailler/5716904358/

 

Achievement 15: Image Unlocked!

 

Two more images linked by the concepts behind them: mining!

The town of Jerome began as an old mining town that truly epitomized "the wild and wooly west" in its heyday. Then the price of metals being taken from the mines fell, and even the new technology of extraction could not keep the town alive after World War II ended. Nearly a ghost town in the middle of the last century, Jerome has been reborn as a thiving destination for tourism and art lovers of all kinds.

The cookstove is a relic from a gold mining camp that did not fare as well. The Kentucky Camp in the Santa Rita Mountains south of Tucson became a ghost town after being abandoned in 1912. Today it is slowly being restored by the National Park Service that aquired the property in 1989.

Arizona's ghost towns have a lot of myth and story told about them, and often the truth is stranger than the fiction. Check out these possibilities:  http://bit.ly/ghost-towns

The image of the post office sign in Jerome was made available courtesy of photographer Mediafury through a Creative Commons license: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mediafury/4181380155/

The campstove picture is courtesy of Lisa Waite Bunker.

(Just one more piece of the image to unlock when you comment on the final quest of SummerQuest!)

SummerQuest 16 Hint

The hint is to understand more about what people have learned in their lives by reading a biography or looking at our Biography Databases.

Achievement 14: Image Unlocked!

Two more pieces unlocked together!

In the upper right you see Dan Akee, a veteran of WWII and one of the celebrated Navajo code talkers. This photo was taken when he was appearing at the Grand Canyon National Park celebration of Native American Heritage Month (2010). The events are held in honor of the many accomplishments, contributions and sacrifices of the indigenous peoples of North America.




In the lower margin is an iconic Navajo squash blossom necklace, unusual in having three strands of silver. Some people look no deeper than stones and metal in jewelry like this, not recognizing the weight of history that goes into making such pieces.

To learn more about the indigenous nations of the southwest, http://bit.ly/Native-Americans

Discover how important the code talkers were to American efforts in WWII: http://bit.ly/code-talkers


If you want to understand more about Indian jewelry and adornment, both modern and ancient, we have a variety of resources for you to explore: http://bit.ly/indian-jewelry

The image of Dan Akee was made available courtesy of the Grand Canyon National Park Service, through a Creative Commons license: http://www.flickr.com/photos/grand_canyon_nps/5188445257/

SummerQuest 16

Being a hero does not mean you don't make mistakes. Being heroic means you learn from your mistakes. Your quest is to finish this sentence: "If only I'd known...." Your challenge is to communicate something you've learned on your epic journey. Perhaps you should write a letter to someone, or put your insights into words with a story, a song or a poem, or into a journal. If appropriate, you could put it on Twitter, Facebook, or simply write a few words in the comments below. Five comments on this final post will unlock the whole picture!

SummerQuest 15 Hint

Hint: From the library's home page, click on Music From Freegal, enter your library card and pin number, then click on the blue "See All Genres" button. From there, scroll down the list on the left and pick something new you'd like to try.

SummerQuest 15

You'll find treasure at the end of this musical quest. Download a song to keep from the library's website using Freegal. Your challenge is to download a song from a group you don't know or from a type of music you've never tried before. Give it a shot and tell us in the comments what the song was and what you thought about it. As usual, it takes five comments to unlock another piece of the picture.

Achievement 13: Image Unlocked!

Did you notice we unlocked two separate pieces in today's SummerQuest picture? It seemed like a good idea because both are about road travel in the state.

Before the huge and impersonal interstate highway system was built, before high-speed travel by car or plane was easy and comfortable, Americans still wanted to pick up and move -- and the great "Mother Road" of Route 66 was how we could get from the more heavily-populated midwest out to the promised land that was California. Route 66 brought the Dust Bowl migrants westward in search of a better life, and it introduced Arizona to the countless thousands who passed though. Some visitors stayed, falling in love with the wonders of the southwest.

If you travel away from the main urban centers and leave the interstate behind, then you'll be familiar with the windy roads and the warning signs like the 15 MPH road sign in the upper right of the image. Switchbacks can still separate careless drivers from those who proceed more carefully!

Route 66 has been the subject of countless books, movies, and even a TV show from the 1960s. Find out more at this link: http://bit.ly/about-Route66

Route 66 was also called the Will Rogers Highway. Do you know who he was? If not, you should really learn more about this remarkably clever and insightful man! Try one of the books or movies in this list: http://bit.ly/about-Will-Rogers

And if you are looking for ideas for day trips around the state, hunt up one of these books from our collection. Just be careful on those switchbacks! http://bit.ly/Arizona-day-trips

Achievement 12: Image Unlocked!

Sabino Canyon, just north of Tucson, has offered welcome relief and recreation for local residents ever since humans first lived in the area. Escaping to the mountains and cool canyons during our most blisteringly hot days in the depths of summer made life much nicer. This was even more true back in the days before air conditioning! 

A trek into the Catalina Mountains to get out of the city for the day might be just the ticket to fulfill one of your 100 Activities for this year's Summer Reading Program. If you take a look under "Explore," item #3 is "Go on a hike!" http://1.usa.gov/100-Activities

Pick up a field guide to Sabino, and find out about the animals, plants, geology and ecology of the canyon, or discover something about its history or the ancient people who also walked the stones and played in the streams: http://bit.ly/sabino-canyon

Who are the young women wearing gun holsters? They were part of a group of University of Arizona students who traveled to Sabino Canyon in 1914 by car. According to Julia R. Waite, their car broke down on the way back so they didn't arrive home until 3:00am. Image graciously provided by Lisa Waite Bunker from her family's photographs.

Achievement 11: Image Unlocked!

  

Visitors to Arizona -- if they come at the right season -- always seem surprised and awed by the amazing beauty and vigor of Arizona's plant life. Our spring and summer may be different and much warmer than those seasons found in other climates, but local residents still thrill to the vibrant colors of cactus blooms and the fiery explosion of the red bird of paradise (Caesalpinia pulcherrima) commonly seen through the region.

Explore our Seed Library for plants you can add to your garden or landscape: http://www.library.pima.gov/seed-library/

After the cactus flowers, the fruits grow fat and just as colorful as the blossoms that preceeded them. They make great jams and candy, among other things too! If cooking with native plants (harvested legally, please!) appeals to you, look at some of these books for ideas of what is possible: http://bit.ly/cooking-desert-plants

Achievement 10: Image Unlocked!

The picture in the upper left of the SummerQuest image was taken in Antelope Canyon, considered one of the most picturesque places in Arizona. Located near Page, Arizona, the Lake Powell Navajo Tribal Park is administered by Navajo Parks and Recreation and includes the trail to the famous Rainbow Bridge.

To find out more about the remarkable and varied geology throughout Arizona, try some of these suggestions: http://bit.ly/Arizona-geology

Achievement 9: Image Unlocked!

In the Cold War era, a top secret missile base housing multi-megaton Titan missiles aimed at the USSR lay beneath Arizona sands. Today, the Titan Missile Museum near Sahuarita is a National Historic Landmark that tells the story of those dark and fear-filled days.

We have just a little bit about the Titan Missile Museum and the nearby Pima Air and Space Museum, but if you go to Joel D Valdez Main Library in downtown Tucson, you can look at their catalogs here: http://bit.ly/Arizona-Aerospace

Even better, take a day trip out of Tucson and go see these museums for yourself! Make it a Summer Reading activity, or just to understand more about how the world used to be.

If the Cold War history intrigues you, there is a lot to learn from these resources: http://bit.ly/Cold-War

The image of the Titan warhead was made available courtesy of photographer Sam Howzit through a Creative Commons license: http://www.flickr.com/photos/aloha75/6110164118/

Achievement 8: Image Unlocked!

Their pretty white dresses ... with guns on their hips!

While the building over the roadrunner's shoulder may be a little hard to see, Tucsonans can see the original building still standing on the University of Arizona campus. Built to house the library of the state's first university, it has had many additions and changes to its façade in the intervening years. The library served students and faculty until 1976, and is now on the National Register of Historic Places.

How could we put together the SummerQuest and not have a nod to a library in there somewhere??

To find out some interesting stories about the University of Arizona, have a look at some of these possibilities: http://bit.ly/University-of-Arizona

Both images graciously provided by Lisa Waite Bunker from her family's photographs.

SummerQuest 14

Today, your quest is more creative. Create a piece of book art or book sculpture. Your challenge is to anonymously leave your creation at your favorite library. You do not have to stick to the public libraries! Yes, this was inspired by the mysterious book sculptures left in libraries around Edinburgh. Go ahead. Google it. Then post us a hint where you left it. (Please do not use a library book!)

SummerQuest 13 Hint

Hint: Try out the World Almanac Online - Search: Invention (Section: Science and Technology). Start here at the library's Encyclopedia and Almanac database page.

SummerQuest 13

As you journey through the quest of life, imagine all the amazing things that make your day "that much easier."  Toasters. Curling irons. E-mail. Calculators. Your challenge is to pick one object that you can't imagine living without, put on your detective cap, and do a little research. Who invented it? When did they unveil it to the world? Once you have done this, post a comment to the blog thanking the person/group who created your treasured object, along with any facts you discovered.

SummerQuest 12 Hint

Hint: Did you read a book at the library? Did you listen to an audiobook? Did you discover the library database Mango Languages for an interactive experience?

SummerQuest 12

Today's quest is to learn 10 words in a new language. Your challenge is to share what language you chose and why. In the comments, also list the 10 words that you felt were the most important to learn. Remember, five comments will unlock the next piece of the picture.

SummerQuest 11 Hint

Hint: You do not have to recommend the book to someone you know. You can choose to recommend it to a stranger, a celebrity, a librarian, a politician or a fictional character.

SummerQuest 11

An ongoing quest in any bibliophile's life is to read through that list of "to read" books. For today's quest, go through your list and pick out a book somebody recommended to you to read. Don't have any recommendations? Any book recommended on the Ravenous Readers blog will do, or find the "Get Personalized Good Reads" link on the library catalog to get a personalized recommendation from a librarian. Your challenge, regardless of whether or not you like the book, is to recommend it to two people whom you think would like it. Tell us the book and whom you recommend it to in the comments.

Achievement 7: Image Unlocked!

The Paiute leader named Tau-gu, revealed in the first segment of this SummerQuest image, is now shown to be standing with his famous acquaintance, John Wesley Powell. Powell explored and surveyed many of the arid lands in the West, and served as the second Director of the United States Geological Survey. He is best known for leading the first known expedition through the Grand Canyon.

To learn more about John Wesley Powell and the scientific advances he made in his time, read some of these suggestions: http://bit.ly/John-Wesley-Powell

What is one of the most famous parts of Arizona? The Grand Canyon surely must be one of the top contenders. If you can't go up there this summer, explore some of the books, movies, and more to be found through this link. http://bit.ly/Grand-Canyon

This public domain photograph was believed to have been taken by Frederick Samuel Dellenbaugh and dates from between 1871 and 1874. The original photograph is archived by the Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Yale University.

SummerQuest 10 Hint

Hint: Did you find your pattern online? In a book? Did you try our Hobbies and Crafts Reference Center database?

SummerQuest 10

Your quest, should you choose to accept it, is: make a craft from a pattern. Your challenge is to create your own pattern to share and post it on Instructables or another free craft site. Post a description and a link in the comments.

SummerQuest 9 Hint

Hint: Need some inspiration? Check out the library's Outdoor Adventures page.

SummerQuest 9

What does every epic quest have in common? Heroic acts of valor in the face of evil? Inexplicably keeping your hair looking awesome even as you go for weeks without a shower? Awesome swords?! No, no, and nope!  Every quest involves lots of hiking from place to place! Take up the mantle of epic fantasy hero as you hike, whether it's deep into rugged mountains, parched desert, or across town. Your challenge is to take a picture when you reach your destination and post it on flickr, or describe your trek in the comments section. Five responses will complete this quest and unlock the next piece of the puzzle!

SummerQuest 8 Hint

Your hint: Check out Tucson Museum of Art's website and type "artist built studio" into their search function.

SummerQuest 8

Today your quest is to visit an art gallery, either in person or virtually. Your challenge is to find the local Tucson artist who built his/her own studio out of adobe. Instead of posting the answer, describe his/her style of artwork, and your favorite thing about it. After 5 people have responded, we will post the answer and unlock the next piece of the picture!

SummerQuest 7 Hint

Hint: Take a look at the Pima County Public Library's "Giving to Charities" webpage.  We also recognize that times are tough and many of us don't always feel like we have anything to give.  Think about what you can give.  Did you donate a plastic bag to the library to be reused as a book bag? Did you pass up on a bag at your favorite store and leave a token instead? Maybe you gave someone change for a soda or shared your lunch. Remember that no matter how small, caring gestures always make an impact.

Achievement 6: Image Unlocked!

Continuing the theme previously unlocked, the arches at Tumacácori speak eloquently to the time when Father Kino arrived in the lands of the O'odham, carrying the architecture of Old Spain and ushering in so many of the changes that transformed Arizona into the place it is today... even the many saguaro cactus that remain only as skeletons of their former selves, the face of the swelling population that moved to Arizona over the centuries.

Can I suggest you might go visit the Tumacácori National Historical Park and count that as one of your "Explore" activities? Before you go, read about the monument's history, by trying one of these: http://bit.ly/tumacacori

If learning more about saguaros sounds more interesting, there's plenty to choose from here: http://bit.ly/about-saguaros You know it is pronounced "sah-WAH-row" don't you?

The image of Tumacacori was made available courtesy of photographer Ken Lund through a Creative Commons license: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kenlund/3443102021/in/photostream/

SummerQuest 7

The luckiest of heroes have a fairy godmother who blesses their quest with gifts or magical endowments. In real life, not everyone is so lucky, which is why your quest today is to be someone else's fairy godmother and explore philanthropy by making a donation. There are numerous organizations to which you can donate, especially local Tucson groups. Your challenge is to discover the many different ways you can donate to the Friends of the Public Library and make a donation either there or to another organization. In the comments, please tell us who you chose to bless and one thing you love about that organization. After five comments, another piece of the picture gets unlocked.

SummerQuest 6 Hint

Hint: Looking for inspiration? Try searching online for "maps of fictional places."

SummerQuest 6

This quest might look easy, but there's more to it than meets the eye! Draw a map. Sounds easy, right? Well, here's your challenge: draw a map of a fictional place from a favorite book, and share it by posting it to Flickr or another website where you can share pictures. Leave a comment with a description and link for the rest of us to admire both your drawing skills and literary taste! After five responses, we'll unlock another piece of the picture.

Achievement 5: Image Unlocked!

The magnificent saguaro stands on a skyline, aged and dimming into history. Or is that just an imaginary idea about what the Old West was, promulgated by Hollywood?

The White Dove of the Desert, San Xavier del Bac, is an iconic monument to the genuine history of southern Arizona. Find out more about San Xavier though this link: http://bit.ly/San-Xavier

Are you curious about what the Old West was really like, here in Arizona and around the southwest? Try one of these books or videos: http://bit.ly/the-old-west.

Maybe you'd like to relax with a bit of that Hollywood history, movies featuring the old and the new southwest: http://bit.ly/movies-about-the-west

SummerQuest 5 Hint

Your hint: Check out ALA's frequently challenged books list for current titles that are frequently challenged in the United States, or ALA's frequently challenged classics book list for classic literature that has faced attacks on your right to decide for yourself what to read.

SummerQuest 5

The character of a hero is shown by undertaking quests that are dangerous, challenging, and a test of will and fortitude. Your quest is to find and read a banned book -- a book that someone, somewhere, believes neither you nor anyone else like you should be allowed to read. Your challenge is to write about the book once you have finished reading it, regardless of whether or not you liked it. Write about it on a blog, or review it on a bookseller site like Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Bookmans, on Goodreads or LibraryThing. Then let us know where you put it! After five people have responded, we will unlock another piece of the picture.

SummerQuest 4 Hint

Hint: Check out the Librarian Files on our website and search for "ghosts."

Achievement 4: Image Unlocked!

The roadrunner is an iconic image of Arizona. A member of the cuckoo family, roadrunners can really cover ground -- up to 20 miles per hour! But do you know if they can fly? To find out, you might look into some of the library's books about roadrunners and other desert wildlife.

To find out roadrunners, read one of these books: http://bit.ly/about-roadrunners

To find about desert ecosystems and the animals we share the state with, I bet you will find something interesting here: http://bit.ly/arizona-natural-history

SummerQuest 4

This quest is not for the faint of heart. By the light of a candle (or a flashlight) in the darkest of night, read a ghost story. If you thought that was your challenge, think again: we challenge you to find a real life Tucson ghost story, and post a brief summary in the comments. After five people have responded, we'll unlock another piece of the puzzle.

Achievement 3: Image Unlocked!

The photograph in the upper left is of John A. Rockfellow, and was taken in 1933. Rockfellow came west from New York state in the 1870s, and prospected in southern Arizona for several years. Eventually he homesteaded in the Cochise Stronghold near Willcox in 1883 and formed the NY Ranch with several partners. Rockfellow was also a surveyor and mapmaker, and an early engineering professor at the University of Arizona. He wrote a book about his experiences, entitled Log of an Arizona Trail Blazer, in 1933.

Image graciously provided by Lisa Waite Bunker from her family's photographs.

Achievement 2: Image Unlocked!

Flash of lightning! Rumble and crack of thunder! Monsoon season in Arizona brings spectacular lightning storms, and much-needed water to the desert lowlands of the state.

To read more about Arizona's monsoon weather -- it will be here before you know it -- start here: http://bit.ly/Arizona-monsoons

If you're interesting in learning about weather (specifically extreme weather!), give this link a try: http://bit.ly/disastrous-weather

SummerQuest 3 Hint

Hint: Use Google or some other search engine to search using the terms: "cattle tank, gardens, Tucson."

SummerQuest 3

Your quest is to visit a Tucson garden (whether virtually or in person). Your challenge is to find the Tucson garden which was started by a family with three daughters who used to swim in a cattle tank. In the comments, post a description of something you might see at this garden. Don't tell us the name of the garden, or you'll spoil the fun for your fellow questers!


After 5 people have submitted a response, we will post the answer and unveil part of the summer reading picture.

EDIT: Congratulations, you have unlocked the next piece of the image! The correct answer (sleuthed out by all of you) was the Tucson Botanical Gardens. Very cool!

Achievement 1: Image Unlocked!

You did it! The first portion of the image is unlocked, with more than five comments received!

This portrait of an important Paiute man dates from between 1871 and 1874. It seems that his name was Tau-gu, and he was acquainted with an important fellow in Arizona history.

This public domain photograph was believed to have been taken by Frederick Samuel Dellenbaugh, and is archived by the Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Yale University.


Want to know more about the Paiute people? http://bit.ly/paiute


Interested in learning about early photography? http://bit.ly/history-of-photography

To see more of the image, take part in the quests and then make a comment on this blog. 

SummerQuest 2 Hint

Hint: Your hint is to check out the library partner, Native Seeds/Search search on their website: www.nativeseeds.org

SummerQuest 2

They say you are what you eat, so why would you want to eat the same old boring things? Your quest this week is to venture out of the same-old same-old and explore a new world of culinary delights! Your challenge is to try a new food that is native to Arizona; one you have never tried before! In the comments, tell us what food you tried and describe your reaction, or describe it in mouth-watering detail. Once we get five responses this quest will be complete and we can unlock the next piece of the picture!

SummerQuest 1 Hint

Your hint is, if you can't think of 100 things, there are books and websites galore with lists like this to get your wheels turning. The library carries several you could check out: Unforgettable Things To Do Before You Die; 100 Things To Do Before You Die or you could watch the film The Bucket List.

SummerQuest 1

Epic heroes need to know what matters to them, so they put their time into things that count. Your quest is to make a list of 100 things you want to have or be or do in your life. They can be large, small, easy, impossible, mundane, loony, contradictory, trivial, momentous, or even mutually exclusive - but they should all be the things that would or do make you happy, and give your life meaning. Your challenge is to pick one thing from your list and tell us in the comments what it is, and what you pledge to do in the next day (or week, or month) to make that idea come true.

SummerQuest

Welcome to our summer adventure! Citizens of Pima County, only you can help us uncover our Mystery Image, created by noted Tucson fantasy artist Liz Danforth. How? Twice a week, we'll post a quest that ties in with our marvelous Summer Reading program.

Then it's your turn. You may be charged to discover a quirky Tucson landmark, conquer a new skill, or even explore the treasures to be found at your local library. The thing about a quest is that you just never know.

Read each post to discover your quest: what you have to do or discover. Then leave a comment detailing your triumph over the challenge: a small task that will prove you've completed the quest. (To leave your comment, click on the title of the post and scroll to the bottom of the resulting page.) When five people have left their comments, we'll be able to unlock another portion of the Mystery Image.

If you're having a particularly difficult time with a quest, our oracle will be posting helpful hints a day or two after the initial post goes up. Please be sure to comment at the original post.

So polish your sword, lace up your boots, and join us for fun, adventure, and derring-do! Just watch out for the desert orcs. Those guys can get grumpy.

How Will You Unlock the SummerQuest?

This image will be revealed, little by little, over the course of the summer. You will make it happen by completing quests and putting comments into the blog. When five comments are posted about that week's challenge, we unlock a little more of the picture.