On the Shelf – 8/6

See Y’all There!

Of course, you’ll be coming to the Downieville Library this coming Monday (August 10) for the once-a-month evening opening? Right? I’ll be there, waiting for you. I’ll have the library open by 6:00 PM, and won’t close it until at least 8:00 PM. What can the library offer you in the evening? Well, let’s begin with a somewhat cooler time of the day. And, of course, books, videos, computer, wifi access — and someone glad to see you walk through the door. See y’all there!

What Does It Mean to Be Rural?

Quite often, when responding to surveys or questionnaires — especially of the online variety — the question is posed about where the respondent lives. Available options usually include “urban”, “suburban”, “rural” — and are sometimes broken down into even more specific designations. A training I recently attended broke down population into these categories: urban; suburban; metro mix; second city; town/rural. I’m sure you’ve run into these options — or something similar to them — in your own experience. (I keep waiting for the survey that gives me this option: “small mountain village located in a river canyon”.) It seems, no matter how finely the creators of such categories cut it, that two of these always show up: urban and rural.

Here’s how the United States Census Bureau approaches the topic (https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/geography/guidance/geo-areas/urban-rural.html): “The Census Bureau’s urban-rural classification is a delineation of geographic areas, identifying both individual urban areas and the rural area of the nation. The Census Bureau’s urban areas represent densely developed territory, and encompass residential, commercial, and other non-residential urban land uses. The Census Bureau delineates urban areas after each decennial census by applying specified criteria to decennial census and other data. Rural encompasses all population, housing, and territory not included within an urban area. For the 2020 Census, an urban area will comprise a densely settled core of census blocks that meet minimum housing unit density and/or population density requirements. This includes adjacent territory containing non-residential urban land uses. To qualify as an urban area, the territory identified according to criteria must encompass at least 2,000 housing units or have a population of at least 5,000.”

As we delve deeper into the question of what it means to be rural, we come across explanations like this one from the Center on Rural Innovation: “There is no single definition of ‘rural.’ In fact, there are multiple definitions of ‘rural’ across federal agencies and national rural organizations. The definitions used by federal agencies, in particular, span three geographic units of analysis: census tracts, counties, and ZIP codes. From population density to commuting patterns to adjacency to a metropolitan area, the definitions also take into account different variables.”

Not really what you were hoping for in the way of definitions? Me, neither! I have spent a large part of my professional career engaged with the question of what it means to be rural — and how we respond to and serve the rural community and its people. I think I am coming to the conclusion that it is only the people who live the life — those who know themselves to be rural — who can provide the definition. Which leads me to…

…Offer You an Invitation!

I am currently working on a poem with the working title, “Rural Life Is…” — and I invite you to join me in creating the poem. I’ll leave the invitation open until after Labor Day, and when I include the “finished” poem in this column, I’ll give credit where credit is due. To get us started, here is how the poem might begin (and to show you the format to be used):

Rural Life Is…

…when you allow two hours for a five minute walk to the post office

…where you wave at every car you pass because it’s probably someone you know and if not…oh well…

…where you know all the mileposts on all the highways and county roads

You get the idea. I invite you to send me your poetic possibilities at downiepaul46@gmail.com (use “Rural Life” in the subject line).