Around 10,000 years ago the last ice age came to an end and the North American continent transformed into myriad wonderful ecosystems including the forest land of the Northeast and the Great Lakes, the immense prairies and plains of the Midwest, oceanside coasts, the mountainous west and our beloved desert southwest. What took place as people made their way into these previously unpeopled lands is the subject of a book new to the library collection, “Native America” by Kenneth L. Feder.
This is a great overview of the current accepted archaeological data regarding the history and evolution of the first people of North America. For someone who has had a lifelong interest in this subject, I find the book to be a great single source compiling the complicated story of how humans first found and then adapted to this incredibly diverse landscape. I find it even more compelling as the ancestors of some of these first people are a vital part of the present-day community where we work and play.
How historians and archaeologists piece together the past works in a scientific manner in that evidence is produced, a story based on the evidence becomes a paradigm. If new evidence comes to light, the current story adapts to fit a new more likely narrative. The closer we come to the present, the more details that can become part of the story. For example, we do not know any of the names of the people who lived during the archaic period (9,000 to 3,000 BP). Whereas today in our small town we can name many of the individuals who not only lived in this valley and made this town but lent their names to places and streets of Ignacio, Colo.
However, there is a mystery running right through the middle of our interesting little town. No one seems to know how Goddard Avenue came by its name or who the individual was who lent his name to the highway which becomes our main street. Recently, staff at the library renewed efforts to solve this mystery using a new tool which was not available during the last effort.
The use of chatbots has been a hot topic for a few years now and although our staff have used these tools sparingly, it only makes sense that we would be experimenting with these tools so we can better understand and help our patrons make the best use of them. So, when the topic of how Goddard Avenue received its name resurfaced, I thought it would be interesting to ask some of the chatbots if they had an answer. To shorten a long story, let’s just say the answers have not been independently verified. In his new book “How to AI”, (also on our shelves) Christopher Mims lays out 24 laws of AI. Number 6 is, “Don’t trust it, and always verify its work”.
From ancient times to modern history, from archeological research to the use of AI, your library is here to bring people and ideas together so that our community may learn and grow toward the best possible outcomes.