educational and outreach tool

What is geocaching? The usual definition of geocaching is a high-tech version of hide-and-seek, which sums up the activity pretty well. The aim of geocaching is to use a GPS receiver to locate hidden containers, called geocaches, which have been hidden by other geocachers. The caches range in size from small magnetic “buttons ” the size of your fingernail, to ex-military ammunition cans. Each cache contains a logbook for the finders to sign, and, if size permits, some small trinkets for cachers to exchange for trinkets of their own. Once you’ve signed the log you can also log your find online through a website. There are several geocache listing websites; the most widely used is www.geocaching.com which is run by the company Groundspeak. According to Groundspeak, their site lists 1.9 million active geocaches all over the world and has over 5 million users (Groundspeak Inc., 2012). Geocaching is an activity which people of all ages can participate in – from families with children, to retirees travelling the country. This makes geocaching an ideal way for all types of libraries to showcase their services and facilities, and engage with their community. When geocaching first began in May 2000, cachers had to use dedicated hand-held GP