Over the weekend, it was my pleasure to attend a reception hosted by the Robert Louis Stevenson Club of Monterey. I was there to represent the library in welcoming to Monterey several members of the RLS Club, visiting here from Edinburgh, Scotland.

The event was held in the recently refurbished Stevenson House. It was a joy to be in that magical place again - a Mexican era adobe and former Bohemian haunt - where visitors can now enjoy both Stevenson memorabilia and the local art that is exhibited there. Equally enjoyable was spending the evening with people who share the library's interest in preserving aspects of our cultural heritage and who work to promote an appreciation for literature.

The Stevenson connection? Robert Louis Stevenson stayed in this house during his very brief visit to Monterey in 1879. What's more, he left for us a wonderful record of his impressions of our city at a very pivotal time in its history. This can be found in a chapter entitled "The Old Pacific Capital" in Across the Plains. This is highly reommended reading for anyone interested in Monterey's history.