Author, naturalist and teacher Jack Nisbet will present the story of explorer David Douglas at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 26, at the Port Angeles Library, 2210 S. Peabody St.

Nisbet’s latest book is a biography of Douglas called, “The Collector: David Douglas and the Natural History of the Northwest.”

David Douglas was the premier botanical explorer in the Pacific Northwest in the 19th century. Douglas’ discoveries include hundreds of western plants, most notably the iconic Douglas-fir. “The Collector” tracks Douglas’ fascinating history, from his humble birth in Scotland in 1799 to his botanical training under the famed William Jackson Hooker, and details his adventures in North America discovering “exotic” new plants for the English and European market.

In telling Douglas’ story, Nisbet evokes a lost world of early exploration, pristine nature, ambition, and cultural and class conflict with surprisingly modern resonances.

“The Collector” was chosen for a 2010 Pacific Northwest Book Award.

This free program is presented in cooperation with Port Book & News. Copies of Nisbet’s books will be available for purchase and signing.

For more information about this or other library programs and events, e-mail PortAngeles@nols.org, call 417-8500 or visit www.nols.org and click on “Events.”