Editorial: Area libraries are a great resource

Looking for a free way of continuing your education? Do you have children who could benefit by growing up with a love of learning? Perhaps you're looking for entertainment - an escape from the ordinary? Or you might just be looking for a reasonably quiet place to think.

“I spent three days a week for 10 years educating myself in the public library, and it’s better than college. People should educate themselves – you can get a complete education for no money. At the end of 10 years, I had read every book in the library and I’d written a thousand stories.”

— Author Ray Bradbury

Looking for a free way of continuing your education? Do you have children who could benefit by growing up with a love of learning? Perhaps you’re looking for entertainment – an escape from the ordinary? Or you might just be looking for a reasonably quiet place to think.

Fortunately, for Silverdale and Bremerton residents, there’s an easy way to meet all those needs: Local libraries.

Silverdale and Bremerton libraries are a valuable resource for residents, offering free access to a wealth of books on every imaginable subject, computer access, magazines, newspapers, children’s books and more.

Kitsap Regional Library’s two Bremerton branches, Silverdale branch and bookmobile are places that residents should be aware of. KRL locations include:

• East Bremerton Sylvan Way main branch, 1301 Sylvan Way.

• Downtown Bremerton, 612 Fifth St.

• Silverdale, 3450 NW Carlton St.

Learn more online at at www.krl.org.

Also, the three-story Haselwood Library at Olympic College in Bremerton isn’t just for OC students. Kitsap residents are allowed to open a “Community Patron” account to use library resources and borrow books, if they provide a photo ID and proof of address.

The massive Seattle Central Library is just a ferry ride and five blocks worth of walking away. The 11-story, 362,987-square foot Seattle Central Library has more than one million books, DVDs and CDs. It boasts 400 public access computers and wireless internet access. It is located at the intersection of Madison Street and Fourth Avenue in Seattle.

Even if one isn’t interested in reading, the Seattle Central Library is worth a visit for its dazzling architecture, all-red fourth floor, book spiral and 10th-story viewing platform alone. Anyone with a Kitsap Regional Library card, photo ID and proof of residence are eligible for free use of the Seattle Central Library’s resources. Learn more at www.spl.org.