It's July 1944, and in a strong show of approval, Kitsap County voters overwhelmingly decide to create a rural library district, carrying the decision 3,297 to 616. An article in the Kitsap Sun (formerly the Bremerton Sun) briefly explains a board will likely be appointed later that following week and that "one mobile library unit and a number of branches are expected to be in operation in the near future." Though the story runs on the front page, it's situated midway down, overwhelmed by the blaring top headline: "GERMANS FLEE BALTIC LINE."
The 80-year history of Kitsap's public library system is one that naturally reflects and amplifies the lives and voices of the communities it serves. It's a story of resilience, in making do with what's available even while working toward ambitious dreams of encouraging and supporting remarkable achievements. It's a story of partnerships between educators, public services, parents, and local professionals working to inspire new generations while bringing communities together.
Communities Come Together
The newly formed system brought longstanding community libraries into alliance and worked quickly to link together more of the county. Doors to the original branches opened into Bremerton's iconic downtown art-deco hall, while in Kingston, a small cafeteria room was quickly transformed into the city's new library just a year before a 16'x16' Army surplus building was remodeled for Silverdale's use. In 1947, a Library trustee board member set aside a corner of her small shopping mall to serve as the Manchester branch, which then grew and moved into, of all things, a renovated chicken coop.
A History of Library Love
Kitsap citizens sought out libraries early—when Bainbridge opened in 1863, it was the second public library in all of Puget Sound. Bremerton's own library was built over the literal fire department—a visual metaphor for the urgent, service-oriented nature of the work and the increased need for spaces that offered a connection to the larger world, a shelter from harsh weather, and access to historical records, information, breaking news, and immersive stories.
As the county grew and the face of information changed, so did the system. In 1955, the system was renamed to reflect such changes, shifting from "Kitsap County Rural Library" to "Kitsap Regional Library." Port Orchard joined the regional system in 1964, followed a decade later by the Little Boston branch opening in partnership with the Port Gamble S'klallam Tribe on the reservation, where it was first housed in a small A-frame cabin. Funds were raised to open the Sylvan Way location by the end of the '70s. Staff soon embraced a new microfiche catalog system, in the process freeing up space previously occupied by bulky card catalog cabinets.
Logging Into a New Age
If the '70s saw expansion, the '80s saw complete transformation, beginning with two words: library cards. The advent of a digital circulation and management system assigned each library patron a unique barcode printed on a plastic card, allowing patrons to use the library more freely. In 1986, Kitsap Regional Library launched Washington's second online public library catalog, installing terminals (essentially computer portals) to the world wide web in every branch. The City of Poulsbo soon voted to join Kitsap Regional Library, and as the system expanded, so did its influence.
A look at the Library's first website is a snapshot into the unique and even quirky persona of the library system at the time. Many staff members are referred to on a first-name basis, showing how well patrons of the time knew their local library staff.
That website was in many ways practical, utilizing a real-time, scrolling news ticker that counted how many patrons had logged in (nearly a million in 1997) and the number of questions staff had answered (over 10,000 that same year.) The system also offered all county library cardholders a free email account and provided access to early online educational resources.
As technology evolved, the Library's services did too, frequently leading the way. At the turn of the millennium, Kitsap Regional Library secured grant funding to develop a program that allowed patrons who were visually impaired to access the internet and digital catalog and read physical books from the collection. The following year, the Little Boston branch received the esteemed "Excellence in Small and/or Rural Public Library Service Award," a sure sign that the library system was only getting better and better at anticipating and responding to needs across the county.
The Library Cat
As an example of its less practical but fun-loving side, the Kitsap Regional Library's website also featured Dui, the Library Cat—a short, blog-style page written from the perspective of an actual cat that lived at Sylvan Way. There, Dui shared anecdotes from his experiences (featuring a mind-boggling amount of cat puns), links to his favorite internet cat spots, and even a staff email address where patrons could correspond with him.
Checking Out the 21st Century
The decades following show the Library continuing to reinvent its services to meet modern challenges. The launch of an online tutor program that connected Kitsap students with professional tutors over instant messaging was just a shadow of what free homework help would become (with online resources like live-video tutoring from Brainfuse and in-person programming at branches.) Yet, even at the time, students raved about the program and staff saw it exceed usage expectations by nearly 75%. Similar trends brought the advent of the Community Learning Internship in the 2010s, a program that connects young adults with paid employment opportunities to explore career paths and develop professional skill sets. Participants in the program excelled, supporting new initiatives like the 2015 "Make Do Share" project, where interns partnered with youth librarians to bring STEM lessons and projects to young children, learning to create valuable children's programming while themselves teaching the librarians more strategic ways to engage and challenge children intellectually.
In 2018, Kitsap Regional Library finally realized a long-time goal: going fine free. Removing fines ensured the library better served taxpayers and encouraged community members to feel comfortable borrowing materials without the risk of incurring costs.
A Future Where People & Libraries Thrive
This year, as the Library looks back on 80 years of community service, it also looks forward to the near future. While taking the time to recognize this 80-year milestone—honoring and celebrating each branch and community in the region—the Library continues to pursue its long-term priorities of early learning; making and interest-based learning; workforce readiness and development; STEM; and community and social connectedness. The focus is clear: to continue fostering welcoming and belonging while building collective impact, Kitsap Regional Library must thrive ahead.
Kitsap communities will continue to change, and the Library will continue to support present and future generations. To facilitate a collaborative community that offers all people the opportunity to grow, belong, and thrive, the Library intends to focus on its mission—inspiring curiosity and connection—this year and every year to come.
Add a comment to: A Library For All: Kitsap Regional Library Celebrates 80 Years