Libraries in West Palm Beach, Florida

Deep in the labyrinth of the literary mazes that constitute our libraries lie a simple yet profound truth; the book you hold in your hand has touched and will touch many more. The words you read and what they may or may not mean to you will strike some familiar chord in the hearts of the next reader. Same book, same pages, different lives, different experiences. What it means to you is not necessarily what it will mean to me. What it says to you, is not necessarily what I will hear when I open the very same pages, sometimes marked by your very own soiled fingers.

Libraries are havens for the literary thirsty. The cool words of the new or familiar author wash over our dry, word-thirsty souls and bring forth knowledge, humor or whim. Many of us take the weekly trek not just to find new written gems or to introduce our little ones to our love of bounded words but also to attend book clubs, computer classes or story time.

In my home town, there are a number of these structures, each of them giving a totally different feel. Each attracts a whole different crowd and each exudes its own atmosphere and charm.

The library of West Palm Beach at Okeechobee Boulevard

Nestled away from the busy street and comfortably close to Dunkin' Donuts, this library is a meeting place for older folks of the community. It is always a joy to stop by on a Saturday and strike conversations with the elderly as they return books that they are more than happy to share their views on. I have used this particular location to study for exams or just find real quiet time for reading or browsing. The best feature of this library is the books for sale. These are usually in great condition and you are allowed to take them by an honor system. No one walks by to collect, but you are expected to do the noble thing and place a dollar for the book you take in the black box. No one seems to abuse this system. The hours for this library are as follows:

Monday - Wednesday 10:00 am to 8:00 pm
Thursday - Saturday 10:00 am to 5:00 pm

The main library of West Palm Beach on Summit Boulevard

This is a very busy place. It has a kid-friendly environment and an entire children department to prove that point. It is equipped with state of the art computers and you can reserve a quiet room if you need to study. This library boasts a huge collection of books that can be easily found by searching electronically at any of the kiosks. Story time, children time and host of other programs bring Palm Beach County's families to the doorstep of this great establishment at every given chance.

Their hours are as follows:

Monday - Thursday 9:00 am to 9:00 pm
Friday 9:00 am to 6:00 pm
Saturday 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
Sunday 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm

City of West Palm Beach library

Brand spanking new and beautiful! This library has a kid-friendly environment where kids actually have a floor desiccated just for them. They are entertained with toys, age-appropriate computer games and relaxed parents.

Located at 411 Clematis Street, the hours are as follows:

Monday - Thursday 9:30 am to 8:30 pm
Friday - Saturday 9:30 am to 5:00 pm
Sunday 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Closed On Major Holidays

This library boasts a wide range of programs for adults, children (an entire floor is dedicated to them) and teens

This innovative new library also has book clubs and computer classes.