Kings County Library – Hanford

For a library essentially in the middle of fields and desert, this one ain’t half bad! Plenty of good ol’ books, a few computer stations, a decent sized kids’ room (more importantly, it’s somewhat closed off) and a second floor balcony with a few tables and chairs for reading and study. The layout is a basic, open rectangle which means the noise can travel, so it gets a bit noisy fairly easily.

Ooooooh. I didn’t know I could review the library. Well, look out, because I LOOOOOOVE the library.
Are you still holding onto your Netflix DvDs by mail membership??? WHY??? Have you ever stopped to add up the yearly expense on that and factor in how many DvDs you actually receive each year? Let’s compare the price of that to the price of what you would pay to borrow the same exact DvDs from the local library. Grab your calculator, this is gonna be some hard math. Ok, the library is free… so that’s zero, subtract that from what you’re paying for Netflix and… oh wait. You are paying for something you could get for FREE. Do you like throwing your money away… because if you don’t want your money, I will gladly hold onto it for you. ;-)
Ok, the library will let you borrow DvDs. You can even browse their catalog from the comfort of your home computer, request DvDs you want to watch… then BAM, they’ll call you when they are delivered to the library and ready for you to pick up. With self checkout, you are in and out faster than… well, something that’s really fast.
Did you know that with the Overdrive app, you can even download and read books on your mobil device?
Did you know that you can ask the librarians for recommendations?
Did you know that the library hosts summer reading events for kids of all ages, your child can be earning prizes for reading during the summer.
What I’m trying to say is that our library is more than some dusty old books and that old periodic filing cabinet you remember. Our library is modern and has lots to offer… books, magazines, DvDs, books on tape. You can access your account online and do a variety of things (like extending your book loan) right from your home. Don’t have a home computer? The library has computers you can use. It’s air conditioned!!! They have a Facebook page!!! They have book sales from time to time. The children’s area is BEAUTIFUL and inviting. Learn about our community library, it’s a gift that we should all be celebrating!!!

While the self checkout system is convenient, this library feels a bit more impersonal than some of the others in other areas where I have lived.
In other towns I have always gotten to know the librarians, they even greeted me by name. I understand its a larger branch and they’re probably busy, but I sometimes miss that.
On the plus side, they have free WiFi so if you’re like me and don’t have any home internet, head on down.

You can find me on the second floor facing the wall studying. I love the feel of this place, especially when it is almost empty and quiet.

The children’s section of the library is somewhat small, but they do offer other activities to make up for the modest selection of books. They have a summer reading program; they have storytime for younger kids twice a week; there are a handful of computers kids can use to play educational games; and, there’s a small tropical fish tank on display. On the opposite side of the library – which I’m sure that the teenagers really appreciate the distance from the «children’s» section – there’s even a separate loft area for older kids.
One other advantage of going to this library: Superior Dairy is right across the street!