The Sylvan Way Building Today

You may notice that part of the Sylvan Way branch is closed. We want to share what’s happening and what comes next.

The closed area is safe; however, it will not reopen. The concrete foundation in the closed space was opened in 2025 to repair the library’s main sewer line, and after careful review, the decision was made not to rebuild that portion of the building. With the Sylvan Way building coming closer to the end of its useful life, rebuilding part of it would not be a responsible use of public funds.

We know this change is disappointing. Sylvan Way is an important place for our community and our entire Library system. This decline in Sylvan Way's condition, which we've monitored and managed since completing a professional facilities assessment in 2020, makes our path forward clear: the building is aging, and it is time to start planning for the future.

This is the beginning of a larger conversation. We are actively working with the community to shape what comes next for Sylvan Way. We are committed to listening, sharing information openly, and working together toward a long-term solution.

In 2020, Kitsap Regional Library commissioned a professional facilities assessment. The study found that the building and its major systems were nearing the end of their useful life. At that time, the roof and electrical switchgear were replaced to address urgent failures.

Since then, we have repaired the sewer line and stabilized critical systems, but the building continues to age.

• Soil and underground conditions may create future plumbing and electrical issues
• The electrical system is outdated and cannot fully support modern technology needs
• The HVAC system is complex and nearing the end of its life
• The network infrastructure cannot support future digital library services
• The building lacks a modern sprinkler/fire suppression system

Addressing these issues would cost more than the building’s current value; full replacement is the only fiscally responsible long-term option.

What We’re Hearing

Kitsap Regional Library has begun a community-led planning process to explore the future of the Sylvan Way library. As part of this effort, we convened a Community Advisory Committee of community members following an open application period. The committee is supporting the planning process by helping to inform project priorities and to identify community needs, operational considerations, partnership opportunities, public engagement strategies, and long-term community benefits. Over the summer, we began listening to and discussing feedback from our preliminary community survey, community events, listening sessions with the community and staff, and other conversations.

We are still early in the planning process, and no decisions have been made about what a future library will look like or include. This first round of engagement was intentionally broad—we wanted to begin by listening to what people value about the library today, what could make it more welcoming and useful in the future, and what community needs and opportunities we should explore further.

What we’ve heard so far is helping us identify topics for deeper exploration over the next several months. This is not the end of the conversation. We will continue to create opportunities for people to participate, reach out to voices we haven't yet heard, and remain open to new ideas as planning progresses.

What We’ve Learned So Far

Your feedback through the preliminary community survey, together with conversations we’ve been having throughout the community and with our Community Advisory Committee, is beginning to give us a clearer picture of what people value and hope to experience at the future Sylvan Way library.

Several themes are emerging:

A Welcoming & Inclusive Community Place

People want the library to remain a welcoming place for everyone—a place where people can feel comfortable spending time, whether they come to read, learn, meet others, participate in an activity, or simply be in a shared community space. Accessibility, comfort, safety, and creating a sense of belonging are important parts of that experience.

Spaces to Gather & Connect

We’re hearing strong interest in opportunities for people to come together. Meeting and gathering spaces, community events, classes, activities, and places for groups to connect are recurring ideas. At the same time, people continue to value quieter spaces for reading, studying, working, and individual use.

Learning, Creativity & Discovery

Lifelong learning remains central to how people imagine the future library. We’re hearing interest in hands-on learning, arts and creative activities, technology, making, workshops, and opportunities to discover something new. These ideas span ages and suggest opportunities for both library programs and community partnerships.

Spaces & Experiences for Youth & Families

Children, teens, and families are an important part of the conversation. We are hearing interest not only in larger dedicated spaces for younger users, but also in programs, activities, creative experiences, and places where children and teens can spend time, learn, socialize, and feel that the library is a place for them.

Community Connections & Partnerships

People see opportunities for the library to connect them with more than books and materials. Partnerships with schools, community organizations, service providers, arts and cultural organizations, and others could bring new resources, programs, services, and experiences into the library and strengthen its role within the community.

Flexibility, Inside & Out

We’re hearing interest in spaces that can support different activities and change over time rather than serving only one purpose. That includes larger gatherings and community events as well as opportunities to extend library activities outdoors through reading, gathering, learning, gardens, or other programming.

What We Still Want to Learn

What we’ve heard so far gives us direction, but it also raises new questions. An idea appearing in community feedback doesn't necessarily tell us exactly what it should look like, how people would use it, or how important it should ultimately be within a future library.

Over the next several months, we want to spend more time exploring questions such as:

• Maker and creative spaces: What kinds of making, arts, technology, workshops, or hands-on learning are people interested in? Who would use these opportunities, and what would make them successful?
• Meeting and group-use spaces: What kinds and sizes of spaces are needed? How might individuals, community groups, partners, and organizations use them?
• Youth spaces and programs: What would make children and teens want to spend time at the library? What kinds of spaces, activities, technology, and programs would best support them?
• Larger events and flexible spaces: What kinds of community events could the library support? How can spaces accommodate larger gatherings while remaining useful for everyday library activities?
• Outdoor programming and spaces: How might the library make better use of its site for reading, gathering, learning, play, programs, or connections with nature?

There are other questions we will continue to explore, along with accessibility, partnerships, technology, quiet and individual space, collections, and the operational needs that enable the library to serve the community effectively.

These are questions, not decisions. We will explore them through additional community conversations, targeted listening sessions, activities and events, discussions with potential partners, and continued work with the Community Advisory Committee. We also want to hear new ideas that may not have surfaced yet.

We’re Still Listening

This is still the beginning of the planning process. No decisions have been made about what a future Sylvan Way Library will look like or what it will include.

We also know that the people who participated in the preliminary survey, community events, and conversations so far do not represent everyone in our community. As we move into the next phase, we will continue to make space for new perspectives, reach out to people and communities we have not heard from enough, and provide opportunities for anyone interested to participate.

Community input is helping lead this process. What we're learning now will guide what we explore next, and what we learn through that deeper exploration will eventually help us develop and compare potential alternatives for the future.

What Happens Next?

The Community Advisory Committee is helping us make sense of what we have heard and identify the topics and questions that invite deeper exploration. This fall, those conversations will help guide more focused community engagement, research, and conversations with potential partners.

As we learn more, we will continue to share what we are hearing and show how community input is influencing the planning process. Eventually, what we learn together will help inform potential options for Sylvan Way's future—considerable work and conversation lie ahead before we get there.

Thank you to everyone who has shared their experiences, ideas, and questions with us so far. We hope you'll continue to participate as we explore what the future of Sylvan Way could be.