Emily Sly, Sequim Branch Library Manager

Explore the Peninsula

Publication Date: August, 2021
Sequim Gazette
Columnist: Emily Sly, Library Manager

Whatever your summer plans, the library offers resources for your adventures near and far– audiobooks for the road, travel books, passes to Olympic National Park and Washington State Parks, topographic trail maps, and a fun Summer Reading Game with ideas for local exploration (and reading inspiration)!

Audiobooks are a great way to listen to stories while driving around town or on a road trip. Check out downloadable eAudiobooks and eBooks available through the Libby app, or download movies, music, and audiobooks through the hoopla app. These resources are available for free with your library card. If you don’t have a NOLS card, it’s easy to get a temporary one online at www.nols.org/library-card, which you can use to access e-content right away. Then, stop by the library to complete your registration and pick up your new library card. Audiobooks on CD are also available for checkout.

Travel books are great for planning a trip or dreaming about a future adventure. Plan a local exploration of trails with Day Hiking: Olympic Peninsula by Craig Romano or discover new places in World Travel: An Irreverent Guide by Anthony Bourdain. Take a journey through the Inside Passage in Uncharted: A Couple’s Epic Empty-Nest Adventure Sailing from One Life to Another by Kim Brown Seely or enjoy Chirri & Chirra: On the Town by Kaya Doi, a sweet picture book for kids about discovering new places on a bike ride through town.

As you get set to explore Olympic National Park or Washington State Parks, consider placing a hold on the Explore! Olympic Pack or Check Out Washington! daypack. Each backpack includes field guides, maps, and binoculars. The Explore! Olympic Pack includes a pre-paid seven-day pass to Olympic National Park; the Check Out Washington! daypack includes seven-day access to a Discover Pass, allowing entrance to all Washington State Parks. NOLS has partnered with Olympic National Park and Washington State Parks to offer the backpacks and passes. The library also offers laminated topographic trail maps for checkout. Stop by the Sequim Branch Library to browse the maps on the shelf or find a complete list of available maps that can be placed on hold by using the NOLS catalog.

If you’re looking for ideas for local adventures, pick up a copy of the library’s Summer Reading Game, or sign up for the Summer Reading Program at nols.org to access the game online. Some activities include finding a photo from the Bert Kellogg Collection displayed in the community, searching for treasure using the geocaching kits at the library or reading a book set in the Pacific Northwest. Complete activities through August 20 for a chance to win the weekly drawing for a $5 gift card to Sweet Spot Frozen Yogurt.

Friendly library staff are always available to help connect you with the resources you need at the Sequim Branch, located at 630 N. Sequim Avenue. For more information, visit nols.org or call 360-683-1161.

Day Hiking: Olympic Peninsula
World Travel: An Irreverent Guide
Uncharted: A Couple’s Epic Empty-Nest Adventure Sailing from One Life to Another
Chirri & Chirra: On the Town