BREMERTON — For more than 100 years in Kitsap County, the public library has been a place that transforms lives. Today, Kitsap Regional Library is announcing a transformation of our own as we unveil a new brand.

The new brand is a dramatic shift in the look and feel of library materials and the way the Library will communicate ist role in the community.

“During April, Kitsap Regional Library will introduce a new brand to our community that reflects our history and introduces our new mission,” said Library Director Jill Jean.“Your library has always been about supporting community goals by providing access to information.”

“We have continually updated the way we provide that access. But our image did not reflect how we have changed. Our new brand communicates who we are, what we do and what we hope to do in the future,” Jean added.

With infinite access points to information and inspiration, the Library has moved far beyond the world of books, noted Marketing Manager Jeannie Allen.

“We needed something that communicates the unity, value and strength of our people, places and resources,” Allen said. “Our new brand gives us a way to tell the whole story. Along with a new look, we are embracing a new, more proactive, mission: Inspiring our community to dream more, learn more, do more and be more.”

The new logo is intended as a visual representation of that mission.

In creating the logo, we chose to emphasize the word “library,” said Jeff Brody, director of community relations for the library. “People don’t talk about going to Kitsap Regional Library. They go to the library.

Whichever location you choose to visit, it’s your library.”

The graphic element of the logo is called the Volume Bar, Brody continued. “We want to turn up the volume on your perception of the library. The library is a vibrant place where people can connect and collaborate. Sure, we want there to be some quiet places, but we don’t want you to think of the library as a place where people shush you.”

The five shapes in the “volume bar” represent the variety of ways the library connects, from books to technology (the narrow shape is a book spine; the square represents a pixel). The ever-widening shapes give a feeling of momentum, increasing volume. It signifies the library’s passion to provide more.

The colors create an evolutionary sequence as they intensify from yellow to red, representative of dream more, learn more, do more and be more. The final color, teal, represents the spark of inspiration, which starts at the library.

The history of Kitsap Regional Library is one of creativity and persistence. Each of our libraries was imagined, built and cultivated with love by the individual communities that they represent. The communities of Kitsap came together to form a regional library system, knowing if they worked together each of these libraries could become so much more.

Kitsap Regional Library means nine locations, a digital library, bookmobile and an outreach team that serves more 200 homebound patrons. To the 260,000 people across Kitsap, it means access to nearly a half-million books, DVDs and CDs and millions of eBook titles, audiobooks, downloadable songs and magazines, available online anytime.

“Our new brand demonstrates our commitment to serve and the values of the unique and diverse communities that the Library supports,” Allen said. “It speaks of a library that is dedicated to a thriving, literate community, working hard to bridge the digital divide. Our new brand is action. It tells the tale of place where you can go and think big thoughts or play with little ideas. It is community, creativity and innovation.”

With the launch of the new brand, library patrons will start to see something new.

Jean said KRL will be presenting all of library events, classes and programs in a new quarterly booklet called “Inspire.”

“I love the way this publication represents our new brand,” Jean said. “It is fresh, clean and accessible. It’s a place you can come for information and leave with inspiration.”

“Inspire” demonstrates the variety of events, classes and programs presented by KRL. Library patrons in every community will see information about the entire range of offerings.

“We wanted to make it easier to follow your interests,” Brody said.

Library vehicles, including the Bookmobile, will sport the new logo and tagline.

New signage will be installed at all nine Kitsap Regional Library locations around the county.

The new brand evolved as part of the Vision 2020 strategic planning process. To develop its new strategic plan, the Library re-imagined its mission, values and vision and in doing so recognized the need to express the mission more clearly to the community, Brody said.

“The two overarching goals of the Vision 2020 Strategic Plan are to improve the user experience and raise the level of satisfaction of existing library patrons while also raising the profile and visibility of the library for area residents who have not used the library,” Brody said. “Our new brand is a tool to help us address those goals.”

Patron Appreciation Open Houses: 1-4 p.m. Saturday, April 18

Kitsap residents are welcome to help celebrate the rich history of the Library during open houses at all Kitsap Regional Library locations on April 18, the Saturday of National Library Week.

Reminisce and share fond memories of the library and celebrate the new brand and a new chapter for KRL.