Strange that a place with so many shelves looks so disheveled, but the Edgewater Branch library is a distinctive place, with a far more easy-going character than most public libraries. The main room is partitioned nicely, with children’s books in front and, at the rear, an impressive American Indian collection and section with books in Russian and Spanish. There are several computers with Internet access and a nice grouping of tables and chairs for quiet study. There’s even a modest auditorium. The library is the perfect place to relax, absorb knowledge and people-watch for a couple of hours. There is also an enlightening level of diversity in the patronage, and just knowing that there are libraries offering three-hour, nightly homework-help sessions, four evenings a week, makes everything else in this frenetic world seem all right.

Centerstage Reviewer: J. Tyson