Monterey Public Library
625 Pacific St., Monterey
646-3932, www.monterey.org/library
It boasts 13 computer stations and Wi-Fi access for up to 80 simultaneous users. It houses community meeting rooms that host everyone from the Aasgaarden Lodge #112 to the Monterey County ACLU. The California History Room is a research treasure of local history. The Teen Council gives young people a voice and a stake in how the library serves them. They lent out almost 500,000 items the last year they counted. Their librarians and staff go to superhuman lengths to help ordinary citizens. And they describe themselves as a “progressive, dynamic organization.” The Friends of the Monterey Public Library bolsters the fiscal strength of the library, and kids adore the place. The Monterey Public Library is like the Super Friends’ Hall of Justice - a place where many come together to become more powerful in the world.