If you haven’t been to your local library lately, you’ve got a lot to learn.

In addition to checking out the latest John Grisham novel or catching up on the classics, such as Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice,” there’s a lot more you can do there, or in some cases, from the comfort of your living room.

For those living in the Pleasant Valley School District, the Western Pocono Community Library, a sprawling 30,000-square-foot mecca for book lovers, offers much more than the average library. You’d almost have to wonder what Ben Franklin, founder of the first lending library in America, would think if he got to peruse the facilities.

The Western Pocono Community Library first opened in April 1975 with 300 square feet of space in Zion United Church on Route 209 in Brodheadsville. A year later, the library relocated to a 3,000-square-foot rented home, where it continued to grow as the community did. In October 2000, the current two-level, multifunctional facility was dedicated.

Librarian Carol Kern has guided the library through all its incarnations, from inception to the five-star facility it now calls home. She leads a staff of 15, most of whom work part time.

“The achievements of the past 40-plus years have been the result of dedicated teamwork by our board of directors and staff,” said Kern. “Together they have set and maintained high standards for us as a community library.”

Grab your passport and go

Your passport, of course, is your library card. It can open up a world of riches, including many from your own computer. Accessing the library through its website, you can chat online 24/7 with a Pennsylvania librarian; conduct research; look for a job; read a newspaper; view photos and documents. Available material covers all ages.

In addition to offering the services one would expect at a library, the Western Pocono Community Library hosts numerous programs and activities, such as computer learning classes, adult literacy programs, GED tutoring and English as a Second Language classes.

There are regular weekly story-time sessions for children, including visits from therapy dogs.

Programs for babies and toddlers include Play K, for children preparing to enter kindergarten in the fall; Toddler Rhythm, an interactive musical story time; Books and Toys for babies through age 3; and Block Party for children 3 to 6 years of age.

The library also hosts a teenage advisory board.

Families are welcome to a weekly all ages coloring program; a Saturday matinee, where you can purchase popcorn and snacks to enjoy while you watch that week’s movie; board games; and family fun time.

If you’re looking to get healthy, the library can help. In addition to all the numerous books on dieting, exercise and healthy options, take advantage of the track on the lower level. This large open area offers 7,000 square feet of space that is also available to community groups to use as a meeting room. You can take a cardio, basic stretch or strength-conditioning class through the SilverSneakers Fitness Program.

And if you’re so inclined, you can also donate blood on the first and third Wednesday of the month through Miller-Keystone Blood Center.

Do you enjoy gardening? The library features an outdoor experimental “select trial garden” in coordination with the Penn State Master Gardener Program. The garden is maintained by master gardener volunteers and offers the perfect spot for outdoor reading when the weather is nice.

“Some people believe a library is simply a repository for books,” said Kern. “At WPCL nothing is further from the truth. Books are only a small part of what we offer.

“We invite newcomers to visit and experience our many other opportunities for health, knowledge and social interaction,” she said. “Hundreds of patrons each day explore and discover what is new at our library.”

The Western Pocono Community Library is located at 13 Pilgrim Way in Brodheadsville. It’s open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays; from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays and Fridays; and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays. Story-time hours are 10:30 a.m., 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays; and 1 p.m. on Fridays for children with special needs.

It’s closed Sundays and all major holidays.

For more information, call 570-992-7934 or visit www.wpcl.lib.pa.us where you can also find monthly calendars of everything your library has to offer.