The Everett Public Library is giving away puzzles. About 150 jigsaw puzzles sit on shelves at the Main Library on Hoyt Avenue, and another 25 or so are available at the Evergreen Way Branch, all free for the taking.
No library card required. No due date. Residents can grab a puzzle, bring it home, finish it, and return it or swap it for another. The only rule: donated puzzles should be complete and in good condition.
Library Director Abigail Cooley told the Everett Post the program grew out of a familiar problem among her staff. "…once you've completed a puzzle, they can start to accumulate pretty quickly, and it can be hard to know what to do with them," Cooley said. "
A puzzle exchange gives those puzzles another life while giving someone else something new to enjoy."
The supply fluctuates. One library employee described the collection simply: "puzzles come and go." Cooley said the idea came from watching other library systems run similar exchanges.
Fall Puzzle Challenge on Oct. 22
Beyond the everyday exchange, the Main Library hosts quarterly puzzle competitions. The next one, the Fall Puzzle Challenge, takes place Thursday, Oct. 22, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Main Library, 2702 Hoyt Ave.
Teams of up to five people race to assemble identical 500-piece puzzles. Registration and details are available on the library's event calendar.
Cooley framed the exchange as part of the library's broader community role, saying libraries are "community spaces where people can discover things, share resources, and find something enjoyable to do."
How to participate
The puzzle shelves are accessible during regular library hours, Tuesday through Saturday, at both locations:
- Main Library: 2702 Hoyt Ave.
- Evergreen Branch: 9512 Evergreen Way
Note: The Main Library is undergoing an HVAC improvement project. Visitors may notice temporary construction impacts.
Residents who want to donate puzzles can drop them off at either branch. Staff ask only that pieces are all accounted for and the box is in decent shape.
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