Free2 is for all of us who believe in libraries and their potential to be 21st century community centers of the highest order.

Conceived and supported by the 165 locations throughout the Bay Area Library & Information System, Peninsula Library System and Silicon Valley Library System, the Free2 campaign celebrates the empowering role that libraries play in our lives.

Thanks to libraries, we surf. We game. We discover new worlds. We laugh and cry our way through good reads. We research new business ideas. We learn English as a second language. We attend lectures. We do yoga. We connect with friends and family.

No matter where we come from, no matter how young or old, no matter how big our dreams, Free2 recognizes that libraries help give us the freedom to connect, create, imagine, explore and succeed in ways that we never thought possible.

This campaign is designed to raise awareness of libraries in the Bay Area (at least initially). It encourages you to visit more often, whether that means stopping by your local branch to check out the latest video game or accessing the online catalog or participating in a program or activity.

It challenges stereotypes of dusty bookshelves and shush-happy librarians. It promotes how libraries sit in the heart of our communities. It recognizes that our libraries are among our most revered public institutions. It honors their great legacy of innovative partnerships. And it demonstrates an important fact in the Digital Age -- that our libraries are the number one point of Internet access for millions without connectivity at home, school or work.

Indeed, the question is not whether libraries are relevant today. But whether they can keep pace with the increased demand for their services and materials. With your help, they can.

By supporting Free2, you are standing up for the enduring value of libraries. You are helping us shed the stereotypes. You are starting a dialogue about the best way libraries to keep libraries open and accessible. In the end, all of us are Free2, and that's inspiring.

The Free2 Campaign is nonpartisan, organized and operated exclusively by the Bay Area Library & Information System for charitable and educational purposes.