The Explorer

Washoe County Library Explorer Winter Events & Resources

The new issue of the Washoe County Library Explorer, starring Eggbert, is on shelves now! Visit any Washoe County Library branch to pick up our comprehensive, quarterly events guide, or download the electronic version from our website.

Upcoming Events

Gift Wrapping Station

Multiple times and locations

Drop in to use one of our gift wrapping stations for your winter holiday gifts. An assortment of free wrapping supplies are provided while supplies last.

Learn more

A Very Merry Santa Visit

Duncan/Traner Community Library

Friday, December 19, 3:30 pm

Celebrate the season with a magical visit from Santa Claus before he heads back to the North Pole. Registration is highly recommended.

Sign up now
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Kids Cafe

Art a la Cart Activities

Downtown Reno Library

Monday, December 22, 11 am

Children under the age of 18 can enjoy a free lunch courtesy of the Food Bank of Northern Nevada while making open-ended art!

We regularly stock and rotate our art cart with a diverse range of crafting materials, giving young artists the opportunity to explore and manipulate materials through a free and organic creative process.

Learn more
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Sparks Dungeons & Dragons

Sparks Library

Friday, December 26, 4 pm

Join our library Dungeon Master and a team of adventurers for some role-playing fun. Some weeks we’ll do a short, one-shot adventure; other times you can join an ongoing campaign. Bring a character you’ve already created, or use one of ours.


All experience levels welcome.

Sign up now

Visit our online calendar to find more upcoming events:

Holiday Events
Story Times
Craft Events
STEAM Events
View All Events

Book Clubs

Book cover: Natural History by Andrea Barrett

Mystery Book Club
Spanish Springs Library

The Way of the Bear

by Anne Hillerman


Four Seasons Book Club
Sparks Library

The Secrets We Kept

by Lara Prescott


Dark Alleys
Sierra View Library

The 57 Bus

by Dashka Slater


Tuesday Book Group
Spanish Springs Library

A Single Thread

by Tracy Chevalier

Browse all upcoming book clubs.

On the Shelf

Listen Now: On the Shelf

On the Shelf is a weekly feature in partnership with KUNR public radio. Catch your favorite librarians sharing book news and reviews. In this week's episode, Teree discusses rock music oral histories. See the companion list below.

See all On the Shelf episodes.

What to Read Next

Aural Histories

Book cover: Meet Me in the Bathroom by Elizabeth Goodman
Book cover: But Will You Love Me Tomorrow by Laura Flam
Book cover: Pretend We're Dead by Tanya Pearson
Book cover: Loaded by Dylan Jones
Book cover: Sharing in the Groove by Mike Ayers
Book cover: Neu Klang by Christoph Dallach
See the full list

News & Announcements

Library Closures


All Washoe County Library locations will be closed Thursday, December 25, for Christmas. On Wednesday, December 24, all libraries will close early — at 4 pm — except the Gerlach Community Library, the Verdi Community Library and Nature Center, and the Duncan/Traner Community Library, which will be closed all day, and the Senior Center library which will close at its normal time of 1 pm.


For the Washoe County School District winter break:


  • The Gerlach Community Library and the Verdi Community Library and Nature Center will be closed Friday, December 19, through Monday, January 5.
  • The Duncan/Traner Community Library will be closed Monday, December 22, through Monday, January 5.
See all hours and locations

Friends of Washoe County Library

Friends of Washoe County Library. Est. 1980

Friends of Washoe County Library is a member-supported 501(c)(3) Nevada nonprofit organization dedicated to advocating, fundraising, and providing support for Washoe County Library System.


To join, to donate, or for more information, please visit www.washoelibraryfriends.org or call 775-324-5522.


The next Friends' book sale starts January 10.

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Locations & Hours Digital LibraryCalendar of Events Catalog Search

Washoe County Library System 

301 S. Center St. Reno, NV 89501 

775-327-8300