OCTOBER MEMBER UPDATES

Banned Books Week Display at the Sierra View Library

In Summary

Library budget updates
Freedom to Read Nevada updates
Screenings of The Librarians!
Tuesday at 10 a.m., Nov. 18th: possible presentation of the library budget at the BCC
Wednesday November 19th: the next library board meeting
Every Wednesday, 1-2pm, Downtown Reno Library: free resume and cover letter editing
Recommended reading
Merch

Library budget update

If you want to get up to speed, here is some background on what’s been going on with the library budget.

On October 15, the library board of trustees voted to (1) request a flat budget for the next fiscal year, and (2) request a small increase that will bring the collections budget up to Nevada State Library standard of 10% of the total budget.

The next step for the library budget will be a presentation at the Board of County Commissioners meeting, probably on Nov. 18th. If the library budget appears on the agenda for that date, we will be asking library supporters to come out (again) and explain to the commissioners why we want to see funded libraries.

Freedom to Read Nevada update

No members meeting this month! We’re cooking up something special to continue library advocacy work. If you’d like to be involved in the future of Washoe County libraries, please email us at info@freedomtoreadnevada.org and we’ll get you the information.

Screenings of The Librarians

The Radical Cat Bookstore, Freedom to Read Nevada, and KUNR will be partnering to show The Librarians on February 1 at 2:00 at the Downtown Reno Library, February 21 at 2:00 at the Sparks Library, and at least one other date and location… stay tuned for updates.

“Librarians emerge as first responders in the fight for democracy and our First Amendment Rights. As they well know, controlling the flow of ideas means control over communities. In Texas, the Krause List targets 850 books focused on race and LGBTQia+ stories – triggering sweeping book bans across the U.S. at an unprecedented rate. As tensions escalate, librarians connect the dots from heated school and library board meetings nationwide to lay bare the underpinnings of extremism fueling the censorship efforts. Despite facing harassment, threats, and laws aimed at criminalizing their work – the librarians’ rallying cry for freedom to read is a chilling cautionary tale.”

Upcoming Board of County Commissioners meetings

The library board voted on a budget request, so it is likely that the library budget will be discussed on November 18th. We will keep you posted!

Tuesday at 10 a.m., Nov. 18th, at 1001 E. Ninth Street, Building A, Reno, NV 89512

Need help figuring out what to say? Check out our guide to giving public comment. If you don’t plan to give comment, you can still show up to show your support!

Upcoming Library Board meetings

With the current round of budget talks completed, the library board might (?) be addressing these urgent needs for the library system: progress on the hiring of a library director; whether the board will request the $1.3M set aside by the county for the library. Meanwhile, recent library board meetings have seen an increase in the anti-LGBTQ rhetoric that has plagued board meetings over the past few years.

An agenda should be posted here either the Friday or the Monday prior to the meeting.

Wednesday November 19th at 5:30p.m. at North Valleys Library, 1075 N Hills Blvd, Reno, NV 89506.

Check out our guide to giving public comment to help express yourself to our library board!

Free resume and cover letter editing

Please spread the word! Every Wednesday, from 1-2pm at the Downtown Reno Library, members of the steering committee with editing expertise post up to help jobseekers or others with resume and cover letter editing. We recommend bringing a paper copy, but if that’s not accessible, we can print one out there. Don’t have a resume or cover letter? We’ll help you create one!

Interested in FtR-NV merch?

Our member-artist Figbar Lonesome has a Redbubble page where you can purchase official FtR-NV merchandise. Whether you’re looking for a t-shirt, tote, tank, or something else, this is our only merch page. We’ve gotten wind there are scam pages out there. PLEASE make sure you are using this Redbubble link before purchasing anything!!

Getting this email but haven’t filled out the pledge form?

Please do!! It takes five seconds! All the pledge form does is allow us to officially count you among our number of supporters. That’s it—we don’t charge a membership fee or gatekeep information. You must opt-in this way in order to be counted.

Pledge Your Support

Local Mutual Aid & Activism Events

(What’s mutual aid?)

Good Neighbors Warming Centers will start again on November 11. If you want to volunteer and help keep women and families warm this winter, come to the orientation on October 27th at 5:00 at St. Thomas Aquinas Church. Or email: goodneighborsreno@gmail.com
Every Saturday, 10-12pm, Bennett Park: Biggest Little Food Not Bombs serves free meals.
Every Sunday, 4:30pm and 6pm, Hampton House Gardens: Reno Family Dinner, and all are welcome.
Every other Sunday, 12pm, Center of Influence food pantry; 2pm, parking lot at Evans Ave and East 6th Street: Reno Burrito Project rolls burritos at the food pantry and distributes them in the parking lot.
Every Monday, 6-7pm, Our Center: Mutual Aid Network Northern Nevada hosts Mutual Aid Mondays to discuss what local mutual aid groups are up to and how we can support each other. They also post a weekly mutual aid calendar on their social media.
Every Tuesday, 6pm, Believe Plaza: Family Soup Mutual Aid distributes hot food and necessities to anyone in need, no questions asked. Check out their LinkTree to sign up for their newsletter, donate via Venmo, or volunteer to bring food!
Every Tuesday, 6-8pm, Our Center: Trans Support Reno hosts meetings for 18+ trans, nonbinary, gender questioning, gender nonconforming, and other gender fuckery folks. The first, third, and fourth Tuesdays are for emotional support; the second an informal topic-based meeting. The LGBTQ+ support group is every other Wednesday from 5:30-7pm; sign-ups are at the link.
Every other Wednesday, 6-7pm, Holland Project and online: Reno Sparks Tenant Union meetings, where new members are always welcome. They recently released a zine to help organize your neighbors! (IG)
CodePink Reno hosts regular Thursday meetings.
Every Friday from 12-1pm: Laundry to the People offers a laundry service to our unhoused neighbors at Champion Laundry Center (1301 S Wells Ave). They’re always in need of supplies like laundry detergent, heavy-duty trash bags, color-safe bleach, fabric softener, and dryer sheets. If you can’t meet up with them on Friday, you can bring donations to The Rad Cat!
Every Friday, 6:30-8pm, Our Center: Radical Seeds Reno has their member meetings! They often discuss readings or books.
Other local mutual-aid or similar organizations worth following:
Good Neighbors Reno, providing local mutual aid across the board (GoodNeighborsReno@gmail.com)
Wild West Abortion Fund, funding abortions in Nevada (IG)
Reno Sunrise Movement, empowering community to fight against the climate crisis
MaskBloc Reno, providing KN95/N95+ masks and rapid antigen tests to fight the continuing spread of COVID-19
Biggest Free Little Pantry, stocking food pantries for those in need at multiple locations (IG)

In solidarity,

FtR-NV Steering Committee

Freedom to Read Nevada