Freedom to Read Nevada

Folks passing by at No Kings on March 28th filled up this poster board with the reasons they love our libraries.

IN SUMMARY:

• Washoe County is accepting applications for two library trustee positions through May 1st.
• The next library board meeting is scheduled for April 15th at 5:30 at the Spanish Springs library.
• On March 2, the library board selected Lisa McClure as the next Director of the Washoe County Library System.
• There are two upcoming screenings of The Librarians—April 22th in Carson City and April 25th at the Holland Project—details below.
• Author event at the Radical Cat: teacher and author Sue Granzella will be in conversation with educator Shaughn Richardson about teachers’ experiences in the culture wars at 6:00 on April 24th.
• Get up to speed on challenges faced by local public libraries.

WASHOE COUNTY ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR TWO LIBRARY TRUSTEE POSITIONS

The Washoe County Board of Commissioners is accepting applications for two vacancies on the Washoe County Library Board of Trustees. Trustees are appointed by the Washoe County Commissioners and terms of service for both vacancies will be July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2030.

Applications are due by 5 p.m. on Friday, May 1, 2026. To apply, please visit https://www.washoecounty.gov/bcc/board_opportunities.php. 

LIBRARY BOARD MEETINGS

Regular library board meetings in February and March were cancelled; the next scheduled meeting is April 15th at 5:30 p.m. at the Spanish Springs Library.

The agenda for this meeting should be posted on the library website by the Friday before the meeting. Library board meetings are no longer available on Zoom; they can be watched live on YouTube.

THE LIBRARIANS SCREENINGS

Freedom to Read Nevada has partnered with The Radical Cat bookstore to bring the documentary The Librarians to northern Nevada. Our first screening at the beautiful Downtown Reno Library auditorium had over 50 people in attendance, our second at the Sparks Library had over 70, and our third screening, held at the UNR Knowledge Center, had over 90 folks in the audience.

Our fourth screening of The Librarians will be held in partnership with Sierra Nevada Forums and KUNR on Wednesday, April 22, 2026 at 5:30 pm in the Ballroom at the Brewery Arts Center in Carson City. There will be a discussion of the film moderated by Michele Ravera of KUNR Public Radio and featuring panelists Joy Holt, Director of the Carson City Library, Betts Markle, Carson City Library Director and President of the Friends of the Library, and Ananda Campbell, Librarian at Carson High School and the District Library Coordinator.

Freedom to Read will also be screening The Librarians at the Young Blood art exhibition at the Holland Project (140 Vesta Street, Reno) from 5:00–7:00 on Saturday, April 25th. We also be handing out info on how to get involved in library advocacy. The Friends of Washoe County Libraries will be there doing a pop-up book sale.

The Radical Cat events page describes the film this way: “From Oscar-nominated Director and Producer Kim A. Snyder and Executive Producer Sarah Jessica Parker, The Librarians takes viewers from Texas to Florida and beyond, where local libraries have become unexpected battlegrounds in a national struggle over parental control, intellectual freedom, and democracy itself. Sparked by the controversial “Krause List” in Texas, which targets 850 books centered on race and LGBTQIA+ stories, the film takes a deep investigative dive into the escalating movement against book banning. The film captures the courage and resilience of the everyday heroes, librarians, as well as concerned parents and students flanking them, who have become first responders in the fight for the freedom to read, standing defiantly against censorship at all costs.”

AUTHOR EVENT: SUE GRANZELLA AT THE RADICAL CAT

From the Radical Cat events page: “April 24th at 6 PM right here at the shop, join us for a rad conversation with two incredible educators about what it’s like to teach in contemporary, culture-war-ridden America. When Proud Boys stormed Drag Queen Story Hour at the San Lorenzo Library in 2022, retired teacher Sue Granzella began traveling California and documenting the stories of teachers and librarians who have been harassed and threatened for teaching honestly about race, gender, and sexuality. Sue will be in conversation with local teacher and organizer Shaughn Richardson. They will discuss how politics impacts classrooms, curriculums, and teacher’s lives. Q&A and book signing to follow the convo. The event is free and open to all and we’ll have plenty of copies of Sue’s book available for purchase!”

GET UP TO SPEED ON LOCAL LIBRARY ISSUES

Do you know someone who wants to get involved as a library advocate and needs to understand how we got here? Our timeline explains the struggles (and victories) of the past few years.

LOCAL MUTUAL AID AND ACTIVISM EVENTS

(What’s mutual aid?)

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 released a zine to help organize your neighbors! (IG)

CodePink Reno hosts regular 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!

Other local mutual-aid or similar organizations worth following:

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.

In solidarity,

FtR-NV Steering Committee