Your Public Library Makes Everything Better

Where can you find the current bestselling books, get help with your taxes, learn how to knit, prepare for your driver’s license exam, meet new people, watch a movie, and spend an entire day working on your computer?

That’s right: It’s the library!

Libraries are awesome. And it’s not just us saying it. The New York Public Library surveyed library users about libraries’ connection to our well-being, and it turns out that libraries overwhelmingly make people feel good. Public libraries make a wholly positive impact on the communities they serve.

The vast majority said libraries:

Give people “calm/peaceful” feelings
Reinforce that they love to learn new things
Support personal growth
Make them feel hopeful and optimistic about the future
Increase their feelings of empathy
Make them feel more connected to others and their community
Give them greater appreciation for things they didn’t know before
Help them feel comfortable being themselves

How many other places in the world can you think of that do all that?

You know libraries have books that you can read FOR FREE. But they offer so much more.

Here’s a list of what you can find at the library, from A to Z:

All Types of Media

Nevada’s public libraries offer books in print, ebook, and audiobook. They also carry newspapers, magazines, comic books, research materials, music, and movies, entirely for free. You can get free access to publications such as Reno Gazette-Journal, Las Vegas Review-Journal, National Geographic Magazine, The New York TImes, Forbes, People Magazine, and much more, both in print and digital versions. Not only that, but many of them come in large-print and Braille versions.

You can also borrow CDs and DVDs of music and movies — some even have VHS tapes! And they partner with streaming services such as Kanopy and Hoopla, so you can have free access to a rotating selection of classic and independent films, documentaries, and more that other services don’t offer. Plus, many are close-captioned.

A Way to Learn Anything

You can learn just about anything at the library, thanks to its robust offerings of classes. For example, the Washoe County Libraries calendar offers classes ranging from exercise to embroidery, gardening tips from Master Gardeners, computer and phone app tips, a wealth of hand crafts, and more. At the Library District Las Vegas – Clark County (LDLVCC), the Adult Learning Program offers free English classes for non-native speakers, high school equivalency courses, and integrated education training.

Students can take advantage of tutoring and homework help at scheduled times throughout the week. And young children adore story hours and summer camps, where they hear exciting stories, enjoy playing with other kids, and learn new skills.

You can do online learning for free through programs such as LinkedIn Learning. Libraries partner with them, and you can get complimentary subscriptions with your library card, so you can learn software, tech skills, business, and creative projects. Some programs work with students to prepare them for tests, such as their driver’s license exams and offer digital live tutoring and homework help.

An Important Third Place

Finding a “third place” — an informal social surrounding that’s separate from home and work — that fosters community, sociability, and civic engagement can improve all our lives. The space libraries offer is incredibly valuable. You can spend all day there, studying, working or just hanging out, without ever having to spend any money, limit your time, struggle to find wifi, or listen to a noisy cappuccino machine, someone else’s music playlist, or anyone talking on the phone or taking a Zoom call.

They’re also designed with accessibility in mind, meaning you will find special study areas, doorways, and restrooms designed to accommodate wheelchairs or other mobility concerns. And you can stay all day, which is a benefit for the unhoused or people who simply need to spend some time in a warm or cool space. Some even have cafes and vending machines.

If you do need to take a Zoom call, you can do that too — Nevada’s local libraries offer meeting rooms of various sizes, which you can reserve ahead of time, or even special Zoom rooms, which look like phone booths and offer spaces where you can do this without disrupting other patrons. They also have designated teen zones where young people can connect.

And don’t discount what’s outside: Many libraries have incorporated tranquil outdoor spaces into their designs. These include outdoor benches and gardens. For example, Spanish Springs Library in Sparks offers a Sensory Sound Garden open 24 hours a day, and six Douglas County Libraries locations have themed, interactive children’s play areas.

In partnership with Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth, most libraries throughout Nevada — in Clark, Washoe, Henderson, and other counties — are officially designated Safe Place sites. This designation means the branch will display the nationally recognized yellow and black diamond “Safe Place” sign at their entrances, which tells young people who are in crisis they can seek help inside, where library staff have been specially trained to assist them.

Book, Movie, and Music Sales

Community members regularly donate books, CDs, and DVDs they no longer need to libraries. Then, libraries sell them to raise money to buy more materials for patrons! Many of the items available for sale are very low priced, and every now and then you’ll find that bestseller you wanted for only a couple dollars!

Career Help

Many Nevada libraries not only offer job listings, but many provide patrons with access to free training, career self-assessments, and resume and interview help. As an example, Nevada State Library offers Nevada Career Explorer, a free website that not only provides listings of job opportunities, but also educational and certification opportunities and self-assessments to help you find the career that suits you.

The Library District Las Vegas – Clark County (LDLVCC) offers a special Teens Work! page with employment resources for young people. And Washoe County Library System has Job Seekers Resources, which offers career exam prep courses and job search and workplace skills, through a variety of digital programs and apps, not to mention resources for those interested in starting their own businesses.

Culture and Recreation

Libraries partner with cultural organizations and recreation departments so that library card holders can get free entry. For example, Washoe County Libraries offer Nevada State Park Passes that provide free entry to 27 state parks, as well as Discover & Go passes that give you access to dozens of Northern Nevada and California museums, science centers, theaters, zoos, and other cultural attractions. Meanwhile, the LDLVCC offers cardholders museum and park passes to DISCOVERY Children’s Museum, Nevada State Parks, Springs Preserve, and more.

Free, Accessible Technology

Anyone with a library card who needs access to a computer, wifi, or printing can use those at the library for free. Whether you’re conducting research or chatting on email, you can use the library’s computers any time, for free, and black-and-white printing is usually free. You can even access free 3D printing!

Even better, libraries are designed to ensure accessibility for all, which means that the computers provide accessible services such as screen readers, magnification software, on-screen (mouse-controlled) and large-print keyboards. And some free apps you can access with your library card, including e-reader apps, allow users to enlarge text size, turn on dyslexic fonts, and more.

Nevada Talking Book Services, offered by Nevada State Library, Archives & Public Records, is a free service for Nevadans who are unable to use standard print materials due to visual or physical disabilities. Books and players are mailed between you and the library, entirely for free (including postage). The collection includes fiction and nonfiction audiobooks and magazines for all ages.

Genealogy and History

Interested in your family’s history? Nevada libraries give patrons access to sites such as Ancestry.com, FamilySearch.com, the Library of Congress: Genealogy, and more. And they offer local history materials, such as maps, photos, and oral histories.

Legal Help

Libraries often provide access to free legal services, thanks to partnerships with reliable legal information websites and local nonprofit organizations, including free printing and scanning.

Local Authors and Experts

Whether it’s a local author doing a reading and book signing, a publishing expert discussing literature or writing, an artist sharing their work, or a Master Gardener providing tips for spring planting, libraries are a hub of activities involving experts who will share insights into their areas of expertise.

One-on-One Time with a Librarian

Don’t know where to start on a research project? Looking for help using library resources? Book a one-on-one appointment with a librarian, right from your computer or phone, and you can have one all to yourself for a block of time.

Outreach

Libraries in Nevada also offer bookmobiles, which are vans that bring books into rural communities that may not otherwise have access to libraries. They also offer statewide databases, the summer reading program, and workforce and economic development programs. And Library To Go Kiosks are machines placed at outdoor locations where anyone with library cards can place and pick up holds, browse collections, and return materials. So if you can’t get to the library, it can sometimes come to you!

Passports

Planning to travel overseas? Many libraries offer passport services. For example, the LDLVCC offers the full range of passport services for first-time applicants.

Social Time

Forget about that whole “no-talking-at-the-library” thing. Libraries are a GREAT place to meet people! Nevada’s local libraries provide daily schedules of clubs for dozens of interests, from Dungeons and Dragons to knitting, building with LEGO, book clubs, painting, and more. Plus, they schedule events for the holidays, including parties, contests, craftmaking workshops led by experts, free movie screenings, and even escape rooms. And again, it’s all free!

Swag

Sometimes, libraries give away free merchandise, such as coloring or activity books or even eclipse-viewing glasses before a solar eclipse.

Tax Preparation Assistance

Usually in the first few months of the year, tax experts are on hand at local libraries to help you with filing your taxes, and some can even do it for you! AARP and other organizations typically partner with libraries in Northern and Southern Nevada to offer free tax help to low and moderate-income taxpayers of any age.

Zero Cost

And did we mention it’s all free?

In these days of budget cuts and censorship, we may not always hear about the multitude of ways in which libraries play a vital role in our communities. Make sure you get to know your local library and thousands of ways it can benefit you.