Week of April 23, 2026

From the editor’s desk

It’s National Library Week, and while I’ve never paid much attention to weeks designated for awareness campaigns, I’m sharing some library news during Library Week. Because libraries are awesome.

Two Washoe County residents say library trustee harassed them

Remember Gianna Jacks, the Washoe County Library Board trustee who became chair in December 2023? In March, KUNR’s Bert Johnson reported that, after community member Justine Overacker made a public comment expressing concern over Jacks’ financial connection to anti-LGBTQ activists, Jacks repeatedly contacted Overacker to request that she retract the comment.

“Jacks contacted Overacker nine times by phone and email, then sent a letter to her home address,” KUNR reported.

“She wasn’t asking me to meet or for clarification; she was just demanding an apology,” Overacker said.

For those in the back row, the First Amendment is still in place as of this week. Members of the public may legally express their concerns over public officials’ actions, and doing so does not obligate them to being hounded for apologies by said officials.

KUNR also spoke with William Puchert, an avid local library supporter who has been calling out Jacks for years, in part for her financial connections to anti-LGBTQ activists. Puchert told KUNR: “I personally was harassed at a local store and at my job by one trustee and have heard allegations that this trustee has inappropriately contacted others.”

I recommend listening to Johnson’s 4 1/2-minute KUNR report if you haven’t already, and if you have a bit more time, the version that ran on State of Nevada on KNPR, the Las Vegas NPR station, is even more illuminating, as it includes a conversation between Johnson and KNPR’s Paul Boger, who together unpack some of the details of reporting the story. Among those details: Johnson requested a comment from Jacks on the assertive communications to Overacker. Jacks did not have one.

Feeling brave?

Speaking of the library board, it will have two vacancies coming up and is now accepting applications for new board members.

Two trustees’ first terms are ending on June 30—current Chair Ann Silver and Vice Chair Lea Moser. This does not mean that Silver and Moser are automatically ousted; trustees’ terms may be renewed. But if you would like to throw your hat in the ring, now is the time. Applications are due May 1. The details are here.

The new library director started this week

In March, the library board voted to hire a new library director, Lisa McClure, who has worked in libraries in Michigan, Connecticut, Florida, New Jersey and, most recently, Pennsylvania. A library spokesperson confirmed today that McClure’s first official day on the job was this past Monday, April 20.

With book bans at a record high in the U.S., and libraries and schools continuing to be veritable WWF rings of controversy over whether it’s immoral for teens to read books about—god forbid—gay families or books by—gasp—gay authors, I, of course, wonder where McClure stands on such matters. I will not purport to speak for her here; I hope to interview her so she can do that for herself. But I did notice this wording in her cover letter:

I am respected for my ability to advance diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism efforts; to welcome vulnerable, marginalized, and isolated populations; …

I look forward to reporting more on her ideas, plans and priorities. Stay tuned.

Northwest Library to close temporarily

The Northwest Reno Library will close on May 6 for repairs and is expected to reopen late this summer.

The building will undergo replacement of the heating and cooling units and a roof retrofit; the employees will be reassigned to other branches for the time being. You can find the complete closure details on Washoe County’s Washoe Life blog. 

Props to the library

I am just plain going to give props to the Washoe County Library System for doing so many things to encourage people to read and learn. If you’re a kid, teen or adult who wants to check out Lego robotics, magic shows, The Muppet Movie, KPop Demon Hunters, art exhibitions, practicing English conversation if you’re not a native speaker, books, ebooks, audiobooks and countless other events and resources, start here. 

How to help make it all happen

Well, it’s not only National Library Week. It’s also Take Action for Libraries Day. What sort of action, you may ask?

If you’d like to take monetary action, the Friends of Washoe County Library is a nonprofit that raises funds for books and other library resources. Last year, they donated $110,000 in book-sale proceeds, and they’re always seeking donations.

If you’re more about advocating for literacy and taking a stance against book bans, Freedom to Read Nevada is a local coalition that does just that. And if you’re not ready to join a coalition but want to mingle with the folks who run this one, the group is hosting a screening of The Librarians, a film about librarians fighting book bans, during the Young Blood art exhibition at the Holland Project, 140 Vesta St., from 5-7 p.m. this Saturday, April 25. The Friends of Washoe County Libraries will be there hosting a pop-up book sale.

Take care,

—Kris Vagner, managing editor