Drag Queen Story Hour: The Show Must Go On

Library Director Jeff Scott responds to feedback about the upcoming Drag Queen Story Hour at the Sparks Library.

I wanted to provide a brief update on our Drag Queen Story Hour. First of all, this program will not be canceled. It will be held at its scheduled time, Saturday, July 20th at 10:15 AM at the Sparks Library. This program has been advertised in our Summer Reading Brochure and our online calendar for over a month now. We like to keep our promises to our patrons.

Our Youth Services and Library Events Team provides wonderful programs for our community every year. Over 80,000 people attend these programs annually. Last year, Washoe County Library System marched in the Northern Nevada PRIDE Parade (www.northernnevadapride.org). This year, we wanted to show further support for our LGBTIA community. Everyone is welcome at the library.

Our very innovative team watches national and local trends to constantly find new ways to engage and benefit our community. Our team introduced the idea of a Drag Queen Story Hour into our Program Proposal process and it was then reviewed by our entire team. Sparks Librarians decided to host this program.

Drag Queen Story Hour is a popular program that has recently been adopted by libraries across the country. We hope that events like these will encourage inclusivity with everyone in our community. We have recently received feedback about this event and some would prefer that it be canceled. Of the 122 responses we have received, 77 have been positive and 45 negative. For further information on Drag Queen Story Hour, I will reference a non-profit that provides a Frequently Asked Questions section on their website at www.dragqueenstoryhour.org/faq/.

I wanted to let our community know that the library is for everyone. In Reno, we celebrate Pride both in June AND in July. It is a great opportunity to learn more about fellow members of our community. Please feel free to contact me at jscott@washoecounty.us for more information. While there is a group directing people to our Ask-a-Librarian Page, I would prefer if you email me directly so that I can respond more promptly. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Jeff Scott
Washoe County Library Director