Library on the Go Bookmobile

Washoe County Library System’s newest branch comes to you!

In our Library on the Go Bookmobile you can: 

• Browse and borrow material
• Return items
• Get a library card
• Pick up holds

The Library on the Go Bookmobile is open to everyone, and anyone with a Washoe County Library card may check out materials from the bookmobile. The bookmobile observes all Washoe County Library policies.

Browse material

The bookmobile has materials for readers of all ages and interests:

• Fiction and nonfiction books for general, young adult, and juvenile audiences
• DVDs and Blu-ray discs
• Foreign language materials

Borrow items

The checkout period for most bookmobile items is four weeks with two automatic renewals (as long as there are no pending holds on the items).

Items you check out from the bookmobile can be returned to the bookmobile or any other branch, and you can return items checked out from other branches to the bookmobile.

Get a library card

Requirements for obtaining library cards on the bookmobile are the same as in a library branch. You can get a card if you've never had one before, or you can get a replacement if you have lost your card.

Pick up an item on hold

Library card holders may place library items on hold to pick up at a bookmobile stop. (Please note: since these stops are on a four-week rotation, you will usually be able to get your held item sooner by selecting a library branch as your pickup location.) Interlibrary loans may not be picked up from the bookmobile.

Accessibility

The bookmobile has a ramp that can accommodate wheelchairs and strollers (weighing up to 500 pounds). Service animals are allowed in accordance with our Animals in the Library Policy and Americans with Disabilities Act Title III regulations. If you have specific questions about bookmobile accessibility, contact Jonnica Bowen (jbowen@washoecounty.gov) at the North Valleys Library.

History

Washoe County Library System has had mobile libraries since at least the 1940s, but there hasn’t been one in operation since 2010. During public meetings to develop our current Strategic Plan for the library, the public overwhelmingly expressed a desire to see a bookmobile back on the road in Washoe County.

In February 2024, we relaunched our mobile service with a brand new vehicle. Library staff gave tours of the van, issued library cards, and checked out materials to visitors at its first outing — a visit to the Cold Springs Family Center.

Funds for this project have been provided by the Institute of Museum and Library Services through the Library Services and Technology Act, administered by the Nevada State Library, Archives and Public Records.