Serving Northern Nevada and the Eastern Sierra

Beleaguered Local Library Gets A Lifeline

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A library in northeast Reno will stay open after Washoe County backed off plans to shutter the branch. Reno Public Radio's Julia Ritchey reports. 

The Washoe County Library System threatened to close the Duncan-Traner branch last month, citing low use. 

But neighborhood residents protested the move, saying the the branch served an important function to one of the city's lowest income neighborhoods. 

The library is operated jointly with nearby Glenn Duncan Elementary School, but is only open two days a week after years of budget cutbacks.  

Darryl Feemster is a community activist who led the charge to keep the branch open. 

"There are several families there who don't have any type of transportation — whose parents maybe work two jobs — and to have the resources offered through their library available to those children is just a huge asset," he says. 

Library Services Director ArnieMaurins says they'll be looking at ways to expand Duncan-Traner's hours. This includes the possibility of having another organization staff the library.

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Julia Ritchey is a former reporter at KUNR Public Radio.