Downtown Reno Library
🏢 Washoe County Library System · Reno, Nevada
Downtown Reno Library
Reno's main library is a 1966 modernist landmark built as a park indoors — hundreds of plants, full-grown trees and a fountain pond fill the atrium at 301 South Center Street, and it is one of the few libraries on the National Register of Historic Places despite being under 50 years old when it was listed in 2013.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 9am–5pm |
| Tuesday | 9am–5pm |
| Wednesday | 9am–5pm |
| Thursday | 9am–5pm |
| Friday | 9am–5pm |
| Saturday | Closed |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 301 South Center Street, Reno, NV 89501
Phone: (775) 327-8300
Website: washoecountylibrary.us
Plus Code: 85F2G5CQ+VV (Reno, NV)
📱 Scan for directions
Point your phone camera at the code to open turn-by-turn directions in Google Maps.
👋 Use the Library Online
📖 About Downtown Reno Library
The Downtown Reno Library is the main branch of the Washoe County Library System, serving Reno, Nevada from 301 South Center Street in the heart of downtown. Designed by architect Hewitt C. Wells and completed in 1966, it is famous for bringing the outdoors inside: hundreds of plants, several full-grown trees and a fountain pond give the interior a park-like feel, a design that won the 1968 Industrial Landscape Award presented by Lady Bird Johnson. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2013 (reference No. 13000011) as a rare example of a Modern-era structure listed while still under fifty years old. Beyond its greenery, the library serves as the system's reference and local-history hub, holding the Nevada files — thousands of articles on local news and history — plus a complete run of local newspaper microfilm. A single Washoe County Library card borrows here and across the system's other Reno-Sparks branches and unlocks the shared online catalog and digital collections.
⭐ What makes this library special
- 1966 modernist landmark by architect Hewitt C. Wells, built as an indoor park with hundreds of plants, full-grown trees and a fountain pond
- Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2013 — unusual for a building then under 50 years old
- Won the 1968 Industrial Landscape Award, presented by Lady Bird Johnson, for its use of plants, shrubs and trees in the design
- Home to the Nevada files (thousands of local news and history articles) and a complete local newspaper microfilm collection
- Auditorium with a grand piano and an art-gallery balcony, plus reservable Truckee Room and Zoom Room meeting spaces
- 24-hour pickup lockers and a hold-pickup window for grabbing holds outside of desk service
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Washoe County cardholders stream, download and research free through the library and Nevada digital resources:
📚 Services
- Extensive reference collection and the Nevada files of local news and history articles
- Complete local newspaper microfilm collection for genealogy and research
- Auditorium with grand piano and art-gallery balcony for events
- Reservable meeting spaces: the Truckee Room and a bookable Zoom Room
- 24-hour pickup lockers and a staffed hold-pickup window
- Public computers, free Wi-Fi, plus wireless and remote printing
- Reno Housing Authority kiosk for form assistance
- Free Washoe County Library cards for area residents
🎸 Programs
- Children's storytimes and early-literacy events
- Summer reading program for all ages
- Teen and young-adult activities
- Nevada and family-history research help
- Author talks, art exhibits and community programs in the auditorium and gallery
- Adult classes, clubs and computer help
📍 Nearby Libraries in Northern Nevada
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the Downtown Reno Library look like an indoor park?
When architect Hewitt C. Wells designed the building in the mid-1960s, he filled the interior with hundreds of plants, several full-grown trees and a fountain pond so the library would feel park-like inside. The design won the 1968 Industrial Landscape Award, presented by Lady Bird Johnson, and the greenery is still the branch's signature feature today.
Is the Downtown Reno Library really a historic landmark?
Yes. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2013 (reference No. 13000011) as a notable example of Modern architecture. That is unusual because buildings normally must be at least 50 years old to qualify, and this one was listed while still under fifty — a recognition of how distinctive its design is.
When is the Downtown Reno Library open, and is it open on weekends?
Under the schedule that took effect February 23, 2026, the Downtown Reno Library is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is closed Saturday and Sunday. Hours can change on public holidays, so check washoecountylibrary.us or call (775) 327-8300 before a holiday visit.
What can I research about Nevada and Reno history here?
The Downtown Reno Library is the system's local-history hub. It keeps the Nevada files — thousands of clipped articles on local news and history — along with a complete collection of local newspaper microfilm, making it a strong starting point for Nevada research and family-history projects.
📜 This library has genealogy & local-history resources. See how library family-history research works and find other libraries with genealogy collections genealogy libraries by state.
✎ Notice something out of date? Suggest a correction and we’ll verify and update it.