Lost Rivers Community Library
🏢 Lost Rivers District Library · Arco, Idaho
Lost Rivers Community Library
The Lost Rivers Community Library in Arco serves Butte County's high-desert communities from the heart of a city with a claim no other holds — on July 17, 1955, Arco became the first city in the world powered solely by nuclear electricity, generated by the nearby National Reactor Testing Station.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 10:00am–5:30pm |
| Tuesday | 10:00am–5:30pm |
| Wednesday | 10:00am–5:30pm |
| Thursday | 10:00am–5:30pm |
| Friday | 10:00am–5:00pm |
| Saturday | Closed |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 126 S Front Street, ARCO, ID 83213
Phone: (208) 527-8511
Website: lostriverscommunitylibrary.wordpress.com
Plus Code: 85M8JPP2+88 (ARCO, ID)
📱 Scan for directions
Point your phone camera at the code to open turn-by-turn directions in Google Maps.
👋 Use the Library Online
📖 About Lost Rivers Community Library
The Lost Rivers Community Library operates the district public library for Butte County, Idaho, with its main branch at 126 South Front Street in Arco — the county seat. The library takes its name from the Big Lost River and Little Lost River, two rivers that disappear underground after flowing through the county's dramatic lava-field terrain. The district library serves a population of roughly 2,740 residents across the broad Lost River Valley, maintaining a collection of nearly 49,000 volumes and circulating close to 28,000 items per year. It participates in LiLI, Libraries Linking Idaho, so every cardholder gains free access to Idaho's statewide digital collection through the Idaho Digital Library (OverDrive/Libby), along with databases and other resources provided by the Idaho Commission for Libraries. A Howe Branch also serves the smaller community of Howe, several miles to the southeast.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Serves Butte County from Arco — the first city in the world powered solely by nuclear electricity (July 17, 1955, BORAX-III reactor at the National Reactor Testing Station)
- Named for the Big Lost River and Little Lost River, which disappear underground into the Snake River Plain lava fields
- Collection of nearly 49,000 volumes circulating close to 28,000 items annually
- Participates in LiLI (Libraries Linking Idaho) — statewide digital resources and interlibrary loan
- Also operates a Howe Branch for residents of the smaller community of Howe to the southeast
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Lost Rivers Community Library cardholders access Idaho's statewide digital collections at no charge:
📚 Services
- Public computers with internet access and printing
- Free Wi-Fi
- Interlibrary loan through Libraries Linking Idaho (LiLI)
- Idaho Digital Library eBooks and audiobooks via Libby/OverDrive
- Research databases through the Idaho Commission for Libraries
- Reference and reader's advisory assistance
- Digital inclusion support — device access and technical skills
🎸 Programs
- Children's reading and youth programming
- Summer reading program
- Community outreach serving immigrants, older adults, and rural residents
📍 Nearby Libraries in Central Idaho
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the library called 'Lost Rivers'?
The library takes its name from the Big Lost River and the Little Lost River — two rivers that flow through Butte and Custer counties but eventually sink underground into the porous basalt of the Snake River Plain rather than reaching the sea. The Lost River Range and the valley the library serves both carry the same evocative name.
What are the library hours in Arco, Idaho?
The Lost Rivers Community Library is open Monday through Thursday 10:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m. and Friday 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. The library is closed on Saturday and Sunday. Phone: (208) 527-8511.
Can I get a library card if I live outside Arco but within Butte County?
Yes. The Lost Rivers District Library serves all of Butte County, so residents of Arco, Mackay, Howe, and surrounding communities are eligible for a free card. Idaho residents from other counties may also access statewide digital resources through LiLI.
What is the connection between Arco and nuclear power?
On July 17, 1955, Arco became the first city in the world to be powered entirely by nuclear electricity, generated for about one hour by the BORAX-III experimental reactor at the nearby National Reactor Testing Station (now Idaho National Laboratory). A sign on City Hall marks the event.
🖨 This library offers printing, copying & fax. See how library printing, copying, scanning and fax services work — costs and mobile printing — and find other libraries that offer them printing & fax by state.
✓ Hours & details last verified from official sources in September 2026.
✎ Notice something out of date? Suggest a correction and we’ll verify and update it.