Mineral County Library
🏢 Nevada Library Cooperative · Hawthorne, Nevada
Mineral County Library
Founded in 1954 by the Business and Professional Women's Club and housed in a building endowed by benefactor W. W. 'Woody' Loftin, Mineral County Library anchors civic life in Hawthorne — the remote Great Basin county seat flanked by Walker Lake and the world's largest ammunition depot.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 10am–6pm |
| Tuesday | 10am–6pm |
| Wednesday | 10am–6pm |
| Thursday | 10am–6pm |
| Friday | 10am–6pm |
| Saturday | Closed |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 110 East 1st Street, Hawthorne, NV 89415
Phone: (775) 945-2778
Website: mineralcountylibrary.com
Plus Code: 85C3G99C+3R (Hawthorne, 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 Mineral County Library
Mineral County Library has served Hawthorne and rural Mineral County since 1954, when the Business and Professional Women's Club opened a lending library in the county seat with Rosa King as its first director. The Mina Branch followed in 1965. The current Hawthorne building was made possible by a personal grant from W. W. 'Woody' Loftin and has been expanded multiple times, most recently in 2001, with ongoing ADA accessibility upgrades. Director Courtney Oberhansli has led the system since 2010. As a member of the Nevada Library Cooperative, the library extends its reach far beyond its physical collection, offering e-books, audiobooks, streaming music, career databases, and Wi-Fi accessible from the parking lot — essential services for patrons across one of Nevada's most sparsely populated counties.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Founded 1954 by the Business and Professional Women's Club; Mina Branch established 1965
- Building funded by a personal grant from W. W. 'Woody' Loftin; expanded 2001 with ongoing ADA upgrades
- Virtual Reality station plus Xbox and Wii gaming consoles available to all patrons
- Outdoor Wi-Fi extends library connectivity into the parking lot — critical for rural Nevada broadband access
- Member of the Nevada Library Cooperative, enabling shared digital collections and ILL across 40+ Nevada libraries
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Mineral County cardholders can stream, download and research free through Nevada's shared collections:
📚 Services
- Physical book, movie, audiobook and magazine lending
- Aspen Discovery online catalog at mineral.aspendiscovery.org
- Meeting room rental for community use
- Wi-Fi including outdoor parking lot coverage
- Virtual Reality station
- Xbox and Wii gaming stations
- Children's literacy computer stations
- Legal kiosk assistance
- Interlibrary loan through Nevada Library Cooperative / INFORMATION NEVADA network
- Public computer access, printing and copying
🎸 Programs
- Lunch Box Book Club — every 2nd Tuesday, Noon–1:00 PM
- Coffee & Tales (guest reader short-story readings) — every 3rd Friday, 10:30–11:30 AM
- Craft sessions and live performances throughout the year
- Children's literacy programs at dedicated computer stations
📍 Nearby Nevada Libraries
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Can I access the library's Wi-Fi without going inside?
Yes. Mineral County Library extends its Wi-Fi signal to the outdoor parking lot, so residents can connect even outside of open hours — a meaningful service in a rural county where home broadband is far from universal.
Does the library have resources about Hawthorne's military history and the Hawthorne Army Depot?
The library's local history collection and the Nevada State Library's microfilm holdings of the Mineral County Independent & Hawthorne News (1935–1987) are the best starting points for researching the depot's history. The Mineral County Museum at 400 Tenth Street also holds photographs, oral histories and artifacts from the depot era.
Can I borrow e-books or audiobooks from Mineral County Library?
Yes. Through the Nevada Library Cooperative's Silver Star eLibrary (powered by OverDrive), cardholders can borrow e-books and audiobooks anytime using the free Libby app on a phone, tablet or e-reader — no physical visit required.
Is Mineral County Library the only public library branch in the county?
No — the system has two locations. The main library is in Hawthorne at 110 East 1st Street, open Monday–Friday 10 AM–6 PM. The Mina-Luning Community Library (established 1965) serves the communities of Mina and Luning at 908 B Street, Mina, NV 89422; (775) 573-2505.
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