The creation of a library system in Nevada presented formidable challenges. Until the middle of the twentieth century, Nevada had the smallest population of any state in the Union, sparsely scattered over a vast area; most towns were very small; and the eco-nomy was largely based on agriculture and a boom-and-bust mining industry, uncongenial to the kind of long-term financial commitments needed to build, stock, and maintain libraries. Yet from the very beginning, efforts were made to create libraries. Many mining camps had reading clubs that offered residents a quiet place to peruse the...