In Truckee, Power Outages Are the Emergency. The New Library Is the Solution
When you hear the phrase “emergency resource center,” you might picture a gym full of cots and evacuees. That’s what most people imagine. But here in Truckee, our most frequent emergencies don’t look like that. They come in the form of snowstorms, wildfire smoke, summer heatwaves, and, most of all, power outages.
In conversations about the new Truckee Regional Library, I often ask two simple questions. First: Have you ever experienced an emergency evacuation in Truckee? A few hands go up. Then I ask: Have you experienced a preventative or emergency power outage? Every hand in the room rises.
Power outages are the most common emergency we face here, and they’re happening more often and lasting longer. These outages can leave residents without light, heat, internet, or a way to get information or connect with others. And while families are encouraged to prepare, most people simply don’t have the means to install expensive backup systems at home. Retrofitting a house with a generator can cost thousands of dollars, and it’s not realistic for many working families.
What we have in place now isn’t enough. Our current Community Resource Center, hosted by the Truckee Donner Public Utility District in the downtown Community Arts Center, offers a charging station and basic information during outages, but it lacks important resiliency amenities — such as permanent backup power, full ADA accessibility, and a large enough space to host a lot of people — that come with modern building construction. It helps, but not at the scale or reliability our community needs. Additionally, the Community Resource Center currently hosts other critical community programs such as childcare and education; ideally, an emergency resource center would not displace other critical community programs, which is why a library works well.
The new Truckee Regional Library is being designed with this reality in mind. It’s not just a place to read or study; it’s a piece of essential infrastructure. With permanent backup power, filtered air, temperature control, reliable internet, and full ADA accessibility, it will be a safe, welcoming place for people to gather and stay connected when it matters most. It would also help ensure other critical community programs like preschool, summer camps, and afterschool childcare, all currently offered at the Community Resource Center, aren’t as impacted by local emergencies.
This isn’t just the vision of library staff or advocates. The need for a facility like this was identified by key local stakeholders, including the Tahoe-Truckee Community Organizations Active in Disaster (COAD). These are the people who help manage community-led disaster response and community resilience. They see the gaps, and they see this library as a solution.
“Libraries are critical in disaster response and resiliency,” said Anne Rarick, Tahoe-Truckee COAD manager. “We need more infrastructure like backup power, heat, HVAC systems, and community spaces in Truckee. COAD fully supports the construction and operation of the new library.”
But emergency preparedness is just one reason this library is long overdue.
Our current library was built in 1974, when Truckee was home to just 2,000 residents. Today, it serves a library district population of more than 20,000. The building’s maximum occupancy? Just 54 people.
And while Truckee has grown in size and complexity, the library has not kept pace, especially when it comes to supporting young people. The current teen area is a single table with four chairs. There’s little space for after-school programming, and few places where older kids and teens can study, gather, and have an area of the library that they can call their own. Our youth deserve better — free and accessible spaces that support learning, creativity, and community.
We’re not just talking about books. We’re talking about equity. We’re talking about safety. We’re talking about giving families and young people the resources they need to thrive in daily life and during disruptions.
This new library is a real, tangible, and achievable way to invest in the resilience and well-being of our community, not just during emergencies, but every single day. It’s not a luxury. It’s a necessity.
You can help build the new library we need by voting yes on Measure G in November. Learn more at votetruckeelibrary.com.
~ James Blattler is a local resident and has worked in the field of emergency services for over 15 years. Before moving to Truckee, James was the emergency manager for the City of San Luis Obispo.
~ Kathleen Eagan spearheaded Truckee’s incorporation as a town and was elected Truckee’s first mayor in 1993. Kathleen was also a founding member of the Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation and has served as an elected member of the Truckee Tahoe Airport Board.
