The September 1861 trip to Lake Tahoe stands as a pivotal moment in Samuel Clemens’ life, marking the first steps towards his transformation into the literary giant known as Mark Twain.  

Clemens, 25 years old and still searching for his place in the world, left his printing apprenticeship in the East and joined his brother Orion, the Secretary of the Nevada Territory, in the Nevada silver rush. 
Upon reaching Lake Tahoe, Clemens was awestruck by its beauty. He described the crystal-clear water reflecting the majestic mountains as “the fairest picture the whole earth affords.” This encounter sparked a sense of wonder and inspiration, igniting a lifelong love for the Sierra Nevada landscape. 

Driven by youthful ambition and the promise of timber wealth, Clemens staked a claim on the North Shore near present-day Glenbrook. His pioneering spirit sprinkled with a good dose of hilarious foibles foreshadows his later literary themes of independence and self-reliance. 

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While the timber claim ultimately proved unsuccessful, the impact of Lake Tahoe on Clemens’ literary development was profound, later vividly woven into the fabric of his book “Roughing It,” becoming a cornerstone of his literary career. Lake Tahoe provided Clemens with a wealth of anecdotes, characters, and settings, forming the backdrop for some of his most beloved tales. 

This rich experience played a crucial role in launching the extraordinary journey of Mark Twain, forever linking him to the magnificent allure of Lake Tahoe. 

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Pick up a copy of “Roughing It” at your local library! 

Incline Village Library
845 Alder Ave. 
775-832-4130 

Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10:30 a.m.: Family Story Time – For children of all ages, with a focus on enjoying literacy and language as a family. 

Tuesdays 2–7 p.m. and Fridays 10 a.m.–3 p.m.: Book a Librarian – get 50 minutes of one-on-one help from a librarian. Get help with filling out forms, troubleshooting phones/tablets/laptops, library apps such as Libby, check out virtual reality headsets and more! 

Tuesday, Jan 30, 4 p.m.: Teen Tuesday – Game On! Enjoy free play with our virtual reality headsets or the Nintendo Switch. Snacks provided! 

Thursday, Feb 1, 3-5 p.m.: IV Quad Makerspace – design and create a wooden sign. 

Saturday, Feb 3, 10:30 a.m. – noon: Encore IV Quad Makerspace – can’t make it to Thursday’s event we’ll repeat the same project on Saturday. 

Tuesday, Feb 6, 4 p.m.: Teen Tuesday – Enjoy watching the movie Super Mario Bros. Free popcorn served! 

Kings Beach Library 
301 Secline St. 
530-546-2021 

Our hours have expanded! We are now open Tue. Wed. Thu. From 10 a.m.- 6 p.m. and Fri. Sat. 10 a.m.- 5 p.m. We are closed for one hour from 1-2 p.m. for lunch everyday.  

Book Bingo! Read to win excellent socks and the chance to win a Nespresso machine. Sign up online placer.beanstack.org or stop by for a physical Bingo Card! 

Peeps on Parade returns! 3 weeks – March 10- March 31. Make a diorama depicting a book using Peeps. Display at Library. Think Harry Peeper or Mary Peepins… 

Tues. 10:30-11 a.m. Preschool Storytime with Mr. Matthew. Songs, rhymes, and silly fun! 

NEW! Now Weekly. Wed. 10:30-11 a.m. Baby Lapsit Storytime. Early Literacy songs, rhymes, and play for babies and their caregivers. 0-18 months. Playtime afterwards.  

Wed. Feb.7^th  Novel Ideas Book Club! Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult 2-3:30 p.m. Kings Beach Library 

Grab a take home craft to create at your child’s leisure. New craft every 2 weeks. All parts provided except glue and scissors. 

We offer 4 computers with high-speed internet access, copying, scanning, faxing, and free WiFi. 

Did you know can check-out a California State Park Pass from the library? Good for day use for 1 week at most California State Parks. 

Tahoe City Library 
740 North Lake Blvd. 
530-583-3382 

We have longer hours! We are now open Tue. Wed. Thu. From 10 a.m.- 6 p.m. and Fri. Sat. 10 a.m.- 5 p.m. We are closed for one hour from 1-2 p.m. for lunch everyday.  

Play Book Bingo! Read to win excellent socks and the chance to win a Nespresso machine. Sign up online placer.beanstack.org or stop by for a physical Bingo Card! 

Thursdays 10:30-11 a.m. Preschool Storytime with Miss Bree. Fun with songs, books, and rhymes. 

NEW! Now Weekly. Friday. 10:30-11 a.m. Baby Lapsit Storytime. Early Literacy songs, rhymes, and play for babies and their caregivers. 0-18 months. Playtime afterwards.  

Wed. Feb. 21 Novel Ideas Book Club! Horse by Geraldine Brooks.  2-3:30 p.m. Tahoe City Library  

Grab a take home craft to create at your child’s leisure. New craft every 2 weeks. All parts provided except glue and scissors. 

We offer 4 computers with high-speed internet access, copying, scanning, faxing, and free WiFi. 

We have a nice selection of used books for sale in our foyer. Check them out! 

California State Park Pass available at your library! Good for day use for 1 week at most California State Parks. 

Truckee Library 
10031 Levon Ave., Truckee 
(530) 582-7846 

Tuesdays at 5 p.m.: English Conversation Group, an adult program, to help improve your English communication. 

Wednesdays at 4 p.m.: RUFF Reading. Read to our therapy animals and participate in fun crafts! In partnership with library staff, volunteers, and the Humane Society of Truckee-Tahoe. 

The fourth Wednesday of the month from 3:30-4:30 p.m.: Lawyer in the Library. Sign-up for a free legal consultation with a local volunteer attorney. Register for a 15-minute session by calling (530) 582-7846. 

Thursdays at 10:30 a.m.: Preschool Storytime or Preschool Music with Justin Eubanks 

Fridays at 4 p.m.: Children’s Lego Club 

Saturdays at 10 a.m.: English Conversation Group, an adult program, to help improve your English communication. 

Feb. 2 at 4:30 p.m.: Teen Needle Felting & Valentine’s Day Cardmaking 

Feb. 5 at Noon: Vintage Valentine’s Day Cards (Adult program at the WorkSpace) 

Feb. 7 at 1:30 p.m.: Wild About Wool (Adult program at the WorkSpace) 

Feb. 8 and Feb. 22 at 3:30 p.m.: Pop-up Makerspace 

Feb. 10 and Feb. 24 at 11 a.m.: Pop-up Makerspace 

Feb. 12 at 4 p.m.: Youth Art Exploration with Micah featuring Suminagashi (paper marbling). Registration required. 

Feb. 13 at 4 p.m.: Youth Valentine’s Day Craft 

Feb. 20 at 1 p.m.: Just Books Book Club discussing Catalog of Unabased Gratitude by Ross Gay 

Feb. 28 at 3 p.m.: Teen Advisory Group