SPARKS –– The Washoe County Library System Board of Trustees is ready for a little help and direction from the community. Now, it just needs to find a few good bookworms.

The library system will be forming an advisory committee, which could be active as soon as December. The committee will be charged with giving its advice on criteria for library operations, which includes decisions on closing libraries, if lackluster budgets so dictate.

“The goal is to get a little community buy-in and get a depth of experience that we could use,” said acting board chair Judy Simon at Wednesday’s meeting of the board of trustees.

Advertisements for the 21 available positions are expected to go out Aug. 2. The board will then review the applications and whittle down a committee.

The positions being sought include:

• One library trustee

• One or two representatives from the Friends of Washoe County Library

• One WCLS employee

• One county commissioner

• Two individuals from each commission district – total of 10

• At least one person representing the business community

• Up to two representatives from the University of Nevada, Reno and Truckee Meadows Community College

In addition to these positions, staff reports state that former library directors Martha Gould and Nancy Cummings are invited to participate as at-large members and the current library director will sit in on committee meetings as a non-voting member.

In addition to being able to weigh in on library closures, the committee would also give input on services that could be either expanded or eliminated as well as potential new library locations.

In order to be on the committee any applicant must simply be interested in books, maintaining a vibrant library system and must hold a current library card.

Teens and minorities are encouraged to apply.