To get your free library card visit Mesa Public Library or White Rock Branch Library and fill out a short application. We require photo identification showing current name and address. If your photo identification does not have a current address, you must bring other proof of address, such as a utility bill or lease agreement.

We will give you a library card on the spot! We issue library cards to residents of Los Alamos County, employees working in Los Alamos County, temporary residents of Los Alamos County, New Mexico residents with a valid New Mexico ID such as a driver's license, and UNM-LA students.

The Main library and the Branch share the same catalog. When looking up a title or author in the catalog you are searching both White Rock’s and Mesa’s collections. While both locations have many of the same titles, especially those by popular authors, not every title in White Rock appears at Mesa and vice versa.

The Library Catalog Tips & Tricks page will help you get the most out of using the library catalog.

The library does not charge fines for overdue materials. However, lost and damaged materials must be paid for. While the library makes every effort to notify patrons via phone call, email, and/or mailed letter of lost or damaged items according to this schedule it is patron's responsibility to return library items in a timely manner and in good condition.

By phone: Call 505-662-8253 to renew items.

Online: Log in to My Account by appending the last 7 digits of your library card barcode number to the numbers already in the Library Card Number field. You must also enter your PIN. (By default your PIN is the last four digits of your phone number but, if you don’t know your PIN, call 505-662-8253.) Once you have logged in, click on My Account and select the Checkouts tab. Click the boxes next to each item you wish to renew (or Select All) and click Renew.

On our self-checkout machines: Scan your library card barcode, then select Renew Items from the bottom of the screen. Select the items you wish to renew and then select Renew Items again.

Items may be renewed up to three times unless the item has been requested by another patron.

If the library owns the item you are looking for, but it's checked out or at the other branch, you can:

Place a hold, either through your account online or in person. Your name is added to a list with others who are waiting for that item. The order of the list follows the sequence in which the requests were placed. Please note that Library staff may re-order the waiting list if the item needs to be repaired or if a written purchase request predates the online request.

The library reserves the right to hold items and to reorder the waiting list for items that are being used in library programming. When the item is returned to the library and it is your turn, you will be notified by telephone or e-mail that the item will be held for you for the next seven days.

If the library does not own the item you are looking for, you can:

We can purchase books, DVDs, music CDs, audiobooks, eBooks and eAudiobooks if it fits within our guidelines and if it is of interest to the general public. Fill out this form and we will notify you when the item has arrived and is ready for you to pick up or if we are unable to purchase.

We can also borrow items from other libraries via our Interlibrary Loan program. This includes books, magazine articles, and audiobooks only. Visit our page to submit a request or for more info.

All Los Alamos County Library materials may be returned to either Mesa Public or the White Rock Branch. We run a shuttle once a day every weekday (except holidays) to transfer items to their home location. Some items such as DVDs, music CDs, audiobooks, large print, graphic novels, teen, and beginning readers do not have a home location but reside at the location they were most recently checked in.

If Los Alamos County Library does not have the book, article, or video that you need, we can borrow it for you through Interlibrary Loan. This service is free to anyone with a Los Alamos County Library card. Click here for more information or to submit a request.

Patrons concerned about material in the collection, displays, meetings, or exhibits are welcome to discuss those concerns with the Library Manager. Patrons who wish to ask the Library to reconsider one of these services are given the Request for Reconsideration form and informed of the reconsideration process.

Children ages six and up may use the library on their own, however, library facilities are not to be used in lieu of childcare. Please note that if a child wishes to leave the library, the library staff cannot legally detain him or her. Children are subject to the same rules of conduct as other library users.

If an unattended child is requested to leave the premises because of conduct, he or she will be encouraged to call a parent or guardian and inform them of the situation. Library staff cannot assume responsibility for children left at the library.

The Library seeks to provide a safe and welcoming environment for educational and leisure pursuits. To ensure this, the Library Code of Conduct is applicable to all Library users and is enforceable by all Library staff.
Also see the Library's Facility Rules.

Under the New Mexico Library Privacy Act , privacy for the users of public libraries of the state with respect to the library materials they wish to use preserves intellectual freedom guaranteed under the New Mexico State Constitution. Therefore, patron records are confidential within the parameters of state and federal law.

The staff of the Library will respond to court orders or formal, legitimate requests by federal and state authorities for business records or tangible items made by federal authorities pursuant to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, 50 U.S.C. Sec. 1861 by utilizing the articulated procedures unless and until such Act or portions thereof are declared by a court of competent jurisdiction or other legitimate authority to be unconstitutional or otherwise illegal.

Please see Section 3.2.2 of Los Alamos County Library System Policies for more information.

Donations are accepted for the collection when they assist the library in accomplishing its goals and objectives and also meet physical and content standards required of similar items in the collection. The library cannot guarantee that an item will be added to the collection and will not accept any donations contingent on that requirement.

Library staff can provide a tax receipt, but cannot assign a dollar value to your donation. Typically, if the library chooses not to add donated items to the collection, the items will be sold in the Friends bookstore.

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and related laws, Los Alamos County Library System is committed to providing equal access for all people who wish to use the library, including people with disabilities.

Library staff is happy to assist with access to all library collections, services, and programs. Please ask at any service desk, or contact 505-662-8253 or refweb@lacnm.us. Library services to people with disabilities include but are not limited to the listing below.

For Visual Magnification

For Auditory Clarity

For Ease of Mobility

For General Comfort

The library offers an open Wi-Fi for all users on the premises who have their own devices. To access click on the LAC-Public Library network and accept our guidelines. Your session will time out after one hour.

Visitors can also use the library’s own computers on a first come, first served basis. Printing is free from these stations, though we ask patrons to keep printing to 20 pages or less.

Los Alamos County Library System has meeting rooms that may be reserved for use by the public. Use of the meeting rooms is governed by the Los Alamos County Library System Policies. Rooms may be reserved online through laconm.libcal.com

Mesa Public Library has two meeting rooms on the upper level and one study room on the main level that may be reserved.

White Rock Branch Library has one large meeting room and one study room that may be reserved.

Study rooms are closed or non-public forums, and are intended for individual or small-group study. Rooms are available on a first-come, first-served basis, and users must check in with staff prior to using the rooms. One study room at each location may be reserved for small meetings of 6-8 people. Visit laconm.libcal.com to reserve a room.

Mesa Public Library has 8 study rooms available during open hours. Six of these rooms seat up to 2 people and the two larger study rooms can accommodate up to 6. These must be checked out from the service desk.

The White Rock Branch Library has 2 study rooms that can each seat 8 people. These rooms must be checked out from front desk staff.

Both library locations have a full color photocopier and scanner. You may scan documents and save them to a USB drive. You can also print copies from a file on a USB drive. Copies are free, though we ask patrons to keep the number of copies made to 20 pages or less.

This service is currently suspended.

Both library locations provide free test proctoring services in support of the community’s lifelong learning needs and interests. Please see our proctoring guidelines or contact us via email at refweb@lacnm.us or phone at 505-662-8253 for more information.

Got Questions? Ask a Librarian! Los Alamos County Library System librarians are available to help with your research needs—whatever they may be.

Here are all the ways you can reach us:

If Los Alamos County Library does not have the book, article, or video that you need, we can borrow it for you through Interlibrary Loan. This service is free to anyone with a Los Alamos County Library card. Click here for more information or to submit a request.

Need a little bit of extra help getting your e-book or magazine onto your device? Or maybe it's some additional assistance using the library catalog? We're here to help! Schedule a time to meet one-on-one with a library staff member who can help you. Although we are not technology experts, we can help you with accessing the library's online resources.

For detailed information, please contact: refweb@lacnm.us or 505-662-8253

When you come for your appointment, please bring the device onto which you want to download titles, know any usernames and passwords related to your device (ex. Amazon log-in, Apple ID, etc.), and bring any error messages, etc. that you may have encountered while downloading titles on your own.

Did you know that you can borrow a telescope from the White Rock Branch Library? Patrons age 18 and up can borrow the Orion StarBlast Telescope and accessories for one week. To check it out please visit the White Rock Branch Library, fill out the borrowing agreement, and enjoy!

For detailed information or to see if it is available for checkout, please contact: libweb@lacnm.us or 505-662-8265