Article by:
Kelvin Watson, Executive Director
Twenty-first century libraries are powerful, ever-evolving places. In fact, the definition of a “library” has undergone a digital revolution in the past 20 years. Where else can students gain free, hands-on access to 3D printers, music and sound production, sewing and fashion design, robotics, virtual reality goggles, and even help with understanding AI (artificial intelligence).
The revolution that technology has brought to humankind is mirrored in our libraries, with transformative experiences for all ages. We have become the new community center in our neighborhoods, where people meet for friendship, learning, to exchange ideas, and follow their dreams.
We believe that free access to technology for all would transform our educational system in America. The lack of this access, known as the digital divide, severely impacts low-income households and those who lose their jobs during economic downturns, such as the pandemic.
Training & Learning Opportunities
Adults, too, would barely recognize us from two decades ago, and with every year that passes, we introduce new innovative programs, services, and technology that are available to all. Adults will find career and small business services such as computer training, language skills, high school diploma programs, and resume writing, plus small-business planning and support through our Adult Learning Program. In partnership with Workforce Connections, we also offer:
- EmployNV Career Hubs at our East Las Vegas, Clark County, and West Las Vegas Libraries, which
- Youth Hub & Teen Zone at our West Charleston Library, which offers a comfortable and colorful space where teens and young adults ages 16-24, can find help with employment, paid training, internships, pre-apprenticeships, mentoring, and other educational opportunities.
Open 24/7on Our Website
The Las Vegas-Clark County Library District works to serve the digital divide with access to computer labs for all ages, and free WiFi in our buildings and our parking lots. Because we are always open 24/7 at TheLibraryDistrict.org, our online downloads and streaming activity has soared for movies, music, TV shows, magazines, newspapers, books and audiobooks. On our website, you will also find hundreds of digital resources to learn a language, prep for exams, obtain homework help, master a new job skill, write a resume or a small business plan, learn a craft, and discover new interests and hobbies that you never knew fascinated you. And all you need is a free library card, and you can #GetCarded at https://legacy.lvccld.org/ecard/language.cfm.
Arts & Cultural Experiences
The Library District serves as a community hub offering skills training, job fairs, after-school tutoring, nutrition for children K-12 and seniors, legal advice workshops in partnership with Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada, plus blood drives and neighborhood meetings. We also offer arts and culture such as music, dance, theater, art openings, story times, magic shows, lectures, and much more. And remember, everything is free!
But our work is just getting started. There is so much more that we must do to educate, entertain, inspire, and uplift all Clark County residents. We must find new and innovative funding streams, forge public and private partnerships, and continue advocating for diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, and intellectual freedom for the communities that we serve. We do this with other public entities and partners, and we are striving to grow. Some examples include:
West Las Vegas Library New Location
Probably our most exciting development coming up in the next 18 months our new West Las Vegas Library, located at 1861 North Martin Luther King Blvd, just around the corner from our existing library on West Lake Mead Blvd.
This groundbreaking event also marks our 50 Year Anniversary of service to the Historic Westside community. The original West Las Vegas Library was opened as a colorful storefront on “D” Street in 1973, where it served the public until our current location opened in 1989.
The new West Las Vegas Library will feature two floors covering 40,950 square-feet – more than doubling the current library’s available space. The building will feature easy pedestrian accessibility, an outdoor plaza, and three entries on the north, east, and west. There will be spaces for employment readiness and small business development, educational support and digital literacy training, as well as separate computer labs for adults and children, free Wi-Fi access, English language & citizenship instruction, cultural performances, and community gatherings. We anticipate that construction on the new building will begin in March.
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC)
Our partnership with the RTC enables bus riders to gain instant access to our online books, audiobooks, and magazines using free WiFi on board more than 400 buses. Many bus riders and their children may have never set foot in a library before, and are discovering our materials and services for the first time. This program has been recognized for its innovation by three national library trade groups. Since the program launched in September 2021, some 25,000 bus riders have signed up for instant digital access to library materials.
Barbershop Books in Partnership with the NFL
The NFL Barbershop Books program is a brand-new connection that we made this year as the Super Bowl prepares to take over Las Vegas next February. The program uses the community and camaraderie that children feel in their local barbershop to encourage the sense of joy, adventure, and discovery that come from reading books.
The Library District is working with Barbershop Books to create libraries with culturally relevant content in select community barbershops, and our library staff will train barbers on ways to engage with kids about what they are reading. More details on this exciting and innovative program will be coming soon and look for it to launch right before the Super Bowl.
COX WiFi Cards Provide FREE Connectivity
Southern Nevadans can now get free personal WiFi access through a new program from the Library District and Cox Communications. The initiative will enable 50,000 households to obtain free access to the CoxWiFi hotspot network, on up to three devices per household, until June 30, 2024. Nevada Congresswoman Susie Lee helped to kick off the program by presenting the Library District with a check for $3.8 million in funding from the Federal Emergency Connectivity Fund, as part of the American Rescue Plan.
Clark County School District (CCSD)
We are also partners in education. We provide free tutoring at nine of our branches (details at https://thelibrarydistrict.org/homeworkhelp/) through a partnership with the UNLV and the federally funded America Reads/America Counts Program. We also provide CCSD’s 300,000+ students with Summer Challenge, our fun and fascinating summer reading and activities program. It is designed to keep kids engaged and their skills sharp while school is out of session. We are also working with the College of Southern Nevada to bring college classes to our library branches, through a pilot program going on now.
Book Vending Machine
Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo joined the Library District at the Boulevard Mall for a ribbon-cutting ceremony on a unique new way to bring the library directly to the people. The Library District purchased a 2.5-ton library book vending machine, and installed it inside the mall, toward the goal of better serving the Las Vegas Hispanic community. Loaded with 235 books, in a mix of English and Spanish titles for children, teens, and adults, the 7-foot by 10-foot machine is wrapped in bright, eye-catching graphics, with easy instructions in English and Spanish that explain how to check out your book selection using your free library card. There is a 21-day check-out period, and books can be returned to the vending machine or at any Las Vegas-Clark County Library branch.
Teen Tech Centers
Tech skills training for 21st century jobs must start early, and the Library District is making this happen for area youth. Through generous partnerships with Cox, NV Energy, Best Buy, and Switch, we have built dedicated teen tech spaces that offer hands-on training in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math (STEAM). These include sewing classes, robotics, music and sound production, virtual reality headsets, 3D printers, podcasting, coding camps and so much more. These spaces let teens dive deeply into technologies that bridge the digital divide and accelerate their progress toward lucrative careers and employment.
Revolutionary Change in Your Neighborhood!
These are just a few examples of how libraries are creating revolutionary change in our neighborhoods, providing residents with a place to explore possibilities, discover new interests, and meet new friends, no matter what age. In my role, I feel a great responsibility to pursue this transformative change, overseeing the Library District’s 25 branches, served by 600+ employees and spanning 8,000 square miles across Clark County. These include large urban branches such as the Sahara West, Summerlin, Centennial Hills, Mesquite, and Laughlin Libraries; medium sized branches such as the Spring Valley, West Las Vegas, and Enterprise Libraries; and our rural branches, including the Good Springs, Moapa Valley, and Mount Charleston Libraries.
Want to know more about our free services?
Stay in touch with the Library District through a free library card! Your library card will give you access to check out physical items from our branches and to stream and download digital books, audiobooks, movies and music from our website at TheLibraryDistrict.org. You will also receive our twice monthly online newsletter, which keeps you up-to-date on everything that we offer! To sign up for a library card, stop by your nearest branch with a valid photo I.D. and proof of address.
Come in and find out more!
Libraries will continue to play an essential role in championing equal access to knowledge and opportunity for all, and I invite you to join us on this evolving and life-changing direction for our community. We offer many opportunities for you to volunteer your time, donate books, magazines, CDs, and DVDs, make a financial donation, or even become a member of our expert staff. Come in to visit your nearest branch or contact us at [email protected] to find out how you can make a difference.
